Mitsubishi today announced it will tackle the 2009 Dakar Rally in South America with its Racing Lancer MRX09. Don’t let the name fool you, however, as the vehicle will not have much more in common with the Lancer passenger car apart from the name. Power will come from a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, driving all four wheels.
The race-prepped engine is good for 260 horsepower and a generous 479lb-ft of torque. The Japanese automaker says it is using the Racing Lancer as a development and testing platform for diesel technology, as well as its four-wheel drive system, a variation of which will make it into Mitsubishi’s production cars.
Despite the automaker’s own admission that the Racing Lancer is meant as a sales and marketing platform for its Pajero and Montero SUVs, the carbon fiber body panels are supposed to mimic the company’s upcoming road car, the Lancer Sportback. Maybe if you squint. From about a quarter mile away.
Whatever it looks like, the Racing Lancer will have some big shoes to fill in the Group T1 class at the Dakar race. Its predecessors, the Pajero and Montero and the Evolution versions of each won their class 12 times in the last 25 years.
07/16, 1:50 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
Sounds like the return of the Pajero. Maybe they will call it the “Lancer Rally”, the off-raod cousin of the EVO?
07/16, 3:06 PM
posted by:
xyunya
or well, another vehicle will sold in droves. Aren’t Mitsubishi Motors one foot in grave already?
07/16, 3:13 PM
posted by:
zeeck
yeah no kidding, one foot in and two hands on the shovel
07/16, 7:38 PM
posted by:
monte
I didn’t know they made dune buggies.