Oh, boy. How did it come to this, Mitsu? You had the Evo, the Montero, the Delica. And now you have this nondescript box that says Amazon prime on it.
The Japanese carmaker is teasing the 2022 Outlander’s release with an Amazon partnership that is supposed to oh, I don’t know, endear me to whatever new car is inside that box. But the feeling I get is closer to that of Brad Pitt’s in the film Se7en.
The new Outlander will debut on Amazon Live. It just screams “gimmick” because even though the crossover probably won’t usher in a glorious return for Mitsubishi, it’s not the worst crossover I’ve sneaked a peek at. It doesn’t deserve the negative association with Amazon’s most annoyingly prolific service, Amazon Prime. There’s Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, Prime...and Live?
Prime is as bad as YouTube asking me to subscribe. Every. Single. Vid.
Stop, Amazon. Just stop. I’ll buy products, but I won’t buy the shopping.
Some bits even had me excited about the unveiling, such as the debut of “an updated version of the company’s rally-proven Super All-Wheel-Control all-wheel-drive system.” And I am eager to see what Mitsubishi is calling a reimagining of its entire lineup in the U.S.
The Japanese carmaker is giving a 2022 Outlander to one lucky Prime subscriber. Well, the fine print says that there is no purchase necessary, so I will venture a guess that means no subscription is needed to enroll in the sweepstakes.
The official line from the companies comes from the director of Amazon Live, Munira Rahemtulla, who had this to say of the partnership:
“This collaboration allows us to provide more options for customers to discover new products and brands, and helps Mitsubishi connect with customers in a new and meaningful way.”
But I don’t see how this helps Mitsubishi connect with customers, unless Amazon is opening new Mitsu dealers somewhere. And I’m unsure what Rahemtulla is referring to as far as discovering new products and brands — though I found this superfluous corner of Amazon where shoppers can research (not buy) cars. Is there any kind of shopping that Amazon does not need to elbow its way into?
But, if any of you enter and win a 2022 Outlander in the sweepstakes, please let us know if it actually arrives in that box. I’d like to see a picture of the boxcutter needed for that unboxing.