![]() ![]() On the road, you can expect something quite incredible. But don't let the compact-car looks fool you. “The huge bumper-mounted spotlights are gone, the edges have been rounded a bit, and the overall package is a little larger than before, but the Evo VII still has the same compact technolook that defines Japanese rally cars. “The Evo VII is based on the new Lancer sedan platform but looks essentially like the previous version, the Evo VI,” wrote Peter Lyon for C/D. The Lancer Evolution VII was based on the new, larger Lancer Cedia for 2001. It’s somewhat of an oversimplification to assert that the first Lancer Evolution was a Galant VR-4 shoved under the smaller, lighter, more competitive Lancer’s shell. Mitsubishi’s first attempt to build a competitive World Rally Championship entry was the Galant VR-4 that was constructed according to Group A rules. Short of Formula 1, no racing series was more high tech than world rallying, and nothing came close to the ruggedness of rallying, either. And in 1985, a Mitsubishi Pajero SUV (sold as the Montero in the United States) won the Paris-Dakar Rally.īy then the company was clearly committed to pitching high technology and ruggedness as major selling points for its vehicles worldwide. By the early 1970s, Mitsu had developed the Lancer 1600GSR that took the top spot in 1974’s tough East African Safari Rally. At the 1962 Macau Grand Prix, examples finished first, second, and third (plus fourth) to lock out every other manufacturer from the “Under 750 cc” class podium. As far back as 1961, the company was aiming for rally glory with its 500 Super Deluxe, which was developed for racing with its “big” 594-cc, 25-hp, air-cooled, two-cylinder engine. In Mitsubishi’s almost ceaseless quest to establish an image for itself, racing has been a priority on several occasions. The Mitsubishi Evo is not a car-it’s a weapon, one whose roots can be traced back to well before the dawn of the nameplate. The badge may return, but the Evo as we know and love it is well and truly gone. The XR-PHEV II concept, in standard form, features a plug-in hybrid petrol-electric system with a claimed 160bhp output.We compiled this story in honor of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, which has been discontinued and is heading off to that great rally stage in the sky. Product boss Kanenori Okamoto has also previously said that the Evo will be “replaced in spirit by an SUV with high performance”.Ī high-performance model that made use of Mitsubishi’s hybrid technologies would additionally further promote the brand’s efficiency-minded offerings, such as the popular Outlander PHEV. However, Mitsubishi would not be drawn on when the new model may come to market, stating only that it would be “far in the future”, after the planned 2016 launch of the next ASX.Īikawa said: “To develop these kind of vehicles, we have to sell a lot of the base models, so we can cover the research and development costs.” Lessons learned from the Pikes Peak racer, the MiEV Evolution, could aid the development of a hybrid high-performance SUV. ![]() The high-performance ASX is understood to have been previewed by the XR-PHEV II concept at the Geneva motor show last year. An Evo version would be four-wheel drive, in line with past Evos, and not front-drive like the concept.Īikawa said: “It has to be light and fast - something performance-orientated. ‘EV’ for electric vehicle, ‘O’ for king - Evo.” So we would like to launch this type of car, featuring EV and PHEV technology, which is the ultimate of its kind. In Japanese, when you pronounce ‘Oh’ , it means ‘king’. Speaking to Autocar earlier this year, Mitsubishi's global boss Tetsuro Aikawa said: “In the future, we would like to launch such a vehicle with Evo characteristics. It's a project that we know would benefit the company, but until now it has been a case of getting the building blocks in place step by step.” “But the company had a record sales year in 2014 and the more we have success the easier it is to do these things. “Ultimately it all comes down to the financial case for it and whether the company has the resources to do it,” Mitsubishi’s UK boss Lance Bradley told Autocar. Mitsubishi Colt could return as rival to Renault Clio.Mitsubishi ASX and Outlander diesels axed.Electrified Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer makes Geneva debut.New Mitsubishi ASX gains updated looks and loses diesel engine. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |