Mitsubishi pulls out of WRC for 2003

[Superesc]

Damn and I thought the most they would do is switch the EVO to the Colt (that was big enough shock for me....)

Article:
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/2002/014/Mitsubishi+in+shock+WRC+pull-out.htm
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/News/2002/014/Andrew+Cowan+Q+and+A.htm

[DSM Power]

Yes, this is quite disappointing BUT at least they'll be back... I was afraid they were pulling out altogether. :( I do find it hard to believe that the "drivers took it well" ?? :dunno:

Check out the new Colt thing they got going on that's a rumoured replacement for the EVO, kinda interesting!
http://www.champlainsoftware.com/Ed/xceed.jpg
http://www.autoindex.org/images/news/148/norm_2_orig.jpg

Press release on their pullout ...
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/motorsports/topics_e/02topics/topics9/index.html

[Toms-Celica]

So they should, they did horrible this season...

[speedracer]

This has been expected for a while - this year you can see they were using it as more of a testing ground.

[hjr]

too bad. Hyundia also pulled out of SCCA rally season for next year. That sucks as well.



thats a cool little car. me thinks that they should change the name though, for marketing purposes. The old colt was really quite a shit boxer, and i think that they should get as far away from that as possible. But props to mitsu on creating a mint new ride.

[4wheeldrift]

This is the best thing mitsubishi could have possible done to help their efforts. The Evo VII needs A LOT of development time to get it competitive again. For what it costs to run 2 drivers for one season they can get the car totally sorted for 2004.

[treg50]

Yeah they didn't do good at all and yeah its too new it needs to be refined big time--- it ain't the EVO of old.

I've never seen the Colt before but the name sucks, and well... it ain't exactly original in styling, front end looks like one of those Civics from the curvy-early-to-mid-90's years. This one definately looks like a SiR challenger though.

I heard rumours that Mazda might join the WRC with some Protege5's. A car on the scene would be nice.
:clap:

[hjr]

the only things that come to mind when i think of colt is either the shitty dodge colt, or the $5 a litre beer i drank when i was 15. you know, colt 45/big bear/old english (O-E)...



Originally posted by treg50
Yeah they didn't do good at all and yeah its too new it needs to be refined big time--- it ain't the EVO of old.

I've never seen the Colt before but the name sucks, and well... it ain't exactly original in styling, front end looks like one of those Civics from the curvy-early-to-mid-90's years. This one definately looks like a SiR challenger though.

I heard rumours that Mazda might join the WRC with some Protege5's. A car on the scene would be nice.
:clap:

MP5, thats a real lame idea. what car company would prepare and race a (heavier than the sedan) wagon. I dont get it. It takes mad money to run in the WRC, so why waist it with a wagon. Especially when they just came out with the mazda speed protege. i would think that would be a better jump off point.

[lammer]

Originally posted by DSM Power


Check out the new Colt thing they got going on that's a rumoured replacement for the EVO, kinda interesting!
http://www.champlainsoftware.com/Ed/xceed.jpg
http://www.autoindex.org/images/news/148/norm_2_orig.jpg


now that is nice!!! looks :bigpimp:

[three.eighteen.]

yeah the colt is nice, looks like mitsu is learning from the designs of the focus rs and 206

[4wheeldrift]

MP5, thats a real lame idea. what car company would prepare and race a (heavier than the sedan) wagon. I dont get it. It takes mad money to run in the WRC, so why waist it with a wagon. Especially when they just came out with the mazda speed protege. i would think that would be a better jump off point. [/B] A WRC version of the protege would not have a whole hell of a lot in common with the street driven version. They are allowed to strip a lot of the weight out of the car using exotic materials, widen the track and modify suspension geometry, add four wheel drive and turbos to cars that don't normally have them. Ford could build a WRC Crown Victoria if they really put their minds to it. Besides, Mazda is already running a factory backed Protege in the states so some of the development is done for them already (Hyundais WRC program is a direct offshoot of their competition program from the states)

[Toms-Celica]

You guys think Toyota will ever get back into WRC?

[4wheeldrift]

Maybe, but probably not for awhile. They have to many other irons in the fire at the moment. Its too bad they left. They had a competitive car that was a proven winner. So they scrap the program and go to Le Mans where they don't do so well :dunno: Go figure

[treg50]

Originally posted by hjr
... MP5, thats a real lame idea. what car company would prepare and race a (heavier than the sedan) wagon. I dont get it. It takes mad money to run in the WRC, so why waist it with a wagon. Especially when they just came out with the mazda speed protege. i would think that would be a better jump off point.

There's nothing to get its basic and "lame"? Come on, that's a little ignorant. If they can take a stock 130-hp Ford Focus and make a 400-hp WRC Focus --- I'd say they did a little bit of modding. Apply a "little bit of modding" to the Protege5 and they'll have a nice WRC car.

4wheeldrift points out what Hyundai did as well. The WRC Hyundai was a four door and so is the Subaru WRX. So it IS doable and has been done.

Protege5 or Protege sedan, its still a year or two away. In either case its all marketing for the manufacturer and their car model.