New Subaru Impreza WRC2008 to launch in Greece

Impreza WRC2008 to launch in Greece
20 May 2008
The Subaru World Rally Team and STI are pleased to announce the launch date of the Impreza WRC2008. The most radically different Subaru World Rally Car in 15 years, the WRC2008 is ready to make its debut on the seventh round of this year’s World Rally Championship, the Acropolis Rally of Greece, from 29 May – 1 June.

The event will be marked by an official launch in Greece on the evening of Wednesday 28 May, prior to the start of the rally.
The new car is based on the latest road going Subaru Impreza which was introduced in June 2007. Although featuring radically new styling the Impreza WRC2008 retains the well proven Subaru horizontally-opposed turbocharged engine combined with Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. The WRC2008 will also sport a dramatic new livery created around the Subaru corporate identity but at the same time preserving the iconic blue identity familiar to rally fans worldwide.

“We are very excited to be able to launch the all-new Impreza WRC2008 ahead of schedule” said David Richards, Subaru World Rally Team principal. “It is testament to the dedication and commitment of the team behind the scenes in the UK and at STI in Japan. Just as the latest Impreza road car represents a new era for Subaru so the WRC2008 represents a new era for all of us at the Subaru World Rally Team and I am confident that we will arrive in Greece able to fight competitively.”

The team’s objective has always been to launch the WRC2008 as soon as the testing confirmed that good steps forward in overall performance had been made. We are confident that introducing the car in Greece will enable the team to be highly competitive in the second half of the season and give Petter and Chris the best opportunity to win in 2008.

A new area of the team’s website has been launched to coincide with the official unveiling, counting down to the actual launch and heralding the team’s new era whilst celebrating the Impreza’s remarkable heritage at the forefront of world rallying. At the time of the official launch on 28 May, the site will be updated with more information on the WRC2008 including facts & figures and interviews with key team personnel.

MMNA Announces Realignment Of Field Operations

Mitsubishi Motors Announces Realignment Of Field Operations

May 16, 2008 -- CYPRESS, Calif. --
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) has announced a plan to realign its US field operations into Eastern and Western zones, with a separate office dedicated to field operations in the State of California.

MMNA President & CEO Hiroshi Harunari said the improvements will strengthen sales operations and make the company's infrastructure more efficient in adjusting to dynamic market conditions.

"These actions will enhance our ability to support our dealers, while providing us with a more efficient organization," said Harunari. "We are confident that these improvements will place Mitsubishi Motors in a stronger position to address the market changes expected to continue well into the future."

MMNA's current structure involves four regional offices. The new Eastern Zone will be headquartered in the company's current Northeast Region office in Bridgeport, New Jersey. The Western Zone will be headquartered in the current Central Region office in Irving, Texas. California dealers will be serviced by a special task force due to the unique market conditions specific to the state.

The current Southeast Region office in Orlando, Florida and the Western Region office in Cypress, California will be closed. The District Managers operating out of these regions will now report to either the Eastern or Western Zone or the California office.

"Make no mistake. These improvements are a further demonstration of Mitsubishi Motors' commitment to the North American market," said Harunari. "We will be enhancing levels of service to dealers and focusing on building a strong network within the state of California."

He added that dealer contact personnel have been maintained and the company's aggregate ratio of field managers to dealers will be enhanced. Additional resources have been placed in the new zone locations to enhance communication and ensure that corporate programs are clearly identified to dealers and fully utilized. The company will also be increasing the amount of mobile and web based training offered in all districts.

PSA Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi Motors in agreement for vehicle production in Russia

PSA Peugeot Citroën
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Russia: to accelerate their growth, PSA Peugeot Citroën
and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation set up a joint venture

Tokyo, May 19, 2008 — Christian Streiff, Chairman of the Board of PSA Peugeot Citroën and Osamu Masuko, President of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), have signed a joint venture agreement to produce vehicles for 3 brands, Peugeot, Citroën and Mitsubishi in Russia.

The assembly plant will be located on the site of Kaluga, 180 km South-West of Moscow. It will produce mid-range SUVs for Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroën brands as well as medium size Peugeot and Citroën vehicles, with an overall installed capacity of 160,000 vehicles. The foundation stone of this future plant will be laid on June 10th 2008 in Kaluga. Production is currently planned for 2011 start-up.

