Mpart AB, also known as Ralliart Sweden, has revealed a Mitsubishi Mirage-based rally car which it hopes to enter in the World Rally Championship 2, which is a companion series for the premier World Rally Championship and is run on the same stages.
Known as the Mitsubishi R5, the car "combines the core elements of the brand's legendary engineering heritage, together with the latest in proven motorsport technology."
Powering the R5 is a 1.6-liter version of the 4B11 engine from the Lancer Evolution X, mated to a five-speed Sadev sequential transmission that sends the approximately 280hp and 450Nm to the four-wheel-drive system. The R5 also features MacPherson suspension on all four corners, complemented by specially designed sub-frames and Ohlins dampers.
"A great deal of thought has gone into the design and development of this car," said Mpart AB's Tomas Weng. "We have kept it as simple and efficient as possible and have used as many Mitsubishi parts as we can. So far, customer inquiries have exceeded our expectations, and confirmed sales have already reached double figures."
Extensive testing of the R5 is expected to begin in October to allow it to compete in the WRC 2 series next season.
We're sure it won't be long before local Mirage owners start copying the R5's look.
Photos from the Mitsubishi R5's Facebook page
