Mitsubishi Ralliart relaunched
Japanese brand’s famous performance sub-brand revived in Thailand, but don’t get too excited…The first evidence of Mitsubishi’s Ralliart resurrection has emerged in Thailand six months after Mitsubishi confirmed it will revive its once hallowed performance and motorsport sub-brand, but it might not be what fans were hoping for.
Rather than the hotly anticipated Triton Ralliart, the comeback for Mitsubishi’s long-lost answer to the likes of Toyota GR and Ford Performance is limited to a trio of new styling packs for Thailand, based on the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Mitsubishi Triton.
What’s more, the packs are only available on rear-wheel drive versions of the popular ute and its large ladder-frame SUV sibling.
In the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport’s case, the Ralliart pack brings red front and rear bumper elements, a range of black exterior components including the spoiler, roof, wheel-arches and grille, plus black interior trim, mud flaps, floor mats and some Ralliart side decals.
The Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart scores the vast majority of these features but swaps out the roof spoiler for a standard tub liner for obvious reasons…
Just two body colours are available for the first Mitsubishi Ralliart models to emerge in about a decade: black and white.
This is far from the first time a manufacturer has used its burgeoning performance arm to release a couple of cosmetic upgrades; just last week the Toyota Fortuner GR Sport was also revealed, adorned with similar stylistic enhancements.
The key different though is that Toyota fitted its sports-themed off-road SUV with more road-focused shock absorbers to better align the tougher exterior look with the driving experience.
Whether or not Mitsubishi ends up doing something similar in Australia, where 4x4 versions of Pajero Sport and Triton Ralliart would have broader appeal, remains to be seen.
However, Mitsubishi executives did promise such projects when Ralliart’s return was announced back in May, so we’re not holding our breath for a piping-hot Triton Ralliart let alone a Ralliart-fettled Outlander Evo.
In fact, there’s been no word yet on Mitsubishi Motors Australia’s plan for the reborn Ralliart sub-brand, although carsales has reached out for comment.
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