FUTURE OF MITSUBISHI MOTORS AUSTRALIA MAY BE DECIDED NEXT FEW WEEKS.

ADELAIDE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The manufacturing future of Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd (MMAL) could be decided over the next few weeks.

The giant DaimlerChrysler automotive group, which now controls Mitsubishi in Japan, plans to outline its new global strategy on February 26.

And leading up to the major announcement MMAL managing director Tom Phillips will present his company's business plan to senior Mitsubishi officials in Tokyo, with two days of meetings scheduled for February 12 and 13.

Mr Phillips will outline the general strategy designed to lift vehicle production in Adelaide to 60,000 units, including 30,000 for overseas markets.

The company hopes to sell 20,000 of those export cars in the United States with the rest going to the Middle East.

He will also spill the beans on the company's financial losses for 2000, although the ballpark figure is already known in Japan.

MMAL is expected to report a record loss for last year with the company sinking into the red by something less than $A200 million ($US109.12 million).