Mitsubishi to switch to diesel for Dakar 2009

The once poor cousin of the gas-burning internal combustion engine, the diesel, is slowly but surely invading the world of motorsport. In recent years the all-conquering Audi team led the diesel assault on sports car racing and diesel now dominates these events. Now Mitsubishi will enter a new, turbodiesel 'Racing Lancer' in next year's relocated-to-South-America Dakar Rally. The new car has an aeronautic steel multi-tubular frame, honeycomb body floor and carbon fiber body powered by a 280PS 3-liter V6 diesel engine producing a prodigious 650Nm peak torque. The engine uses an innovative two-stage turbocharger with both a small and large diameter turbine, one on each side of engine, employed according to engine revolution and load.

The Racing Lancer will be officially unveiled on Thursday October 2 at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It will be displayed alongside the 'Lancer Sportback' upon which it is based and which is due to go on sale across Europe this autumn.

The 31st Dakar Rally will see the event switch to fresh territory in South America where Mitsubishi's foursome will be looking to secure not only its first-ever victory with a diesel powered car, but also the company's 13th success - including a run of seven successive wins since 2001- at this event.

The team is currently undergoing scrutineering (September 9) for the Pax Rally, the second contest to figure in the newly created Dakar Series. The five-day Pax Rally will be one of the final races for Mitsubishi’s petrol-engined Lancer as the diesel car will most certainly be run competitively before the end of the year.

The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team will hence to kick off its first full season using turbocharged diesel power with a four-car entry on the 2009 Dakar. The team's bid will be spearheaded by its latest cross-country rally car, the new Racing Lancer.

The four-car driver line-up is the same as that which has represented the team on this annual cross-country rally since 2005, namely Stephane Peterhansel (France), Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan), Luc Alphand (France), and Joan 'Nani' Roma (Spain).

The 2009 Dakar

Following deterioration in the security situation in West Africa, which has traditionally served as backdrop to the Dakar, the event organisers have chosen to switch to the South American continent for next year's event.

The 2009 rally is due to start in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Saturday, January 3 before striking south to the South Atlantic resort of Puerto Madrine. The route will then head west over the dusty trails up and over the Andes Mountains.

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