News July 2004

Thanks to our NZ collegue we catched a drawing showen to a group of journalists at a recent press conference in japan, "a design study and not a final model". The 10th incarnation of the fast four-door will become more distinctive, thanks to the aggressive nose and headlamps influenced by the Grandis MPV. However, rally fans will be pleased to see the trademark rear spoiler has been kept to emphasise the car's racing roots.
A company spokesman stressed that the image was "a design study, and not the final model", but insiders say it's an accurate depiction of the new car. Although similar in dimensions to the current Evo VIII, the Evo X will sit on an all-new platform. The car will take its power from a redesigned four-cylinder turbocharged unit, which will produce in excess of 320bhp and 431Nm of torque. Cutting-edge chassis technology, including a re-engineered active limited-slip differential, will also help the Evo X to stay near the top of the performance saloon sales charts when it is launched in 2007.

However, before the Evo X officially breaks cover, there will be an Evo IX, based on the current Lancer, released next year. It will come with revised suspension and some new body panels. .

On the cards 240kw (320ps) and 431Nm of torque...

Mitsubishi Motors will modify its 2004 FIA World Rally Championship activities, switching focus to spending more time further developing the Lancer World Rally Car in preparation for the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship.

As a consequence, Mitsubishi Motors will reduce its FIA World Rally Championship activities after August's Rallye Deutschland and will not contest the Championship from Rally Japan (September 2-5) through to Rally Australia (November 11-14). The focus for the remainder of the season will be to develop the Lancer WRC. Mitsubishi Motors will use one or two selected European rallies as an intensive test and development platform for the Lancer WRC. The new WRC-Program for 2004 will not affect Mitsubishi Motors long-term program to the FIA World Rally Championship until 2006.

Sven Quandt, President of MMSP GmbH, Mitsubishi Motors' motor sport company, said: "We started this Season with a three years plan. The first year with the new car back in the World Rally Championship was mainly focused to develop our new Lancer WRC. To pull out from the whole Championship for the rest of the season gives us the possibility to further develop our car with all the experience we have gained since the Monte Carlo Rally this year, where we finished on 6th place."

"Our commitment to motorsport will continue. Rallying is central to our brand philosophy and we will continue to use the motor sport to technically develop our production cars. But we have to consider how best to optimize our resources and find our way back to the enormous success we have had in previous years. This is not easy with such an intense world rally program, so the only way to find time for this is to temporarily reduce our program," said Akira Kijima, Managing Director and Head of Products Operations, Mitsubishi Motors.

Mitsubishi Motors' preparation for the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship will continue as usual. Mitsubishi Motors has been on the international Rally Scene since 1967. It won the WRC series in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 with Tommi Makinen, as well as the Manufacturers' title in 1998.

Rally Argentina (21/07/2004)

Points for Panizzi and Mitsubishi in Argentina. Kristian Sohlberg failed to finish despite SUPERally regulations.

Read all about it on the full coverage here.
You can find pictures from the rally on here