Despite plying its trade in the rally world throughout the 70s and early 80s with the likes of the Colt, Lancer and Pajero, it was perhaps the Group A Galant VR-4 of the late 80s as piloted by monosyllabic 'Flying Finns' such as Pentii Airikkala and current European Parliamentarian Ari Vatanen, which truly established Mitsubishi as a rallying tour de force. Although the first of the VR-4s (1988-1992), a turbocharged two-litre version of Mitsubishi's 6th generation Galant with a not inconsiderable power output of between 200 and 240ps, was arguably less highly coveted than other road-going Group A machines of the day such as Lancia's Delta Integrale and even Toyota's Celica GT-Four, the VR-4, equipped as it was with speed-sensitive four-wheel steering and full-time all-wheel-drive, did however introduce Mitsubishi to the world as a manufacturer of highly advanced turbocharged performance saloons. Indeed, the VR-4 pipped the Subaru Legacy Turbo/GT to the post in furnishing Japanese manufacturers with a reputation for producing frantic Q-cars with rallying pedigrees.
The VR-4 was also instrumental in bringing that other infamous rally-bred Mitsubishi, the Lancer Evolution, to fruition. In the early 90s, as manufacturers began to utilise smaller, more agile vehicles as the foundations for their rally machines, Mitsubishi too began to phase out the oversized Galant from international competition, instead installing its turbocharged 2-litre powerplant and 4WD drivetrain into the more compact Lancer. Thus, in 1992, the first generation Lancer Evolution entered the fray as the spearhead for Mitsubishi and Ralliart's WRC campaign.
However, despite being retired from international rallying and being usurped by the Lancer Evolution as the flagship of Mitsubishi's motorsporting activities, the VR-4 continued to evolve as a unique performance model as the Galant entered its seventh and eighth generations, only ceasing to exist after production of the Japanese market Galant was halted in 2002, in the wake of Daimler Chrysler gaining a controlling stake in MMC. Although VR-4 versions of the 7th and 8th generation Galants were solely for the Japanese market (with the exception of 200 VR-4s based on the 8th and final generation Galant that were officially imported into the UK by Ralliart), at the time of its demise, the VR-4 was every bit the high-performance technological showcase the Lancer Evolution was, boasting a 280bhp, 2.4 litre twin-turbo power unit and AYC (Active Yaw Control) from the Lancer Evolution IV. Indeed, as a result of the grey import market, the 8th generation Galant, in VR-4 spec, still enjoys a cult following in New Zealand and the UK.
Although, Mitsubishi still markets a large sedan in America as the Galant, even offering a Ralliart version powered by a normally aspirated 3.8-litre MIVEC V6 emitting 258 horsepower, the Japanese and European market Galants have now been extinct for close to five years, and it has been widely assumed that the JDM Galant and VR-4 will not be resurrected due to Mitsubishi's restructuring efforts.
However, this may not be the case, as speculation is rife in various Japanese car magazines that plans to revive the Galant for the Japanese market are a current top priority for Mitsubishi Japan, following a raft of successful new model launches over the last year. Allegedly, according to Best Car Magazine, these plans to revive the Galant include blueprints for a new VR-4, set to launch in 2009. Although details are somewhat sketchy, it is thought that the new VR-4 may employ a 4WD system with an electronicallycontrolled LSD, however it is not certain whether this will be carried over directly from the Lancer Evolution X. It seems that Mitsubishi may be planning to market the new VR-4 as a luxury sports saloon, as opposed to a technical showpiece, in which case it may well do without AYC, ACD (Active Centre Differential) and other electronic frippery.
In addition, various engine options have been mooted, including a 250-300ps unit based on the 2-litre 4B11 turbo unit from the Lancer Evolution X, and a 300ps incarnation of the 2.4-litre 4B12 turbo engine found in the Outlander SUV. Meanwhile, aesthetically, computer generated images of the 2009 Galant VR-4 show a vehicle which bears more than a passing resemblance to the current American market Galant, albeit with the addition of an oversized rear wing and an obtrusive bonnet bulge, complemented by front grille treatment similar to that seen on the Lancer Evolution X. Despite stylistic similarities with the American Galant, current speculation places the Japanese market Galant's dimensions as being marginally smaller than those of its US counterpart.
The Current American Market Galant In 260ps Ralliart Spec
Fingers crossed that current speculation regarding the revival of the Japanese market Galant is founded on something more concrete than mere rumour, so that the village elder of turbocharged Japanese Q-cars can once again see active service.
0 comments:
Post a Comment