Mitubishi reveals new Racing Lancer rally car

Mitsubishi has released the first images of its new Racing Lancer rally car, ahead of its motorsport debut in round six of the 2008 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup this October. The vehicle combines elements from both the new Lancer sedan and previous Pajero rally vehicles, and features a sportback profile as seen in the recently previewed Lancer Sportback five-door.

Developed as a cross-country rally car, the Racing Lancer is also being groomed to make a splash at the 2009 Dakar Rally. The Dakar Rally’s move from Africa to South America will prove an interesting challenge to the new Racing Lancer, and Mitsubishi is hopeful of a podium finish following the successful trial period of the new engine. Piloting the vehicle will be Stéphane Peterhansel, the Dakar's most successful competitor with a total of nine outright wins.

The Racing Lancer is powered by a 3.0L turbocharged V6 diesel race engine, designed to raise Mitsubishi’s diesel profile - in much the same way that Audi did with its R10 Le Mans car. When developing the powertrain, engineers modified the layout of the previous-generation V6 design to improve cooling efficiency and also upgraded the turbocharger to improve both power delivery and reliability.