New models from Mitsubishi promised

24 June 2002: Mitsubishi Motors plans to launch 12 new models in the next four years as part of a programme to rebuilt its presence in Europe.

The company is aiming for a 2 percent share of the European market, which will require an increase in sales from 213,000 vehicles last year to 300,000 by the year 2005.

A facelifted Spacestar, which accounts for 30 percent of all Mitsubishi sales in Europe, is the first of these new models. It will be joined in 2004 by the Dutch-built NCC (New Compact Car) which has had strong input from Mitsubishi’s design centre in Trebur, near Frankfurt, Germany.

A four-door version of DaimlerChrysler’s Smart car will also start rolling off the NedCar lines at the same time, when production of Carisma and Volvo S40 and V40 ends.

Engines for the two new models will be supplied from the new MDC (Mitsubishi Daimler Chrysler) engine plant in Germany. Initially these will be Mitsubishi-designed 1.1 and 1.3 litre petrol engines; diesel engines will join the MDC output later.

June 2002