The manufacturing diversity of this future joint-venture is the perfect answer to the high growth of the Russian market on these two segments: mid-range vehicles represent 50% of sales in Russia and SUVs correspond to one of the most buoyant segments on this dynamic market.

In 2005, MMC and PSA Peugeot Citroën began working together on an SUV for the European market. Launched in 2007 in Europe, these SUVs are highly successful.

The joint venture agreement marks the deepening of relations between the two carmakers for whom Russia constitutes a priority growth region.

Mitsubishi to field 3 Pajero Evolution in 08 Rally Transiberico

TEAM REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART TAKES THREE PAJERO EVOLUTIONS TO PORTUGAL
~ Rally Preview ~

* 2008 FIA World Cup For Cross Country Rallies (Round 2/4)
* Rally Transiberico (May 20th-25th)

One month after kicking off its 2008 campaign with the Central Europe Rally in Hungary and Romania, Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart will travel to the other side of Europe for its second competitive outing of the season, Portugal's Rali Transiberico.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and its motorsport unit MMSP will contest the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup event with a line-up of two Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR13s for Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) and Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France), plus a diesel-powered MPR14 for Juan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain).

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR14

Roma, who finished 2nd overall with the Pajero/Montero Evolution on the Portuguese event in 2005 and 2006, has been entrusted with continuing the important development groundwork with the new MPR14 which made its debut in the hands of team-mate Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) on April's Central Europe Rally. The maiden appearance of the new diesel-powered MPR14 was prematurely halted on that event, however, when Masuoka's co-driver Pascal Maimon (France) fractured his ankle in a freak accident. Even so, the experience still enabled the team to gather a great deal of valuable data about the MPR14 and it now intends to profit from the five days of competition in Portugal to build on this information.

Like those of Hungary and Romania, the stages of the Rali Transiberico are more like the sort of terrain associated with the WRC (World Rally Championship) than with traditional cross-country rally territory. The Pajero/Montero Evolution’s unique pedigree was essentially forged in the wide, open spaces of northwest Africa, but the Portuguese fixture forms an important part of Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart's preparations for the 2009 Dakar which marks a switch to South America where the terrain promises to be much more varied than the usual trans-Sahara trail.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR13

As in 2007, the 2008 Rali Transiberico will start and finish in the Portuguese casino resort of Estoril, west of Lisbon. The format includes an incursion into Spain with an overnight stop in Badajoz, as well as bivouacs in Castelo Branco and Evora which are respectively northeast and east of Lisbon.

Again compared with 2007, the programme of this year's event features an extra day of competition which takes the total number of stages to nine, the majority of which – according to the organisers – will be about 200km in length for a total competitive distance of around 1,520km and a total route length of approximately 2,600km.

After Portugal, Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart's 2008 calendar continues with the Baja Espana Aragon (July 17-20), the scene of an emphatic one-two finish for the Pajero/Montero Evolution in the hands of Stéphane Peterhansel and Nani Roma in 2007.

Mitsubishi L200 Magnum [Germany]

Mitsubishi L200 Pickup
Attractive special model of the Mitsubishi pickup: L200 "Magnum"

* In the variants "Club Cab" and "Doppelkabiner" available
* Leistungsgesteigerter 2.5 DI-D + diesel engine with 123 kW/167 hp
* In cars Kotflügelverbreiterungen color painted dark gray and 17 "LM-rims
* Mitsubishi Power Sound System (420W) with 8 speakers
* Customer price advantage of up to 1500, - Euro

Hattersheim, 14.5.2008. From now on, the Mitsubishi Motors Deutschland GmbH the award-winning L200 pickup as a special model "Magnum", which has a more extensive facilities to the standard model and a sales price advantage of up to 1500, - Euro concerned.

