AUTOMOBILES

On-Line Auctions: Mitsubishi Motors Sales of America said it will begin holding satellite car auctions so that its dealers can bid on Mitsubishi cars and trucks coming back from rental and corporate fleets without having to physically travel to an auction site.

The program, a joint production of Cypress-based Mitsubishi and Aucnet USA in Atlanta, will enable Mitsubishi dealers to use computer screens in their offices to view photos of the cars and read the condition reports prepared for each vehicle. They will be able to enter their bids via computer as well.

Previously, dealers who wanted to buy low-mileage Mitsubishi vehicles to resell in their used car operations had to travel to one of the importer’s super auctions where 1,000 or more cars are put on the block every few weeks.

The computer program will debut in Mitsubishi’s Northeastern territory in mid-September, with national expansion expected to follow once the kinks are worked out.

Aucnet is a Japanese company that has been running satellite auctions in Japan for about nine years. This is its first U.S. program.