Rancon motors launches Bangladeshi-assembled mitsubishi xpander

RANCON Auto Industries Ltd has officially launched the Bangladesh-manufactured Mitsubishi Xpander, a seven-seater family SUV powered by a 1.5-litre MIVEC engine.

The launch marks a significant milestone in Bangladesh's automotive industry, combining renowned Japanese engineering with local manufacturing capabilities.

The launch event was held at RANCON Industrial Park and attended by His Excellency SAIDA Shinichi, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, as chief guest. Also present were Romo Rouf Chowdhury, Group Managing Director of RANCON Holdings, and Farhana Karim, Managing Director of RANCON Auto Industries. Senior officials from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), along with dignitaries from both public and private sectors, joined the celebration.

In a special video message, Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, said, "This is just the beginning of a promising journey. The Xpander has seen strong demand across ASEAN markets, and with RANCON, we look forward to building a future of excellence and reliability in Bangladesh."

Yutaka Yano, Division General Manager of MMC, praised the manufacturing standards maintained at RANCON. "From paint to final assembly, every step is aligned with Mitsubishi's global benchmarks," he said.

RANCON's 52-acre industrial park manufactures for several global brands, including Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki, Proton, JAC, LG and Toshiba—demonstrating the Group's expanding industrial footprint.

In his keynote, Romo Rouf Chowdhury highlighted the company's journey and its future ambitions. "With over 50 years as Mitsubishi's official distributor in Bangladesh, we've now developed a world-class facility that enables local production at global quality," he said. "The locally assembled Xpander includes a five-year warranty, two years of servicing, and 11 after-sales service centres nationwide."

Japanese Ambassador SAIDA Shinichi termed the launch a symbol of deepening strategic and technical cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. "This is more than an industrial achievement—it reflects the strength of our bilateral friendship," he said.

Local celebrities, including actor Siam Ahmed, the official brand ambassador of Mitsubishi Motors Bangladesh, hosted the star-studded launch event.