Mitsubishi Motors announces names and locations for first 31 Canadian Dealers

TORONTO, June 25 /CNW/ - Building on extraordinary North American momentum, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America (MMSA) President and Chief Operating Officer Pierre Gagnon today announced the names and locations of 31 dealers that will begin selling Mitsubishi vehicles in Canada this fall. The 31 dealers announced today will open several months ahead of Mitsubishi's original February 2003 target. Located coast-to-coast, these 31 independently owned and operated dealerships will give Canadian consumers the opportunity to shop Mitsubishi Motors' full line of seven highly anticipated stylish and spirited vehicles. "We are building a dealership network that anticipates a first-year sales volume of 20,000 vehicles," said Gagnon. "By 2007 we will expand the network to 150 dealers, generating 37,000 vehicle sales and capturing two per cent of the Canadian new vehicle market. Over the next five years, we will stimulate over $1.4 billion in dealership salaries and spending and create an anticipated 6,400 new dealership jobs."

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada is rapidly establishing a national Canadian dealer network and has now selected 44 of its first full-year target 51 dealers.

This fall, Canadians will be able to shop at Mitsubishi dealers across the country including three in British Columbia, four in the Prairies, 15 in Ontario, seven in Quebec, and two in the Atlantic provinces. Construction and renovation has already begun on many dealerships generating customer inquiries and advance vehicle sales.

Mitsubishi Motors' vehicles appeal to people who are young-minded, stylish and who want to look and feel alive. "In the United States 41.6 per cent of our buyers are under the age of 35 making us the company with the second youngest average buyer age in the industry," said Greg O'Neill executive vice president and general manager, MMSA. "Our unique style differentiates us from other mainstream brands and through a Canadian national TV and print campaign, Canadian consumers will connect with our best ever product line."

Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc. (MMSCAN) continues to expand and will break ground in July on its new head office in Mississauga, Ontario. "We anticipate salary and spending of over $300 million in the next five years and our head office will house our national technical training center - a specialized state-of-the-art facility to provide the hands-on skills training for 'fix it right the first time' Mitsubishi Motors technicians," said Randy Sears, president, MMSCAN.

Mitsubishi Motors will bring to Canada seven vehicles including the Montero Sport, Montero, Eclipse Coupe, Eclipse Spyder convertible, Galant, Lancer and Outlander models. The company will retail 10 models by the fall of 2003. As part of its plan to launch a new vehicle each year for the next five years, Mitsubishi Motors will add another stylish, all-new mid-sized crossover SUV to an already powerful SUV lineup in the next nine months. The company will also launch Mitsubishi Motors' Canadian market sedans, coupes and SUVs available with groupings of options and standard feature-packed trim levels that meet every need and budget.

The Galant arrives in dealer showrooms dressed in four well-appointed trim lines that deliver comfort, convenience and performance to satisfy discerning drivers. The Lancer is the entry-level value for money vehicle that is loaded with standard features and conveniences found on more expensive models. It seats five adults and provides excellent fuel economy. The Eclipse Coupe and Spyder add excitement to the Canadian product line-up by combining attractive styling, spirited performance and superb handling. The 2002 Dakar Rally race dominating Montero SUV offers rugged design and engineering excellence, while the Montero Sport offers value as a well-equipped off-road ready truck-based SUV. Finally, the Outlander is an exciting option for those looking for a more adaptable vehicle that grows beyond the capabilities of a sedan. It's Mitsubishi Motors' first entry into the growing compact SUV segment.

Mitsubishi Motors is the fastest growing Japanese car company in the U.S. based on U.S. sales. It is among the fastest growing brands with a 69 per cent sales increase over the past three years.

In June of 2002, Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. broke into the top three in assembly productivity among North American automobile manufacturers and secured the most improved ranking for the third consecutive year according to the 2002 Harbour Report North America. The improvements were logged at the company's Normal, Ill., plant, one of the most complex plants in North America producing five models, soon to be six, on a single assembly line.

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.

For additional information and images, please contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at 888-560-6672.

Location Metro Dealer Principal Target Start Date Calgary Northeast Calgary Gary Sartorio October 2002 Calgary South Calgary Steve Itzcovitch October 2002 Edmonton West Edmonton Bart Yachimec October 2002 Dartmouth Halifax Rob Steele September 2002 Burlington Hamilton Jeff Bridge September 2002 Kelowna Kelowna Don Folk September 2002 Kitchener Kitchener Mike Alkier September 2002 London London Richard Wilson September 2002 Moncton Moncton Tom Wilbur September 2002 North Toronto Toronto Sylvester Chuang September 2002 Pointe Claire Montreal Gabriel Azouz November 2002 Laval Montreal Jacques Lalonde September 2002 Ottawa South Ottawa Tom Donnelly September 2002 Gatineau Gatineau Nader Dormani September 2002 Ottawa East Ottawa Mary Ann Bernard November 2002 Levis Quebec City Yolande Paquet October 2002 Quebec City Quebec City Denis Michel September 2002 Saskatoon Saskatoon Vaughn Wyant October 2002 Sherbrooke Sherbrooke Daniel Beaucage September 2002 Niagara Falls St. Catharines Luciano Butera September 2002 Brampton Toronto Glen Alizadeh September 2002 Woodbridge Toronto Joe Zanchin September 2002 Richmond Hill Toronto Frank Serpa September 2002 Mississauga West Toronto Sandy Liguori September 2002 Markham Toronto Kap Dilawri September 2002 Mississauga East Toronto Sean Kelly September 2002 Toronto Downtown Toronto Sam Akhavan September 2002 Trois-Rivieres Trois-Rivieres Jean-Guy Crepeau November 2002 Vancouver Vancouver Blair Hall September 2002 North Vancouver Vancouver Rick Irwin September 2002 Windsor Windsor John Sheldon November 2002