The purpose-built rally car that Mitsubishi fields in the no-longer-aptly-named 2009 Dakar (the venue for the race is now South America, remember) will shed its Pajero moniker as well as the nominal styling elements that tied it to the Mitsu SUV. Instead, the new MRX09 is the "Racing Lancer". As such, the front end gets the Lancer's "Run for your lives!" gaping maw grille and squinty headlamps. In its press release announcing the updated vehicle, Mitsubishi also reaches for another Lancer tie-in when it points out the happy coincidence that the MRX09's bodywork "is redolent of the Lancer Sportback", which is another way of saying, "it slopes down in the rear." In any case, the Lancerized bodywork is more appealing than the squareback rump the Pajero racer wore. The new race buggy's drivetrain consists of the erstwhile Pajero Evolution's competition-prepped e4WD system and 3.0L turbodiesel producing over 260 horses and 480 lb-ft of torque. Air will be caught, sand will be kicked, and if history is any indication, a trophy will be hoisted when all's said and done.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.
According to Greb Migliore, an Autoweek scribe attending the Ralliart's press launch, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart will arrive in showrooms this September with a price tag under $27,000. The turbocharged middleweight sedan – aimed squarely at the Subaru WRX – is a clear choice for those that don't want to shill out $40k for its big brother the Evolution X.
Instead, you can get the same 4B11T/C engine (equipped with a smaller turbo) sending 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque to Mitsubishi's dual-clutch SST gearbox and on down to a modified version of the Evo IX's all-wheel-drive setup. Go crazy with the options, including Recaros, Sirius radio, sat nav and HID headlamps, and you'll be knocking on the $30k ceiling.
However, don't hold Migliore (or Mitsubishi) to that price just yet. The final cost hasn't been determined and will be dependent on currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen.
Click above for more spy shots of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback.
We're eagerly anticipating the debut of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback and its Ralliart variant in Paris this September, and these recent shots of the five-door making the rounds in Barcelona are just enough to keep us interested. Judging by the German numberplates and a couple of shots that surfaced on Autoweek.nl, we'd guess that the Ralliart Sportback is in the hands of motoring journalists abroad or was on its way to a photoshoot ahead of its launch.
As we've seen previously, the Ralliart hatch takes the Evo-styled front end from its four-door counterpart, along with new side sills, darkened wheels and a subtle rear spoiler. In Europe, the Lancer Sportback will come equipped with either a 1.5- or 1.8-liter four, or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel, while those of us in the U.S. get to enjoy an Evolution experience on the cheap, with a de-tuned version of the 4B11T/C 2.0-liter four, producing 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque. We like it in red, white or slate grey would be our chosen hue when the Sportback goes on sale in the States early next year.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Prototype-S.
Mitsubishi's revised strategy for the U.S. market was outlined last month in its "Step Up 2010" business plan that seeks to renew the automaker's focus on competing with the major players in North America. The one bit of information that caught out eye in Mitsu's press release was a plan to offer a hatchback Lancer into its range. While the Prototype-S whet our appetite, there was no definitive confirmation that the Ralliart drivetrain in the concept would be fitted to the five-door when it makes its production debut, likely sometime next year. According to a Mitsubishi spokesperson we talked to here in New York, the wagon is coming, and when asked if it would be equipped with the 235-hp turbocharged four and all-wheel-drive system, his response was, "Probably Ralliart. But you can only speculate on that." Good enough for us, but from what we've heard ourselves, a U.S.-market Sportback is past the speculation stage already..
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Prototype-S concept.
Mitsubishi put out a press release earlier today outlining its global business plan for the next few years. The official title of the blueprint for Mitsubishi's future is "Step Up 2010" and the automaker's overall prognostication looks good globally, but more "bear" than "bull" for the U.S. market.
Sales in the States are expected to drop by some 15,000 units by 2011, something that isn't entirely unexpected, while Mitsubishi figures that worldwide sales will increase from the 1.34 million units sold currently to 1.42 million by March 31, 2011. Most of the boom is expected to come from emerging markets in Brazil, China, India, the Middle East and Russia, with the latter expected to climb by close to 70-percent and eclipsing the American market by around 63,000 vehicle sales.
Mitsubishi's focus in the U.S. will primarily center on making a profit over selling as many vehicles as it can. To that effect, incentives will be reduced, dealer quality will be improved and a renewed focus on passenger cars will be established. On the product front, Mitsubishi is touting the introduction of the Evolution X that's currently on sale, plus a redesigned Eclipse that will be coming to market in the next few years. Although there wasn't much in the way of product announcements, the release clearly stated that it would offer "a sport hatchback Lancer model [after the release of the Evo X]." Incredibly good news for enthusiasts, particularly if it equips the Sportback with the Ralliart's drivetrain, similar to the Prototype-S that's due to be unveiled next week in Geneva.
Mitsubishi's full press release is posted after the jump.
