Mitsubishi told us way back in June that it would debut the five-door Lancer Sportback and Sportback Ralliart at the Paris Motor Show in October. They were close, as images of the two models have surfaced on the web today just a week before the big show in Paris. The new Sportback model adds all the versatility of Subaru’s similarly shaped 5-door Impreza models, which should be a big hit in Europe where they’ll go on sale first.

Read more »

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.

[ Gallery ] [ Original Source ]

CYPRESS, CA - Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) has announced pricing for its new 2009 Lancer Ralliart All-Wheel Drive, turbocharged sedan. The new Lancer Ralliart reinforces the sporty identity of the Lancer vehicle lineup with aggressive styling and driving performance, offering a unique balance between the Lancer 2.4 GTS and the Lancer Evolution models. The Lancer Ralliart features a modified version of the Lancer Evolution 4B11 turbocharged intercooled 2.0-liter DOHC MIVEC engine, producing 237-horsepower, and is teamed exclusively with Mitsubishi’s advanced Twin Clutch-Sportronic¨ Shift Transmission (TC-SST). The 2009 Lancer Ralliart will start at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $26,490.00.

Read more »

Mitsubishi knows the name Ralliart isn’t spoken with much reverence among American gasoline punks. That should change. Mitsubishi has watched Subaru ring up healthy sales with the mid-grade WRX, which neatly slots between the 87-octane Impreza and the high-test STI.

Now the Lancer Ralliart is being sent in to bridge the same wide chasm separating the $18,915, 168-hp Lancer GTS from the $33,615, 291-hp Evolution GSR. This time it’s not just a paint-and-trim poseur. Lancer Ralliart retail prices should start at $27,000, which buys a 237-hp turbo 2.0-liter, all-wheel drive, and a twin-clutch automated manual six-speed, the only transmission available.

It trucks to 60 mph in a spirited 5.5 seconds, quicker by 0.3 than our last WRX wagon. The Ralliart also carves a road pleasantly with well-weighted steering, stout brakes, and a paddle-shifted transmission with quick, snag-free gear changes. The Ralliart’s main limitations are body roll, a trade-off for tolerable ride, and overwhelmed 215/45 Yokohama rubber mounted on 18-inch rims. They squeal early and often, and the grip too quickly melts into understeer. Note the unspectacular 0.80-g skidpad performance and 184-foot stopping distance. Read more »

Mitsubishi finally unveils the five-door version of its winsome Lancer.

The concept of positive reinforcement—when at first you succeed, do it some more—is not lost on Mitsubishi Motors. Hence, the company is poised to unveil a five-door variant of its handsome and successful entry-level model, the Lancer, to be called the Lancer Sportback, at the 2008 Paris auto show this fall. To help pass the time until September, Mitsubishi has released some advanced information and photos, which we in turn pass on to you.

If this looks familiar, it’s because the very first new-gen Lancer concept car, at the 2005 Frankfurt auto show, was a sexy slantback. And, more recently, at the 2008 Geneva auto show in March, the Sportback was previewed in the form of the Prototype S concept. Read more »