The rumors regarding the relaunch of Mehran have finally been laid to rest as the Pakistan Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) has categorically stated that the company has no intentions to restart the production of the country’s most loved car.
Rumors regarding the resumption of Mehran’s production recently made rounds on different social media platforms, with the internet users expressing keen interest in the relaunch of the car.
Speaking in this regard, a high-level official at the PSMC said that Mehran presented the most practical option for first-time car buyers. Mehran was the most affordable car in the domestic market and a much safer option than a motorbike. However, despite all of this, the company has no plans to relaunch Mehran in the country.
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First launched in 1989, Mehran was heavily criticized by automotive enthusiasts for lacking essential safety features and introducing minor changes over the years.
After dominating the roads of Pakistan for three decades, PSMC announced to discontinue Mehran in 2019. PSMC replaced Mehran with 660cc Alto, whose lowest trim is currently available for around Rs. 1.5 million in the country.
PSMC introduced a Euro-II model of Mehran in 2013. According to the official data of the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), during FY2013-14, just over 118,000 cars were sold in the country, of which 29,500 were Mehran, reflecting a massive market share of 25%.
In FY2017-18, more than 217,000 cars were sold, of which 46,220 were Mehran, accounting for 21% of the market share. The decision to discontinue Mehran was taken in FY2018-19. That year, 207,700 cars were sold, of which 32,000 were Mehran, showing a market share of 15.4%.