Our new friend Dan sent us a few sketches of what's supposedly the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, a near production-ready version of the Sportback Concept that debut back in 2005. Although we're not sure if these are official images out of Mitsu-HQ, they're very similar to some of the concept sketches we've seen in the past.
This new shot stays true to the original Sportback concept's profile and lines, but comes complete with a front clip that's more reminiscent of the rest of the Lancer line and a rear end that looks far more feasible for production. When the hatch finally makes it to dealers, likely sometime later this year, expect power to come from a 2.4-liter four, with an Evo version getting the same turbocharged 2.0-liter and all-wheel-drive system from its four-door sibling. And if Mitsubishi is smart, and decides to bring the hatch to the States, a Ralliart version to compete with the Subaru Impreza WRX five-door should be in the cards.
click above image to view more high-res images of the Lancer Ralliart
Mitsubishi has made up for the crimes it perpetrated on enthusiasts with the last two generations of the Lancer Ralliart. In atonement for its sins, it's fitted the new Ralliart with a detuned version of the 4B11T pulled from the Evolution X, producing 235 hp and an unknown amount of torque. Additionally, Mitsubishi has decided to fit the Twin Clutch-SST transmission, pulled from the high-power and high-priced Evo X MR. The TC-SST clicks off the shifts through a set of steering wheel mounted paddles and sends power to a full-time all-wheel-drive system equipped with Mitsubishi's Active Center Differential (ACD).
The exterior is so reminiscent of the Ralliart's big Evolved brother that we're sure it'll be mistaken for the X and in addition to the absolutely boss Recaro buckets, the interior materials and amenities seem several notches above its base brethren.
On a personal note: As the guy that berated the Lancer ES in our recent Garage review, when the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart goes on sale this summer, I'll be one of the first ones in line. It's obvious that the Ralliart is aimed squarely at Subaru's WRX and if they can keep the price around the Subie's (about $25k), the Ralliart stands as one of the performance bargains of the decade. And just think of the mods....
Check Mitsubishi's full press release plus video after the jump and our gallery of live and press shots below.
According to poster jmk2888 at the EvolutionM.net forums, the car you see here is indeed the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The poster, who indicates that he works for Mitsubishi in California, says that the car was in the lot briefly but is now "on the way to an auto show." Funny, we happen to be going to an auto show next week, so let's assume the Lancer Ralliart's on its way to Detroit for its official unveiling.
According to the jmk2888, here are the pertinent stats. To be safe, treat everything as speculation for now until we get official info from Mitsubishi:
In front, the Ralliart gets a unique fascia dominated by a large (but not Evo X-large), chrome-rimmed grille opening. At the top right section of the grille itself, you can see the telltale Ralliart badge. According to the poster, the car in the photo is painted in the orangey-red "Sunset Pearlescent" finish that's currently available on the Eclipse. He also states that there's Ralliart branding on the rear of the car, and some other posters have noted that this car appears to be equipped with the same HID headlamps as the Evo X. Assuming it's going to be in Detroit, expect complete details and many photos of Mitsu's new Subaru WRX competitor early next week.
Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.
As any kid learns on Christmas morning, expectations are a bitch. And once you've made the transition to adulthood, things don't change. It's widely accepted that most of us who pray at the altar of the car Gods are simply eight-year olds with a bit more expendable income... and for the most part, that's true. There are a few synapses that get fired when we overcook a particular corner in our daily rides, the same ones that were triggered when we yanked up on the makeshift e-brake of our Big Wheels. So when we took delivery of a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ES, we were expecting handling and motivation to match the new Lancer's aggressive styling, even in this just-better-than-base model. After seven days of merciless flogging, we were left with a sport compact-sized hole in our hearts, just like when Santa didn't leave the Super Nintendo underneath our tree.
Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer ES
It's been generally accepted that the sales success of the first generation Subaru Impreza WRX caused Mitsubishi to rethink its policy of keeping the Evo off U.S.-bound boats. The Evolution's introduction in the States was quickly followed by the STI's, and all was right in the AWD performance segment. Not quite. Mitsubishi needs a direct competitor to the base WRX and as we've seenalready, the Ralliart moniker is coming back, and it won't be limited to a couple of stickers and 15-inch O.Z. wheels.
Some European journalists were assembled by Mitsubishi this week (likely an Evo X ride and drive) and it was revealed that a five-door version of the Lancer would be made available abroad sporting a 260 hp engine and the Evolution IX's all-wheel-drive system. If this is the same setup as the Ralliart Lancer we'll be getting in the U.S., that pegs the 2008 Subaru WRX with a 36 hp deficiency, not to mention the wizardry of the last generation Evo AWD system.
Also noted in the article were three different versions of the Evolution X that our friends across the pond will get in the coming years, with models creating 295 hp, 330 hp and 360 hp. No surprise, since they've been blessed with a number of FQ-models over the course of the Evo's lifespan.
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