Mitsubishi Motors to boost China sales 44% this year

Shanghai, May 10 (Gasgoo.com) Mitsubishi Motors Corp recently said that it aims to boost its sales by 44% this year in China and to more than double sales in the world's largest auto market in 2015 from last year's levels, media reported.

Japan's sixth-biggest automaker is aiming to sell 180,000 vehicles in China this year, up from 125,000 in 2009, company president Osamu Masuko told reporters recently at the 2010 Beijing auto show, adding that the company expects to sell 300,000 vehicles in China in 2015.

In China, which overtook the U.S. as the world's biggest auto market last year by selling more than 13 million vehicles, Mitsubishi Motors is going to launch the ASX compact sport-utility vehicle (or the "RVR" in Japan) while planning to release the iMiEV electric vehicle.

"Success in China is the key for our growth strategy," Masuko said, suggesting an intention to accelerate the company's business expansion in China. The company has denied rumors that it would pull out of partnership with China's SUV maker GAC Changfeng Motor.

Mitsubishi Motors has suffered a sharp sales slide in recent years, especially in the U.S. market, and is looking to China for growth. The Japanese carmaker operates another Chinese joint venture with Southeast Motor in Fujian province.