Mitsubishi hopes Eclipse will shine in China

<p align="justify">Mitsubishi Eclipses manufactured at the Japanese automaker's only North American plant in Normal are about to head to a new market for the company: China.

<p align="justify">Osamu Masuko, president of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show this week that the company's first-ever expansion into the Chinese market is part of a three-year business plan that aims to build a company base for sustainable growth.

<p align="justify">The initial phase of Mitsubishi Eclipses sent to China will number less than 1,000 and be shipped toward the middle of the company's 2008 fiscal year, which runs from April 2008 through the end of March 2009.

<p align="justify">"It'll be probably October before we begin mass production," Mitsubishi Motors spokesman Dan Irvin said.

<p align="justify">The shipments to the Chinese market will not increase production at the facility in Normal, which currently churns out between 70,000 and 80,000 vehicles annually and has a 110,000-vehicle yearly capacity.

<p align="justify">Other Mitsubishi models made at the plant are exported to Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East and several markets in North and South America. Several of those exports are tailored to specific regulations and market demands in each of the countries where they are shipped.

<p align="justify">The Eclipse Coupes destined for China also will have modifications from the same models sold in the United States, one of them unique to the Chinese market.

<p align="justify">As with some other Eclipse models distributed internationally, the cars shipped to China will come equipped with side turn lamps and folding side-view mirrors. The Chinese cars, however, also will come with rear fog lamps.

<p align="justify">The revelation of Mitsubishi's expansion into a new market came just as the company announced February sales that showed marked increases in sales for several models, but declined overall.

<p align="justify">Galant model sales were up more than 16 percent over the same month last year, while Eclipse sales rose by nearly 7 percent - the best report for that model in six years. Lancer sales were up more than 48 percent, and Eclipse Spyder sales jumped 29 percent.

<p align="justify">Those gains, however, were not enough to offset slumps in the company's other divisions, and overall sales for February fell more than 6 percent from the same month a year ago.

<p align="justify">Matt Buedel can be reached at (309) 686-3154 or mbuedel@pjstar.com.