---

Mitsubishi Motors Reports September Sales

1 October 1997

Mitsubishi Motors September Vehicle Sales Up 4 Percent

      Montero Sport and Eclipse Continue to Boost Company's Performance

    CYPRESS, Calif., Oct. 1 -- Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America,
Inc. (MMSA) reported September, 1997 sales of 16,031 units, up 4 percent from
the same period last year.  MMSA's year-to-date sales volume of
147,603 represents an increase of 5.1 percent over the 140,328 units sold in
the first nine months of 1996.
    MMSA's September sales leader was the Eclipse sports coupe with
4,622 units sold and together with its sibling Eclipse Spyder convertible,
reached a year-to-date sales total of more than 47,000 units.  The Galant
mid-size sedan recorded 2,366 units sold for the month.  In sum, sales of
U.S.-built Mitsubishi Motors' vehicles totaled 7,744 units, declining
30.9 percent from September, 1996.
    Mitsubishi Motors' sport utility vehicles continued to be in strong demand
in September with Montero Sport sales totaling 2,724 units.  Sales of MMSA's
luxury sport utility vehicle, the Montero, reached 783 units.  For the year,
Mitsubishi Motors' sport utility vehicle sales totaled 28,206 units,
223 percent ahead of last year.
    Kevin Ormes, group vice president of sales and marketing, remarked that
"September's sales performance shows continuing demand in the market for light
trucks, especially sport utility vehicles.  Our Montero Sport is selling very
well and with its aggressive styling and excellent value, we believe it will
continue to do well in the market."  Ormes noted that the "Built for Living"
brand image campaign and new products, including the Mirage, Diamante and
Montero Sport, have significantly helped boost MMSA's sales performance in
1997.
    The Diamante luxury performance sedan reached 1,259 unit sales in
September, continuing an upward sales trend and again proving that its style,
performance and value make for a very competitive combination when compared to
other offerings in the market.  The stylish and affordable Mirage sedan and
coupe reached a combined total of 3,040 units up 18 percent over last year.
    Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of vehicles,
including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles.

                          Sept. '97          Sept. '96        % Change
                          Month/YTD          Month/YTD        Month/YTD

Passenger Car Sales*      12,524/119,190     14,600/128,399   -14%/-7%
Sport Utility Vehicles**  3,507/28,206       552/8,723        +535%/+223%
Trucks***                 0/207              257/3,206        -100%/-93.5%
Total Vehicle Sales       16,031/147,603     15,409/140,328   +4%/+5.1%
U.S.-Built Vehicle Sales  7,744/81,814       11,208/ 96,327   -30.9%/-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
    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