Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd (MMAL) will partner with one of Australia’s biggest construction and manufacturing companies, the Western Australia based BGC (Australia) Pty Ltd to supply about 540 vehicles over the coming years.
Key to the contract was the launch of the new Mitsubishi Triton which will comprise about 65 per cent of BGC’s new fleet. The Triton will be allocated to metropolitan and regional employees.
The contract’s remaining vehicles are the ASX and Eclipse Cross for sales and administration staff, and the Outlander for management.
Mitsubishi vehicles were selected after a six-month tender process involving four brands. The Triton, launched in January, will be supplied in different versions, with the majority being the GLX with the Advance Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) pack that comes with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, auto headlights and rain sensing wipers and an electrochromatic rear view mirror.
The delivery roll-out has started with the first of 40 Tritons now arriving at BGC offices.
MMAL’s Head of Fleet, Fulvio Fattore, said the contract was a great opportunity for Mitsubishi to work with BGC and to showcase the capability of the new Triton.
“It validates what we believe is a great vehicle,” he said.
“BGC’s endorsement of the Triton is recognition that Mitsubishi is leading the market in fleet suitability and especially in driver preference.”
The Triton won over its three competitors on a range of features including comfort, fuel economy, safety and “fit for purpose” parameters established by BGC.
BGC director Sam Buckeridge said the company spent six months on a selection process in which four brands were assessed, involving critiques written by 40 staff members in the different parts of the company and based in locations throughout Australia.
“We had staff participation in evaluating the vehicles as part of the tender process,” Mr Buckeridge said.
“This is important because although the dollars matter, it is the staff who have to live with the vehicles. Their opinion is very important to the decision.”
BGC Group Fleet Manager Peter Owen said Mitsubishi strategically granted preview access to the new Triton in late 2018, before the BGC tender closed.
“That proved to be a good move,” Mr Owen said.
“The Triton received top rating from both the rigorous evaluation of the numbers and the people who will drive these vehicles everyday.”
