Mitsubishi is finally getting some of its mojo back with its redesigned – and competitive – Outlander. The company reportedly plans to build on that momentum with a high-performance version of the SUV, bolstering its newly revived RallyArt performance division in the process.
Wait, a non-luxury performance SUV? Well, if any company can pull it off it would be Mitsubishi. It has a history of WRC victories and dominance of the Paris-Dakar rally. Almost its entire racing heritage has been forged on dirt, not asphalt, so a hotted-up Mitsu SUV doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
according to japan best car Magazine, the all-out Outlander 2022 will be based on the Outlander Vision RallyArt concept shown a year ago at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The model is believed to be called the Outlander PHEV Ralliart, and will feature extensive tuning to differentiate it from the standard version.
best car There are reports that the chassis will be strengthened to increase the rigidity of the body. Mitsubishi will also beef up the suspension and tweak it visually with unique aero bits. What that might be is not specified, but the Auto Saloon concept had wider fenders front and rear, a new front grille and bumper, and a redesigned rear fascia with a larger diffuser below. The concept was also exposed to larger rotors and six-piston calipers.
Outlander PHEV Ralliart’s drivetrain, says best car, will be based on the 2.4-litre plug-in hybrid setup on the base car. However, combined power between the gasoline and hybrid systems will total an estimated 286 horsepower.
Finally, the magazine predicts that The Outlander PHEV Ralliart will arrive in 2024. Japanese pricing is expected ¥5.5 to 6.1 million, which translates to $40,300 to $44,700 at current exchange rates, but we expect it to be closer to the high end of that range.
With crossovers and SUVs as the de facto cars these days, it was only a matter of time before mainstream marques started souping up such daily drivers. If Honda can make an 800-horsepower CR-V race car, then a sports Outlander seems only natural. We are here looking forward to the first crossover racing league.
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