Mitsubishi Motors are all set to re-launch the Montero in the Indian market in September. The Japanese car maker had stopped sale of the old Montero due to low demand in the Indian market. The price of Rs. 40 lakh for a non-luxury SUV was considered very high by Mitsubishi’s Indian clientele.
While customers can book from now for the new Montero by paying Rs 10 lakh, the new Montero is priced at Rs. 70.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). For the current bookings, deliveries will begin from October, though Mitsubishi Motors assures that efforts are on to advance the date.
The Montero will come to India as a CBU (Completely Built-Up Unit), which explains the cause behind such a hefty price tag. The manufactures are probably hoping on the Montero’s facelift with the redesigned chrome grille, revised bonnet, headlamps, etc. The front bumper also gets an LED strip. The side profiles boast of 17-inch revised alloy wheels, redesigned side cladding, etc. The rear profile sports a spare wheel mounted on the rear door.
The engine remains the same with the 3.2-Liter, 16 Valve, DI-D (Direct Injection Diesel) engine, churning out a marginally toned down 189 bhp and a peak torque of 441 Nm, which remains the same, along with the automatic five-speed gearbox. While the new Montero gets a 25 kg addition to the weight, the ground clearance goes lower by about 10 mm. The safety features are the six dual stage airbags along with ABS and EBD.
The interiors will have a touchscreen infotainment system, front power seats, steering cruise control and audio control, day time LED, power tilt and sliding sunroof, automatic air conditioner controls, etc.
Mitsubishi Motors’ decision to re-launch the Montero as a CBU in India has raised many eyebrows considering the fact that it didn’t do well earlier in its Rs. 40 lakh price tag. They are probably hoping that the Montero’s facelift can justify the price tag to interest new customers.
