Mitsubishi has rebooted its Ralliart brand, the name once synonymous with Lancer Evolution rally cars and Dakar dominance. As a new video shows, the works team once responsible for world-beating motorsports development has now been demoted to hawking mudflaps, decals and stick-on items straight out of aisle two at Pep Boys.
To be fair, Mitsubishi admitted when they announced the Ralliart reboot that it would consist mostly of accessories packages. They also hinted at a return to motorsports, and they recently fulfilled that promise by winning the 870-mile Asia Cross-Country Rally that took place in Thailand and Cambodia over Thanksgiving week. They even beat out some legit competition from Toyota, Ford, and Isuzu.
We realize baby steps must be taken, but juxtaposing the grainy footage of death-defying Evos in WRC over a garish plastic garnishes just plain hurts. It’s not like Mitsubishi doesn’t have a semi-decent lineup in southeast Asia, one of the last markets where the brand is still respected. They’ve got the Hilux-sized Triton pickup, the vehicle that won the AXCR, and the Pajero Sport ladder-frame SUV based on the Triton. In the group shot there’s even a Delica D:5, a properly capable camper van.
We’re not saying Mitsubishi has to build a rally car capable of conquering Dakar. Some beefed up suspension bits or overlanding gear could be added to the Ralliart catalog without much trouble, though. Look at all the wonders some TRD components have done for Toyota here in America. They even had two-time Dakar winner Hiroshi Masuoka on hand to figure out the tuning. Hopefully what we’ve seen so far is just the first stop of Ralliart’s revival, and Mitsubishi won’t squander its good name just to sell some floor mats.
What a BORING line-up. Utes, 4WDs and a van. Woohoo. Oh – and they are brightly painted. With mudflaps. Woohoo. I had to stop the video after 2.5 minutes, as my forehead was in danger of hitting the keyboard. It was as exciting as driving to work.
They always were a third rate manufacturer of automobiles.
Must be a Subaru enthusiast
Honda actually.
How many times did Honda win Paris-Dakar?
How many times has Mitsubishi won a Formula One Grand Prix or an IMSA Prototype Championship, or.Workd Superbike, or the Isle of Man TT? I could go on, but that would.be useless. The simple fact is that Mitsubishi automobiles, you know, real production line street cars have never been at the quality or reliability levels of Honda or Toyota, or even Nissan or Subaru. My professional experience working in the import service sector for over 30 years bears this out, all hand built Paris Dakar vehicles aside.
I don’t want to start a tit for tat here, but you really shouldn’t question Honda’s motorsport cred. Their competition record would bury Mitsu in short order sir. My initial comment is based on over 35 years of work in the import service sector, and a lifetime of being an import enthusiast. All handbuilt competition cars/trucks aside, when talking about street production cars Mitsubishi has never been at the quality/reliability level of Honda/Toyota/Nissan, or even Subaru.
Their failure to crack the nut of the North American market in any significant way is testament to this.
For starters I like everything, so dont bother writing me off as a salty Evo bro. That’s a dealer video, and “hawking” mudflaps sells cars. Selling cars pays for racing. Yeah Mitsubishi aint what it used to be, but they’re being very smart about making their way back. So why continue with the bashing and saying “I mean I get it, but…” it is what it is, and it’s clearly going somewhere.