Mitsubishi Motors Closes California Design Studio

Mitsubishi Motors Corp., seeking cost savings to combat lower U.S. sales, closed its California automotive design studio to consolidate car development. Mitsubishi, based in Tokyo, informed employees last week of plans to shut the studio in Cypress, California, eliminating about 30 jobs, spokesman Moe Durand said today. A total of about 60 design-related positions were cut, including those in California, some jobs at an engineering facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and at a studio in Frankfurt, Durand said.