Contemporary industry staples like the Mitsubishi Montero Sport, Strada, and Mirage are all well and good (they do drive salesm after all), but we’re sure we aren’t the only ones who miss the Japanese brand’s livelier days.
There’s hope, however, that the company is making an effort to bring back its dirt-kicking ways. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Mitsubishi is making a serious effort to revive its Ralliart division. And now, this.
This rally-ready Outlander you see here is Mitsubishi’s entry into the 2021 Rebelle Rally in October. It’s still a render, but the choice of livery is a throwback to one of the carmaker’s crowning moments in motorsport.
The exterior of this Outlander is inspired by the Pajero Jutta Kleinschmidt drove to the finish line in the 2001 Dakar Rally, when she became the competition’s first-ever female winner. A fitting choice, considering 2021 marks the win’s 20th anniversary and that the Rebelle Rally is an all-female race series.
“Mitsubishi Motors has much to celebrate this year, including the 40th anniversary of MMNA [Mitsubishi Motors North America], the 20th anniversary of our success at Dakar with Jutta Kleinschmidt, and the successful launch of our all-new flagship vehicle, the 2022 Outlander,” MMNA COO Mark Chaffin said in a statement.
“Returning to the Rebelle with an Outlander inspired by that Dakar-winning Pajero is a fitting tribute to our history, a powerful statement about our ongoing commitment to women’s achievement, and the exciting future ahead for our brand.”
No performance details for this thing yet, but the standard Outlander packs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine capable of 181hp and 254Nm. Mitsubishi also says the competition vehicle will make use of the brand’s Super All-wheel Control (S-AWC) system.
Out thoughts? Just keep this up, Mitsubishi. We’re counting on you. Anyone else here excited to see what other fun stuff the brand comes up with in the near future?
