Mitsubishi Motors Corporation announced that its high-performance and motorsports division Mitsubishi Ralliart is set to compete in the upcoming 2022 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR).
Fans are delighted to know that the Ralliart sub-brand is going back to what it does best as it returns to dominate the dirt from August 6 to 12 with Mitsubishi’s global strategic model, the Triton — aka Strada — one-ton pickup truck.
AXCR is a cross-country rally event certified by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Mainly set in Thailand, the competition is held in the hot and humid climate unique to Southeast Asia and on grueling off-road courses in the mountains and jungles.
Mitsubishi Motors will leverage the feedback earned through the rally competition to further refine its strengths including body and chassis rigidity, controllability as well as off-road performance.
The rally truck dons an eye-catching livery of the revived motorsports team. At the fore appears to be skid plates and full-LED lighting. The Dynamic Shield at the front end is painted in red so as to match the iconic colors of Mitsubishi’s high-performance division. There’s also a snorkel on the right-hand side of the truck.
Its side profile is highlighted by the aforementioned livery and the suspensions are noticeably raised probably to allow better suspension travel should the souped-up Triton be put through its paces on tough terrains. Its wheels are also painted in black and red, the colors of the rally team.
This picture of the truck’s rear shows the Triton’s roll cage painted in white. There are also two spare tires at the bed and two red tow hooks hanging on the pickup truck’s high-riding tail.
Running Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, a private team owned by Tant Sports in Thailand, will be Hiroshi Masuoka. The newly-appointed team principal is a two-time Dakar Rally champion driver in 2002 and 2003.
“For many years, Mitsubishi Motors competed in the World Rally Championship and the Dakar Rally, winning championships in both of them and improving the driving performance of Mitsubishi cars that can be enjoyed with peace of mind in any weather or road conditions. Mitsubishi Motors' participation in the AXCR in the form of technical support will strengthen our product uniqueness, especially for ASEAN strategic models including 1-ton pickup trucks and SUVs. Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will make preparations to meet the expectations of our fans, so please stay tuned,” said Masuoka.
Photos from Mitsubishi
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