No recall of Mitsubishi cars in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. assured yesterday that vehicles sold in the Philippines are free from defects amid a recall of small cars of the same brand in Japan.

“The Philippines is not affected by this recall,” Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) said yesterday.

“The model being recalled is the Minica which was not introduced here in the country,” the company said further.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said earlier this week it is recalling 650,100 mini cars in Japan citing fire risk.

The Japanese firm said a plastic clip holding the air intake duct in the car’s engine could be defective and could lead to a fire.

The recall, which covers three models, includes the Minica brand.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said 70 vehicles affected by the recall were sold overseas.

Most of those sold overseas, it also said, are in Singapore.

MMPC, which is among the top automotive firms in the Philippines, is aiming to achieve record-high sales this year.

MMPC established its highest record sales in 1996 when it sold a total of 36,533 units.

The firm sold a total of 34,915 units last year.

As of the first semester, MMPC has sold a total of 21,282 units, 25.5 percent higher than the 16,956 units sold during the same period last year.

MMPC vice president for marketing services Froilan Dytianquin said earlier the firm is optimistic it could further increase its sales volume in the second half given upgrades to its bestselling models as well as the introduction of the Mirage G4.