P.M. BRIEFING : Venezuela to Make Mitsubishis

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said today it will start an automobile manufacturing venture in Venezuela this month.

Mitsubishi, the Japanese affiliate of Chrysler Corp., said the new company will assemble two Mitsubishi passenger models with components supplied by the Japanese auto maker.

Venezuela currently bans imports of finished vehicles.

The venture will produce about 3,500 units in 1991, the company said.

Production is expected to eventually include small-sized trucks, the company said.

Mitsubishi said it will have no stake in the venture but is expected to provide technological assistance in manufacturing Mitsubishi cars.

The new venture plans to export cars it produces to Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Chile and other Latin American and Caribbean nations in the future, the company said.