Mitsouka for professionals and self-confident personalities

The most intriguing cars at this year’s motorshow were not from Europe or made by the mainstream Japanese and Korean carmekers – instead it is Mitsuoka that had the most interesting range of vehicles. Distinct and unique in appearance, Mitsuoka is a Japanese carmaker that specializes in crafting cars that not only have character, they are also very practical. Oneshift.com speaks to Advance Automobile’s Managing Director Chaiyong Chansungsan about this intriguing brand:

Mitsuoka is very unique – it capitalizes on the advanced Japanese technology from the various top-of-the-line models from carmakers to created cars that have personality and character. This means that even though these Mitsuoka cars are special, they are also very reliable, economical, and make sense to own and driver.

Mitsuoka takes a car and adds value to it by giving it a unique shape. All its models have a high-profile, yet are very practical. This is a very special combination, making the brand appeal to both businessmen as well as car lovers.

Mitsuoka is a family run company, and they are a very professional company, completely dedicated to craftsmanship and design. It isn’t driven by profit, and is not interested in being mass production car company.

All Mitsuoka cars follow a four-point philosophy:
1. They have unique profiles – although they seem familiar, they are not copy-cat designs.
2.They are original in concept and emphasize exclusivity, that appeals to a special market segment. They are not mass market models.
3.They are reliable, and utilize advanced Japanese technology.
4.Rarity is part of their appeal, and each model is a limited production model. This means, if you like the car, you should buy it – it may not be available next year!

All these qualities make Mitsuoka cars very unique – in Japan they actually retain their value very well, and certain models appreciate in value.

We started making enquiries to represent the brand in mid-2005.

The Galue, which means “my style” in Japanese, is based on the Nissan Fuga, a top-of-the-line model that is only available in Japan. In the Nissan range, it ranks above the Skyline, and just below the Cima and President. It is rear-wheel driven and is powered by two V6 engines, either a 2.5-litre or a 3.5-litre.

The second model is the Nouera, which stands for “new era” in Japanese. It is based on the JDM Honda Accord and comes with either 2.0- or 2.4-litre engine sizes.

In fact, all three major Japanese car makers, Nissan, Honda and Toyota, supply cars to Mitsuoka. This means, our cars benefit from having the quality and economies of scale of the very latest Japanese technology. All these manufacturers respect Mitsuoka as a boutique car manufacturer and have granted it the special privilege to build cars on their platforms.

Yes, definitely. We plan to launch three new models next year. I’m afraid I can’t say too much about them yet. One of them with be the Orochi coupe, the first and only Japanese super sportscar.

We are targeting three groups of individuals: Firstly, buyers that are seeking something special, those that share the values and passion of our cars, especially this blend of strong character and everyday reliability.

Secondly, we see businessmen interested in our cars. There is a very practical side to the Mitsuoka brand – the cars are high-profile vehicles that have an image and strong corporate identity. They will be popular as limousines, for weddings and for transporting VIP guests.

Thirdly, the Mitsuoka brand will appeal to unique personalities – self-confident individuals that would like a car to express their personality. All our cars answer an emotional need, and from the response at the Motorshow, Singaporeans have been very positive about Mitsuoka’s image.

Yes, the Orochi is a very interesting vehicle. The name in Japanese stands for a Japanese dragon, or mystical snake. Its design is very curvaceous and is inspired by a dragon. It expresses the good fortune, power and energy that is related to the dragon, which is very important.

When Mitsuoka started developing the car, they looked at the Honda NSX as a base. But after some time, Mitsuoka developed its own chassis for the car. It is now 100 percent Mitsuoka. The engine is from Toyota, which means it is very reliable. It will be an exotic supercar that one can use everyday.

Yes, we will be offering a model in the Cat A segment. It will be as unique as the larger models, but with a smaller engine.

Credits: Justin Lee