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Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and partner PT Krama Yudha have held a ground-breaking ceremony for its new manufacturing facility in the GIIC Industrial Estate, Bekasi, Indonesia. Under the joint-venture, called Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia (MMKI), the next-gen Pajero Sport, the Colt L300 truck/van and a new small MPV are set to be built here from April 2017.

Through the new plant, Mitsubishi will expand its Indonesian business by switching from the current consignment production to in-house production, and some parts of the vehicles made here are set to be exported to other ASEAN nations. The plant will be Mitsubishi's second-biggest in ASEAN after the main Laem Chabang, Thailand production hub.

"We will further contribute to the development of Indonesia's automobile industry and society through employment of 3,000 staff at the new manufacturing plant, development of new part suppliers, promotion of local part procurement, technology transfer, and export," said MMC chairman and CEO Osamu Masuko.

Situated 37 km east of Jakarta, the new Bekasi plant covers an area of 30 hectares, and has an estimated production capacity of 160,000 units a year. Mitsubishi also has a base in Santa Rosa, Philippines (former Ford factory site). The Japanese carmaker says it considers ASEAN its most important market.

What could this "new small MPV" be? Could it be something to go up against Indonesian-market stalwarts Toyota Avanza and Honda Mobilio?