Mitsubishi Motors announces production, sales and export figures for May 2008

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for May 2008.

Total global production came in at 98,959 units, a decline of 8.7 percent over May last year and marking the third consecutive monthly decrease. Production volume in Japan at 62,039 units was up 7.8 percent, the 20th consecutive month of year-on-year growth and marking a new record for May since Mitsubishi Motors spun off its truck and bus operations in 2003.

This growth was driven by a 38.4 percent increase in output (25,852 units) of the new Lancer for the Russian, North American, and Middle East and African markets and by a 6.7 percent increase in output (14,165 units) for export shipments of the new Outlander which continues to sell briskly in European and Chinese markets.

Vehicle sales in Japan in May totaled 11,782 units, a 18.7 percent decrease year-on-year. Passenger car (registrations and mini-car) sales of 8,481 units and commercial vehicle sales of 3,301 units were 21.2 percent and 11.6 percent down respectively on the same month last year.

Total registered vehicle sales were 24.5 percent down year-on-year. Total mini-car sales volume was 15.8 percent down despite a 2.0 percent increase in Pajero Mini sales.

Overseas production volume totaled 36,920 units, 27.5 percent down over May last year and the third consecutive monthly decline. By region, Asia came in with 26,327 units, a 21.4 percent decrease as significant increases in production in the Philippines (MMPC) and Indonesia (KRM) on the back of healthy sales failed to offset declines in China and in Malaysia where production of MMC models at Proton is shortly due to come to an end. Production in Europe at 2,495 units showed a 59.0 percent decline over May last year.

Total exports from Japan of 51,333 units were 6.1 percent up on May 2007, marking the 19th consecutive month of year-on-year increases and setting a new record for May since Mitsubishi Motors spun off its truck and bus operations in 2003. Exports to Asia at 4,404 units showed a healthy 51.7 percent rise over the same period last year driven principally by shipments of the new Outlander to China.

Exports to North America at 3,828 units were 2.2 percent up. Exports to Europe at 26,097 units were a strong 21.8 percent up on May 2007 and a record for the month since the 2003 spin off of the company's truck and bus operations. This increase was driven mainly by a 42.0 percent increase in exports to Russia and the Ukraine.

Domestic Production Passenger Cars 57,516 112.0 114,511 109.4 342,175 113.3

Commercial Vehicles 4,523 73.3 10,498 85.2 35,923 93.4

Total 62,039 107.8 125,009 106.9 378,098 111.1

Domestic

Sales * Passenger

Cars Registrations 3,257 74.4 7,178 80.5 31,976 93.2

Minicars 5,224 81.9 9,833 84.4 38,275 83.6

Total 8,481 78.8 17,011 82.7 70,251 87.7

Vehicles Registrations 419 85.2 823 85.2 2,357 84.1

Minicars 2,882 88.9 5,671 88.0 18,907 88.6

Total 3,301 88.4 6,494 87.6 21,264 88.1

Registrations Total 3,676 75.5 8,001 80.9 34,333 92.5

Minicars Total 8,106 84.2 15,504 85.7 57,182 85.2

Grand Total 11,782 81.3 23,505 84.0 91,515 87.8

Exports Passenger Cars 50,376 107.3 89,672 115.9 270,858 125.0

Commercial Vehicles 957 67.0 1,676 69.8 5,653 93.5

Total 51,333 106.1 91,348 114.5 276,511 124.1

Production

Domestic Production 62,039 107.8 125,009 106.9 378,098 111.1

Overseas Production 36,920 72.5 75,230 78.0 204,462 86.6

Total 98,959 91.3 200,239 93.8 582,560 101.1

* Includes imports to Japan.

* Excludes truck and bus units as MMC's truck and bus operations were spun off into Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation in January 2003.

* Effective from October 2006, "Delica Wagon" and "Pajero" (also "Montero" or "Shogun") figures which used to be included in the Commercial Vehicles category are now included in Passenger Cars category.

-Fumio Nishizaki-