27 April 1999, Tokyo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announces that cumulative production of its environment-friendly GDI Engine^*2 has passed the 500,000 unit milestone. Production of the GDI engine, which realizes major reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and in fuel consumption over conventional port-injection units, began in May 1996.

GDI Engine family production: May 1996-9 April 1999

*1: GDI is a trademark of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
*2: The Mitsubishi Gasoline Direct Injection Engine

Mitsubishi Motors recognizes its obligation to show strong leadership by adopting, in all areas of its operations, concrete measures to improve the global environment. In order to actively tackle the carbon dioxide problem, Mitsubishi Motors became the first auto manufacturer to develop the GDI Engine, which substantially reduces carbon dioxide emissions, for practical use.

Mitsubishi Motors is convinced that engines incorporating GDI technology will provide the main source of propulsion for passenger cars at the beginning of the 21st century. To this end, the company is focused on promoting the widespread use of this type of engine by increasing the number of GDI-powered production models.

More specifically, starting with the GALANT and LEGNUM series launched in August 1996 powered by the 1.8-liter in-line 4-cylinder GDI Engine, a total of 11 Mitsubishi domestic market model series currently use this eco-friendly power unit. The other series are: PAJERO, DIAMANTE, CHALLENGER, CARISMA, CHARIOT GRANDIS, RVR, PAJERO IO, ASPIRE, and MIRAGE DINGO.

Outside of Japan, in October 1997 Mitsubishi Motors launched the 1.8-liter GDI CARISMA produced at NedCar, the company's manufacturing unit in the Netherlands. This has since been followed by GDI-powered Volvo S40 / V40 and Mitsubishi SPACE STAR models, which are also produced at the NedCar plant. The company also exports GDI-powered GALANT and SPACE WAGON (CHARIOT GRANDIS in Japan) to Europe. Sales of all GDI models in Europe are very encouraging.

The company also plans to use the GDI engine to power the PAJERO PININ that is due to go into production at Industrie Pininfarina S.p.A in Italy this summer. On 11 January this year, the company signed a formal agreement with Peugeot SA of France to supply GDI Engine technology, and is confident that use of the GDI Engine will continue to increase and expand.

Mitsubishi Motors continues to improve the performance of the GDI Engine in an ongoing development program. On 29 March this year, the company announced the development of the low consumption GDI SIGMA Series powertrain which exploits the characteristics inherent to GDI and marries together a continuously variable transmission, idle-stop system, hybrid electric vehicle, turbocharging and other peripheral technology, to return mileage that is between 10% and 30% better than for current GDI engines. The first model fitted with the GDI SIGMA Series powertrain will be launched in the year 2000.

Mitsubishi Motors is committed to contributing to the prevention of carbon dioxide-related global warming by offering the GDI Engine more extensively in its global markets, as well as to actively taking other measures to deal with global environment problems.