Lancer and Outlander drive Mitsubishi sales and production growth

Mitsubishi Motors has announced its production, sales and export figures for January 2008, with record-breaking growth fuelled by sales of the new Outlander and new Lancer.

Production: Total And In Japan
Total global production for January came in at 115,805 units, an increase of 7.5% over January 2007 and marking the 11th consecutive monthly increase since March last year.

Production volume in Japan at 72,622 units was up 14.5%, the 16th consecutive month of year-on-year growth and a new record for January.

New Lancer And New Outlander Drive Growth
This growth was driven by a 38.1% increase in output (24,717 units) of the new Lancer for the Russian, North American, and Middle East and African markets and by a 24.1% increase in output (14,680 units) of the new Outlander which is selling briskly in European and Chinese markets.

The new Lancer is expected to provide further growth opportunities following the positive reception in the UK and Continental European markets.

Sales In Japan
Vehicle sales in Japan in January totalled 15,165 units, a 2.3% decrease year-on-year. Passenger car (registrations and mini-car) sales of 12,017 units and commercial vehicle sales of 3,148 units were 1.3% up and 13.8% down respectively on the same month last year. Total registered vehicle sales were 36.4% up year-on-year driven mainly by the Lancer Evolution X, a new addition to the line-up since this time last year, by the new Lancer and by an encouraging 29% increase in sales of models in the Colt series. Total mini-car sales were 19.3% down.

Production Overseas
Overseas production volume totaled 43,183 units, 2.7% down over January last year and the first decline since August 2007.

Export Shipments From Japan
Total exports from Japan of 57,364 units were 36% up on January 2007, marking the 15th consecutive month of year-on-year increases and setting a new record for January since Mitsubishi Motors spun off its truck and bus operations in 2003.

Exports to Asia of 2,141 units were 5.5% up over the same period last year thanks mainly to firm sales of the new Outlander in China, where Hunan Changfeng Motor Co., Ltd. also posted increased Shogun unit sales over the same period last year. Exports to Europe of 29,316 units were 102.7% up on January 2007 and a record since the 2003 spin off of the company's truck and bus operations. This surge was driven mainly by firm sales of the new Lancer and new Outlander as well as by healthy market growth in Russia and the Ukraine.