Mitsubishi is upset at the ease with which a baddie “stole” one of their models during an episode of Water Rats.
Producers of the television drama Water Rats, a series seen on M-Net in South Africa, have apparently upset Mitsubishi by suggesting that its Australian-made cars can be easily stolen.
Mitsubishi said that in a recent episode, a character was shown stealing a local model (a Magna) by simply reaching under the dashboard and presumably connecting a couple of wires together.
Mitsubishi Australia’s marketing manager Kevin Taylor said this was purely television “puffery” and it was impossible to steal a Magna in that way.
“Magna and Verada have a very sophisticated engine immobiliser which has consistently been held up as an example to follow by the motoring associations around Australia,” he said.
Taylor said the unfortunate representation had wrongly brought the security of the Magna and Verada models into doubt.
“The producers of Water Rats have unreservedly apologised for any anguish they have caused to Mitsubishi and existing or potential Magna-Verada owners,” he said.
“They have promised to right the wrong in a future episode.”