Mitsubishi "Racing Lancer" hits the sandbox
Click above for more high-res pics of the Racing Lancer
You're looking at the replacement for Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart's venerable rally version of the Pajero sport ute. The Japanese automaker's rally team has just revealed its newest cross-country rally vehicle based on the Lancer, dubbed simply the "Racing Lancer". The Racing Lancer will makes it debut at the 2008 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup in Portugal at the end of October. There it will show off its new turbo diesel engine, specifics of which have been withheld though the new mill has logged over 8,000 km during testing and limited competition. Mitsubishi's new motor marks yet another instance of diesel power gaining prominence in motorsport just like Audi did in the American Le Mans Series with its oil-burning R8 and R10. And just like Audi, Mitsubishi's decision to use a turbodiesel in the Racing Lancer is part of a larger plan that has but one objective: win the 2009 Dakar rally.
[Source: Mitsubishi]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Zeus.:God 12:13PM (8/22/2008)
Looks really good. I like it. Always been a big fan of the Pajeros in rally.
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TJ 12:28PM (8/22/2008)
PLEASE tell me there are homologation specials planned for production.....
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mike 1:20PM (8/22/2008)
+1 I'll take two please.
Kumail891 12:29PM (8/22/2008)
wow, like the new headlights, hope the new "sportback" looks this good. like the black...
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Steve 12:30PM (8/22/2008)
Always fun to watch these things race. Why no more Pajeros? I've always associated the name Pajero with Dakar rally racers.
I'd like to point out that only the R10 was a oil-burner. The R8 ran on gasoline.
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Benfolio 12:43PM (8/22/2008)
This is AutoBlog, we care not about accuracy.
Chase 12:47PM (8/22/2008)
Hey AB, not to be a stickler, but the old R8 prototype drank gasoline.
It'll be interesting to see if the Mitsubishi off-roading dominance continues with the diesel.
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Chase 12:50PM (8/22/2008)
You know, I wrote this and then saw someone else had mentioned the R8 thing, so I wasn't going to confirm it in my mailbox. But then I posted a comment to another news item, and accidentally confirmed this one instead of the one for the other story. Sorry!
Josh S 12:53PM (8/22/2008)
I'd buy that.
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MikeofLA 12:46PM (8/22/2008)
R10 = Awesome
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MajorGeek 1:37PM (8/22/2008)
Wheres Ian, he did not like the Hummer tearing up the desert, he should be incensed now. Not many of them turtles left buddy, you better get on Misubishi immediately. Oh wait, its not about the turtle, is it? It's about a poster child for bad fuel economy (thats discontinued) that you can't back up. Ill be here, "Ian B" stop on by and cry for the turtles. Good times.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/21/rod-hall-team-hummers-emily-miller-looks-to-enter-record-books/
"So tearing thru the desert, in a stock vehicle as you put it, leaving erosion scars everywhere and putting the desert tortoise, a critter thats been around for 100 million years on endangered species list in under 60 years of human intervention, is an accomplishment?"
Sorry to interrupt guys, just enjoying the hypocrisy.
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RockStoneSteel 4:50PM (8/23/2008)
Too bad we can't get a 2 door sportback here in the US. That looks so much better than the 4 door.
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