The special model, limited L200 "Magnum" is based on the L200 2.5 DI-D Intense (100kW/136PS) with permanent all-wheel drive and Super Select 4WD versions in the Club Cab "(2 +2 seater) and" Doppelkabiner "(5 - Seater). For the Doppelkabiner is an alternative to the manual 5-speed gearbox and an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic available. Compared with the base model, the "Magnum" on the following additional or alternative facilities:

With the leistungsgesteigerten engine version 2.5 DI-D + Magnum will be the engine power of 100kW/136PS (base model) to 123kW/167PS raised. At the same time the torque raised significantly and the elasticity significantly improved.

From the outside, the L200 Magnum at the following details to identify:

* Widening fenders, exterior mirror housings and door handles painted in car color
* Dark grey 17 "LM-rims
* Exterior mirrors electrically anklappbar
* Abgedunkeltes "Privacy Glass"
* Grille inserts and grill grid (below) from polished stainless steel
* Tailgate handle cover polished stainless steel
* Cargo space tub
* Pearl effect paint

The interior includes:

* Mitsubishi Power Sound System (420W) with 8 speakers (only for double cabin)
* Speed automatic
* Stainless steel bars entry
* Sport pedals
* Amendment seat covers (dark seat means railway)

The Mitsubishi L200 is the overall best-selling pickup in the German market. Introduced he was the first time in autumn 1993. Since the mid-nineties, he regularly at the first places in the admission statistics of the German pickup segment. In 2007 he reached here at around 3500 new registrations a market share of around 27 percent.

As the only pickup in its segment, it is also with a permanent all-wheel drive offered ( "Super Select 4WD). Of the readers of the magazine "Off Road", he was in the category pick-up to the "SUV of the Year 2008". The "AUTO IMAGE allrad" readers chose the L200 in 2008 for the ninth time the "wheel drive pick-up of the Year". At the recent Euro NCAP crash test could convince the L200 with a 4-star rating cut it as the best of three candidates, reaching in side crash rating even the maximum achievable score.

Press release translated with Google Translate

Mitsubishi vehicles for rescue use at RETTmobil trade fair

Mitsubishi at the fair RETTmobil 2008

* Premiere of rescue vehicles from Mitsubishi
* Pajero and Outlander as ambulance-car
* L200 pickup as a fire brigade vehicle use

Hattersheim, 13 May 2008. Mitsubishi Motors Deutschland GmbH is at this trade fair for rescue services and mobility - "RETTmobil 2008" (May 14 to 17, 2008) - Special tags for the models L200 Pickup, Pajero and Outlander present.

The Mitsubishi Outlander, which since its launch in February 2007 with great success in the middle class segment of SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicle) and has positioned the classic SUV Mitsubishi Pajero at the Fulda in Hesse Fair held each with a conversion to use ambulances vehicle ( NEF) will be issued.

Both vehicles have a permanent all-wheel drive, which also paved roads and off under strong winter conditions can be reliably used. This is the radius of action of rescue personnel during emergencies significantly expanded. In addition to the enormous spacious Pajero 5-door discussions in the schwierigstem site can be used, is also the Outlander because of its high volume of cargo up to 1691 litres excellent for a corresponding conversion.

Both the Pajero and Outlander have the NEF in the version including through a complete radio equipment, mounted on the roof double flash special signaling, in the grille integrated LED Frontblitzer, Heckblitzer a suitable design außenfarbliche (Folierung) and the indoor facilities, including the necessary wiring and electronics.

The Mitsubishi L200 Pickup, the best-selling pickup in Germany, with the recent upgrading of its many talents future at the service of firefighters. With its permanent all-wheel drive Super Select 4WD *, a trailer mass of 2.7 tonnes (12% slope) and a payload of up to almost one tonne (775 kg - 985kg) * geländetaugliche pickup provides the ideal base deployment for a vehicle by firefighters . The pickup is, among other things with the double lightning on the roof beams, LED Frontblitzer, Folierung in fire red and added a winch with 4.3 tons of pulling force.

Mitsubishi Motors Deutschland GmbH cooperates with the alterations with the Oldenburg-based company INTAX. Customer relationships are, however, Mitsubishi sales partners. The first ambulance vehicle, Mitsubishi Outlander Type 2.0 DI-D, which was already in operations last winter has proved its worth, in the Bavarian overseas-based Mitsubishi car dealership for the DRC Stephl-Bayern converted.

* (depending on the equipment and model)


Press release translated through Google Translate