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Mitsubishi's
automotive origins date back as far as 1917,
when the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
introduced the Mitsubishi Model A, Japan's
first series-production automobile. An entirely
hand-built seven-seater sedan based on the
Fiat Tipo 3, it proved expensive compared
to its American and European mass-produced
rivals, and production was discontinued
in 1921 after only 22 had been built.
Meanwhile, in 1920, the
Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Co.,
Ltd. was established to manufacture aircraft
engines. It was renamed the Mitsubishi Aircraft
Co. in 1928, before being merged with Mitsubishi
Shipbuilding in 1934 to create Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries (MHI). |
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