The all-new Mitsubishi Mirage, a no-frills supermini that we first saw at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, has entered series production at the company’s brand-new factory at Laem Chabang in Thailand.

The Japanese automaker’s “global compact car” will first go on sale in Thailand next week before it is exported to other Southeast Asian countries followed by Japan, Europe and other markets around the world later this year.

“I am pleased to present the Mirage first in Thailand,” said Osamu Masuko, President of Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

“The Mirage is an all-new compact car focused on premium fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions just right for the times where demand for superior fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness are increasing all over the world.”

At 3710 mm long, 1,665 mm wide and 1,490 mm tall, the new Mirage falls between city cars like the Fiat Panda and superminis like the Ford Fiesta.

It is powered by a new 1.0-liter three-cylinder MIVEC gasoline engine that can be equipped with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G) system linked to a CVT driving the front wheels. Mitsubishi claims a combined fuel efficiency of 30km/L (equal to 3.3lt/100km or 70mpg US) on the Japanese test cycle.

The Thai-market Mirage will be priced between THB 380,000 to 551,000 (US$12,300 to US$17,900 or €9,400 to €13,600) depending on trim level, and Mitsubishi’s plans are to sell approximately 2,500 units per month in Thailand.

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