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Mitsubishi Motors Announces August Sales

1 September 1998

Mitsubishi Motors' August Sales Reach 18,160 Units; Mirage and All-New Galant Show Strong Performance

    CYPRESS, Calif., Sept. 1 -- Mitsubishi Motor Sales of
America, Inc. (MMSA) has announced August sales of 18,160, a nine percent
decline in its monthly sales compared to 1997 figures.  August also reflects
the first sales performance of Mitsubishi Motors' all-new Galant
mid-size sedan, which posted a 32 percent gain over last year's Galant sales.
    Other bright spots for the company include a 33 percent sales increase for
the Mirage compact 4-door, and a two percent increase for the Mirage Coupe.
Overall, Mitsubishi Motors' year-to-date sales are down one percent over 1997,
due mostly to the model changeover earlier this year for Galant, one of
Mitsubishi Motors' best-selling cars.
    "Our launch of the all-new Galant is going quite well, and we're doing our
best to get these mid-size sedans shipped to support strong sales at our
retailers," said Pierre Gagnon, executive vice president and chief operating
officer.  "We expect that as production ramps up, we will continue to show
significant sales increases for this stylish and affordable new sedan."
    Mitsubishi Motors' sporty Eclipse coupe and Spyder convertible remained
popular products during August, with combined sales of nearly 6,000 units.
Earlier this summer, Eclipse production topped the half-million mark in sales
since its entry in 1989.  The entire Eclipse model line is built alongside the
all-new Galant at the company's Normal, Illinois, manufacturing plant.
    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.

                                   Aug. '98        Aug. '97      % Change
                                   Month/YTD       Month/YTD     Month/YTD

    Passenger Car Sales*       15,199/103,155  16,040/106,666    -5%/-3%
    Sport Utility Vehicles**     2,961/27,060    4,046/24,699  -27%/+10%
    Trucks***                             0/0           0/207    0/-100%
    Total Vehicle Sales        18,160/130,215  20,086/131,572  -10%/-15%

    Note: U.S.-Built Vehicle
     Sales                       9,739/70,813   10,631/74,070    -8%/-4%
    (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