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PRESS RELEASE

Mitsubishi Fuso Previews Future Heavy-Duty Truck Engine
At Tokyo Motor Show 2007

October 25, 2007

•  Advanced Look at Upcoming Engine for Heavy-Duty Trucks
•  Developed with Daimler Trucks, Customized For and By Mitsubishi Fuso
•  Investment Volume in Global Engine Platform of $1.5 Billion By Daimler Trucks Since 2002
•  Upcoming Technology for Further Fuel Efficiency, Performance and Low Emissions

Kawasaki - Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) is providing a view to its future heavy-duty truck engine technology at the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, Oct. 26 - Nov. 11. MFTBC, one of Asia’s leading truck manufacturers and an integral part of Daimler Trucks, is displaying a full-scale, prototype diesel engine for upcoming heavy-duty trucks.

Under development in conjunction with Daimler Trucks for Mitsubishi Fuso vehicles, the engine will incorporate world class technology to achieve excellent fuel economy, dynamic performance, low emissions, high reliability and optimal maintainability. It also will represent a key member of a new heavy-duty engine family which Daimler Trucks is arranging on a global basis, a first in the history of the company.

“Mitsubishi Fuso is pleased to provide our truck customers with an early look at our future heavy-duty engine technology,” said Harald Boelstler, MFTBC President and CEO. “Mitsubishi Fuso has long been known for developing fuel efficient, cost effective engines which provide significant operating advantages to customers.  With this new heavy-duty engine, we will take another step forward, together with our colleagues at Daimler Trucks.”

The prototype engine on display demonstrates the robust construction, design efficiency and advanced technology which will characterize this future platform. Altogether, the engine will be optimized for maximum customer and environmental benefits.  It will be introduced to meet Japan’s next generation emissions regulations.


Developed with Daimler Trucks, Customized for Mitsubishi Fuso

The future Mitsubishi Fuso engine on display at the Tokyo Motor Show represents one of a new series of heavy-duty engines being developed within Daimler Trucks. Development of this Heavy-Duty Engine Platform (HDEP) has been ongoing at Daimler AG headquarters in Germany, at MFTBC’s R&D operations in Japan and at Detroit Diesel Corporation in the United States. Since 2002, $1.5 billion has been invested worldwide in the development of the HDEP.

The new family of engines will be utilized in heavy-duty trucks from Daimler Trucks around the world. Target volumes have been set at 200,000 units per year in the mid- to long term. These engines will be offered in displacements in the range of 12.8 to 15.6 liters. This is the first time Daimler Trucks has developed a global platform for heavy-duty engines. The goal of this major R&D initiative is to bring together global powertrain expertise and resources to create engines of the highest quality, with maximized customer benefit and further development potential. The arrangement also will create maximum scale and related efficiencies within Daimler Trucks. With 90 percent shared parts, it will be possible to achieve considerable cost savings in the long term. At the same time, the heavy-duty engine platform is being extensively developed for local markets, including for meeting regional emission standards.

To ensure the engine fits Mitsubishi Fuso user requirements, MFTBC in 2004 established an engineering office in Stuttgart where about 10 Fuso engineers work primarily on this engine program. At the same time, there is an extensive project team of HDEP engineers at MFTBC’s R&D center in Kawasaki, Japan.  The cross-functional team is ensuring the engine fulfills the exact needs of Mitsubishi Fuso customers, while achieving the highest standards of safety, reliability and environmental responsibility.


North American Debut of Engine Family

In the meantime, the first representative of this new Daimler Trucks heavy-duty engine platform – the Detroit Diesel 15 -- made its official debut on October 19 in Detroit, Michigan. The DD 15 is a heavy-duty in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 14.8 liters. The new engine series will be launched in trucks by the Freightliner group beginning in 2008.

“We look forward to the future launch of the new Mitsubishi Fuso heavy-duty engine,” said Masayuki Nagano, Vice President, Sales & Service Domestic for MFTBC. “In the meantime, our current line of heavy-duty engines will continue to provide customers with fuel efficiency and reliability, now and into the future.”


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