Mitsubishi Motors Moving To September Launch Of Full Product Line in Canada

VANCOUVER, April 5 /CNW/ - Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc.today held the Canadian debut of the all-new 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander entry-level SUV at the Pacific International Auto and Light Truck show. Outlander joins the company's full line of spirited products that will appear in Canadian dealer showrooms in September 2002.

"Launching in Canada with a full product line is a tremendous advantage," said Pierre Gagnon, president and chief operating officer of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. (MMSA). "The all-new Outlander will give entry-SUV buyers a choice that is hip, cool and thoroughly Mitsubishi in its youthful attitude, styling and performance."

Outlander combines the Mitsubishi brand's strong connection to young consumers with the company's legacy of building world-class sport utility vehicles, and adds an entry-level vehicle to an SUV lineup that also includes Montero and Montero Sport.

The company expects that Outlander's aggressive styling, urban utility and all-weather capabilities will appeal to the youthful consumers at the heart of the Mitsubishi brand. Mitsubishi is a leader in the youth market in the United States, having the youngest average buyer age of all Japanese competitors as 38 percent of Mitsubishi's customers are under the age of 35.

Randy Sears, president of MMSCAN, reiterated that Mitsubishi Motors is rapidly making progress establishing Canadian operations and reaffirmed the company's commitment to selling cars in Canada by September 2002. According to Sears, 34 Canadian dealers have already been selected of 51 dealers to be established in Canada during the first year of operation. By 2007, the dealership network in Canada is expected to grow to 150 dealers.

"The extraordinary response from potential dealers makes us confident that our projections for this market are well within reach," said Sears. "Dealers are very excited to begin selling our full line of products."

Plans are still on target to have dealers located coast to coast by the September 2002 launch. The company anticipates a first-year sales volume of 20,000 vehicles in 2003, rising to at least 37,000 units in 2007.

In addition to Outlander, Mitsubishi also displayed its current U.S. product line that includes the Montero Sport, Montero, Eclipse Coupe, Eclipse Spyder convertible, Galant, Diamante and Lancer models. In the next nine months Mitsubishi will add another stylish, all-new mid-sized crossover SUV to an already powerful SUV lineup.

Mitsubishi Motors is the fourth largest Japanese carmaker in North America based on U.S. sales, and among the fastest growing brands with a 69 percent sales increase over the past three years. That is six times faster than the U.S. automotive industry's overall growth rate, and three times the growth rate of the combined Japanese brands during the same period.

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., was established in 1981 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo and markets a full line of vehicles, including coupes, convertibles, sedans, and sport utility vehicles. Its Web site can be accessed at www.mitsubishicars.com. Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. Its Web site can be accessed at www.mitsubishicars.ca.