Mitsubishi Posts Record Sales in a Banner Year

Riding the wave of new-car buying that has made 1999 the biggest year ever in the U.S. auto business, Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America in Cypress said Thursday that it set a record--selling more than 250,000 cars and sport-utility vehicles.

The company said it expects to report early next week that final 1999 sales climbed more than 30% from 1998. The company’s U.S. sales were led by the redesigned Galant sedan, which had a 70% increase.

Mitsubishi, which has a 1.5% share of the U.S. market, joined Toyota Motors Sales of America, American Honda Motor Co. and the Chrysler arm of DaimlerChrysler in declaring 1999 a record sales year in the U.S.

When final tallies are in next week, car and light-truck sales in the U.S. are expected to total about 17.4 million units--well above the previous record of 16.03 million in 1986.