See:

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/Breakin...832246,00.html

 

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After months of worry about the future of the Mitsubishi World Rally Championship team following the head office decision prematurely to end their world championship programme, MMSP Chief Isao Torii has explained the company's thoughts about the future. "Future rally competition plans will be based on the new Lancer Evolution X model, which will first be promoted in America, then elsewhere. "We are thinking about 2008, because by then the Lancer X will have been produced in the necessary 25,000 examples which will allow us to consider other projects, such as a future World Rally Car. No decision beyond the development of Group N cars has been made, except that should a future WRCar be considered, it will be based visually close to the production Evo X design."

Mitsubishi is studying the Super 2000 developments but have no plans to design a car for this formula. "For us, competition is still centred on Group N designs, which will be financially more acceptable to customers than Super 2000 designs."

 

Basically it says that Mitsu is going to base its new WRC car of the Evo X and that it might make a 2008 appearance after they have the required 25,000 production cars out on the market (for WRC n00bs in order to qualify for the WRC a manufacturer has to produce at least 25,000 production cars of the same car they are entering into the circuit). Also it will be a Group N car vs the Super 2000 designs.

Sounds good to me...just hope they actually do it

Maybe Tommi Makinen will come back and drive?

Edit: I see I was beaten to the punch!

 

I'm not seeing where Works plays a part in this.. and I agree with the need to have a driver change up, Gigi Galli has done a great job but they need to find someone who can keep up with Loeb a little better... hell.. every team needs to find someone who can keep up with Loeb a little better

 

I thinks Works refers to the Mitsubishi 'Works' Rally Team as in Factory race team, not Works the evo tuning shop.

 

So I guess this means that the north american market finally gets a real group-N car... That would be great for the rally crowd

 

What are the specs for the Super 2000 design?

 

I think one spec rule is that the engines have to be NA 2.0L. Turbos and any other FI isnt allowed.

 

Although, doesn't Group N allow turbo, 2.0l, ect... Someone please post the specs on these two groups.

 

From what I understand Group N is a production model based class (25,000 of production models need to be manufactured/sold before a car qualifies for Group N), engine displacement is limited to 2.0l and turbos are allowed but of limited size. More info can be found at http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/events/0503scc_rally/

But when it comes to Super 2000 class I couldn't find much information but I am guessing (just like the name suggests) that basically the only limitation is the engine displacement limited to 2.0l and everything else is as good/big as it gets (turbos are not limited in size). But of course I may be wrong :P

 

Super 2000 is basically the cars you see on Touring Cars but I think there are Super 2000 rallies as well.

 

So no Group A prototype based on the X such as the WRC Lancer 2005? That car should be the bomb as it is now already. If it's only Group N then who cares about Loeb and Gronholm since they are in A not N.

 

Just to give you an idea of how the X might look... WRC style...

Doesn't look to bad to me! Sorry about the crumby quality



-Aaron

 

Must be the camera angle because that thing looks stubby as hell.