Mitsubishi Motors announces today that the company has received the "2001 Good Design Award" for its "eK-WAGON" being released and launched today and "Airtrek" having been released and launched earlier in June this year. Special mention deserves that "eK-WAGON" is the only model being honored for the mini car segment this year by this Award.

The models that have received the Award are:

• Airtrek TA-CU4W
• eK-WAGON LA-H81W

The selection of the good design products (G-mark Products) dates back to 1957 when then the Ministry of International Trade and Industry started with an aim to offer people an opportunity to enrich their lives through recommendations of selected creative products of excellent design. Interested companies may apply for the Award held once a year. The selection for this year took place in seven different categories. The standard for the selection is whether the applied goods are excellent and made so as to enrich our lives from the stand point of not only the exterior design, but also the overall merits of function, quality and safety.

The "eK-WAGON" honored with the Good Design Award is characterized by the packaging best fit to call it the "just value wagon" having a "semi-tall packaging" for a new standard for mini cars and a superior safety level in the class, with a perfect design being "simple, clean, and basic" to any driver regardless of generation or gender.

The "Airtrek" is highly classified with an "easiness for daily use that a mini-van offers" and a "sporty drive that a station wagon offers." It is also characterized with an "off-road driving performance of SUVs." All in all, "Airtrek" characterized as a "smart all-rounder" RV, is the vehicle that can be uniquely positioned as one that has a total new value of the next generation cross over affording all-round activities beyond conventional RVs.

eK-WAGON M 2WD 3A/T

Airtrek 24V 4WD