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Mitsubishi Motors Reports July Vehicle Sales

1 August 1997

Mitsubishi Motors July Vehicle Sales Reach 16,851 Units; Best-Ever July Eclipse Sales Help Boost Company's Performance 7.5 Percent

    CYPRESS, Calif., Aug. 1 -- Mitsubishi Motors Sales of
America, Inc. (MMSA) reported July, 1997 total vehicle sales of 16,851 units,
up 7.5 percent over July, 1996.  Sales of the Eclipse, Galant and the new
Montero Sport fueled the company's performance in July with the Eclipse
generating its best July on record since the car was launched in 1989.  For
the first seven months of the year, MMSA's sales totaled 111,486 units, up
1.4 percent over the same period in 1996.
    The Eclipse sports coupe was July's sales leader for MMSA with 6,053 units
sold.  This record-setting July sales performance was an increase of nearly
43 percent over July, 1996 and exemplifies the Eclipse's position as the
import-badged sales leader in its segment.  Kevin Ormes, group vice president
of sales and marketing, noted "the Eclipse's appeal is so strong because it
has the right combination of aggressive styling, excellent performance and
great value."  967 Eclipse Spyders were sold in July, up 3.2 percent over its
performance achieved one year ago.  Eclipse Spyder is one of the best-selling
convertibles on the market with 15,469 sold since the car went on sale in
February, 1996.
    Sales of the Galant mid-size sedan reached 2,834 units in July, 1997, off
from its record performance one year ago.  For the year, sales volume of
MMSA's U.S.-assembled products, Galant, Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder totaled
63,439 units, down 15 percent from the same period one year ago.
    Mitsubishi Motors' newest SUV, the mid-size Montero Sport, continued its
success in the market with 2,343 units sold in July, 1997.  According to
Ormes, "Montero Sport's distinctive good looks, smooth ride and value for the
money have made it a tough competitor in the hot-selling compact sport utility
segment."  For the year, sales of Mitsubishi Motors sport utility vehicles are
up 180 percent to 20,653 units.
    The high-value Mirage Coupe and Sedan totaled 2,700 sales in July, 1997,
up over 18 percent from July, 1996.  Year-to-date, Mirage sales are up nearly
8 percent at 16,351 units versus July, 1996 year-to-date volume.  Sales of the
Australian-assembled Diamante, MMSA's luxury performance sedan, totaled 818
units in July, 1997.
    Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., was established in 1982 by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of subcompact
coupes and sedans, mid-size sedans, sports coupes and convertibles, grand
touring sports cars, luxury performance sedans and sport utility vehicles.

                                      July '97         July '96     % Change
                                     Month/YTD        Month/YTD    Month/YTD
     Passenger Car Sales*       13,964/ 90,626   15,266/107,283 -8.5%/-15.5%
     Sport Utility Vehicles**    2,887/ 20,653       919/ 7,377  +214%/+180%
     Trucks***                        0/   207       407/ 2,623   -100%/-92%
     Total Vehicle Sales        16,851/111,486   15,673/109,906  +7.5%/+1.4%
     U.S.-Built Vehicle Sales    9,851/ 63,439   11,026/ 74,789 -10.7/-15.1%
     (Includes Eclipse/Eclipse Spyder/Galant)

    * Above totals include sales of U.S.-built Mitsubishi Motors vehicles
    ** Includes Montero and Montero Sport
    *** Truck sales include inventory stock only; MMSA stopped selling the
        Mighty Max pickup truck early in 1996

    Please note sales chart format has changed slightly:  SUV's are now broken
out separately, therefore dramatically altering year-to-date volume and
percentages which reflect this change.

SOURCE  Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc.