The Dakar Rally is the toughest endurance test known for man and machine. Starting in Paris, France and ending in Dakar, Senegal, it's roughly 5,000 miles of rocks, sand, potholed roads and riverbeds. But the image that is most strongly etched in people's minds when they think of Dakar is the broiling sun and shifting sand of the Sahara desert.
Mitsubishi Motors has made history with its success in the Dakar, it was the first team to claim five consecutive wins, and is an 11 time champion of the rally.
The company is savvy enough to capitalize on their victories - with television commercials featuring Dakar footage, and dramatic rally images as backdrop at the international Auto Show. The Ralliart badging on sports-tuned Lancers and Galants serve to remind performance-minded buyers that these cars share DNA with the Evolution, Mitsubishi's wildly successful, take-no-prisoners rally car (arriving in Canada this December!).
The association with Dakar drives home the image of Mitsubishi vehicles as being peformance-minded, enduring and tough enough for the harshest conditions. Add to that four World Rally Championships and it stands to reason that our harsh Canadian climate should be a snap.
The Lancer first appeared in 1973 and has sold over six million units globally. Its past success in racing has influenced its design and helps to project a dynamic image.
The newest iteration consists of an all-new platform, shared with the Outlander (SUV). Overall, the new platform is shorter, but with a longer wheelbase and wider track. Torsional rigidity is 56% greater than the current Evo, enhancing the handling dynamics and safety. There's an all-new uni-body which uses "RISE" technology (Refinforced Impact Safety Evolution). A new knee-level airbag is a first for this segment.
First Impressions
We didn't have the option of experiencing the new Lancer's performance in the sands of Dakar. What we had was the Caledon Hills, the winding roads and hairpin turns of the Forks of Credit, and rather than rippling sand dunes, the striking red and grey shale outcroppings of the Cheltenham Badlands as backdrop.
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| Mitsubishi is the first to claim five consecutive wins in the Dakar Rally. Is the new Lancer another winner? |
Mitsubishi Motors has made history with its success in the Dakar, it was the first team to claim five consecutive wins, and is an 11 time champion of the rally.
The company is savvy enough to capitalize on their victories - with television commercials featuring Dakar footage, and dramatic rally images as backdrop at the international Auto Show. The Ralliart badging on sports-tuned Lancers and Galants serve to remind performance-minded buyers that these cars share DNA with the Evolution, Mitsubishi's wildly successful, take-no-prisoners rally car (arriving in Canada this December!).
The association with Dakar drives home the image of Mitsubishi vehicles as being peformance-minded, enduring and tough enough for the harshest conditions. Add to that four World Rally Championships and it stands to reason that our harsh Canadian climate should be a snap.
The Lancer first appeared in 1973 and has sold over six million units globally. Its past success in racing has influenced its design and helps to project a dynamic image.
The newest iteration consists of an all-new platform, shared with the Outlander (SUV). Overall, the new platform is shorter, but with a longer wheelbase and wider track. Torsional rigidity is 56% greater than the current Evo, enhancing the handling dynamics and safety. There's an all-new uni-body which uses "RISE" technology (Refinforced Impact Safety Evolution). A new knee-level airbag is a first for this segment.
First Impressions
We didn't have the option of experiencing the new Lancer's performance in the sands of Dakar. What we had was the Caledon Hills, the winding roads and hairpin turns of the Forks of Credit, and rather than rippling sand dunes, the striking red and grey shale outcroppings of the Cheltenham Badlands as backdrop.
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| The 2008 is an attractive vehicle and shares its platform with the new Outlander, amongst others. |