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Mitsubishi has a problem with its current lineup. Unless you’re looking for a Lancer, your options are limited to the Galant mid-size sedan and the Endeavor and Outlander crossovers. Right now, the Galant is contemplating seppuku and the Endeavor hasn’t been fully redesigned since it first went on sale back in 2003. The Outlander, however, has something positive to offer. It seats up to seven passengers (in a pinch), has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, and tops out at 28 miles per gallon on the highway.

Mitsubishi knows having just two competitive vehicles to choose from isn’t enough to compete in an industry eager to fill every niche, and the company appears focused on evolving the two lone bright spots in its lineup. The Lancer has spawned many variants, the latest being the Lancer Sportback, a fun-to-drive wagon that doesn’t step on the toes of the top-trim Lancer Evolution. The Outlander, meanwhile, recently gave its name to the smaller 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, a five-passenger crossover looking to make its mark in a currently crowded segment.

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Mitsubishi’s Turbodiesel Racing Lancer Ushers in a New Era of Mitsubishi Rally Racing

Mitsubishi’s new Racing Lancer joins the Lancer Evolution WRC car and Mitsubishi Pajero in rounding out the Japanese automaker’s rally racing lineup. Rally racing is done either in short stages as is the case in the World Rally Championship, or in longer races that span entire countries.

The brand-new 2009 Mitsubishi Racing Lancer has been specifically designed for the Dakar Series and other grueling endurance events spanning terrain too treacherous even for the Lancer Evolution WRC car.

In addition to a totally-new body and chassis that separate the new Mitsubishi Racing Lancer from the Pajero cross-country rally cars Mitsubishi has fielded in the Dakar and other rally races, the Racing Lancer sports a switch to a turbodiesel motor. Pajero cars used gasoline engines, as does the Lancer Evolution WRC cars. Diesel racing engines are relatively new on the world scene, though Audi has had great success with its R10 TDI race cars. Read the rest of this entry »