Ralliart, the name many of us happily stuck to our Proton cars back in the-90s, has resurfaced! The motorsport and tuning arm of Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC) is set to make a timely comeback after an 11-year break.
MMC made the announcement as part of the delivery of FY2020 performance and an update to the mid-term business plan to shareholders in Tokyo, Japan.
The Ralliart branding and performance attributes (adventurous, durability and advancement) are used as a direction towards the realisation of “Mitsubishi Motor-ness”, in what looks like the company’s pillars for defining the brand moving forward.
The one-slide announcement did not come with accompanying elaboration, but according to a report by Forbes, the move is more than just another line of accessories or special editions. MMC is planning to enter relevant motorsports under the Ralliart banner.
“For customers who wish to experience our Mitsubishi-ness, we will launch custom-made accessories for our model lineup as well as re-entering motorsport events around the world,” said Mitsubishi CEO Takao Kato.
The timeline in the presentation shows big plans coming from 2023. Under the said “Mitsubishi Motor-ness” plans, two silhouettes of SUVs are planned for introduction, one compact like an ASX, another larger like an Outlander. Could this be Ralliart, souped-up versions of all-new Mitsubishi models?
MMC has said its long history in motorsports has helped the company developed excellent vehicle dynamics on both tarmac and off-road driving.
Subaru, MMC’s arch-rival from the glorious WRC days, has long left rallying to pursue circuit and endurance motorsport activities which are the Nurburgring 24 Hours and Japan’s Super GT. The company continues with products enhanced by the Ralliart-equivalent named STI, such as the US-only Subaru WRX STI S209 pumping out 341 hp and Subaru BRZ STI Sport.
Who would have expected, re-entering motorsports at a time when electrification is the biggest buzzword in the auto industry. Great news for us petrolheads nonetheless!
