Mitsubishi will test High Performance Clean Diesel engines in Dakar 2009
The 2009 Dakar race will be the longest ever, so having an improved and powerful diesel under the hood is something Mitsubishi is probably quite happy to have. That these new diesel powerplants are also being called "clean diesels" is something the rest of us can cheer.
Mitsubishi announced today that the"High Performance Clean Diesel" engines will be used in improved versions of the Pajero Evolution used in the 2008 Dakar event. Mitsubishi CEO Osama Masuko is looking to extend Mitsubishi's string of victories, but VW is just one of the competitors that isn't going to let them win easily. Mitsubishi car buyers might be the real winners here, because Masuko also "announced that the event will be providing essential technical feedback for the all-new range of high performance clean diesel engines, which have been confirmed will make their debut at the Dakar in 2009," according to the press release pasted after the jump.
Gallery: Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution at Dakar
Related:
[Source: Mitsubishi]
MITSUBISHI'S HIGH PERFORMANCE CLEAN DIESEL ENGINES RACE FOR DAKAR SUCCESS
- Mitsubishi announces High Performance Clean Diesel engines to compete in Dakar 2009
- 2008 Dakar Pajero Evolution improved, even under new technical restrictions
- Mitsubishi's CEO, Osama Masuko, looks for record-breaking 8th consecutive Dakar victory
Mitsubishi's CEO, Osama Masuko, has also announced that the event will be providing essential technical feedback for the all-new range of high performance clean diesel engines, which have been confirmed will make their debut at the Dakar in 2009.
Feedback on both durability and endurance data is essential for the manufacturer's revolutionary development of clean diesel engines to be seen in a number of future production models.[3]
The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team has also been making final preparations for the 2008 event, with testing in Morocco and Tunisia. Even under the tight new performance handicap regulations of reduced engine air-restrictor[4] and obligatory switch from six- to five-speed gear box, Masuko added that this work produced multiple gains in terms of transmission endurance, suspension and handling. As a result, the overall performance is even stronger than it was for the Dakar 2007.
1] A win in 2008 would take Mitsubishi's overall tally to 13 wins from 26 starts
[2] Formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally
[3] Clean diesel engines have also been seen in Mitsubishi's Concept-cX and Concept-RA
[4] The diameter of the engine air-restrictor has been reduced from 32mm to 31mm.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
why not the LS2/LS7? 7:58PM (12/10/2007)
BMW ran a Diesel X5 in the last two Dakars. It did quite well. It does have certain benefits in the homologation rules, but mainly its big advantage is it can carry more energy in its fuel tank, and fuel is an issue in Dakars of recent years.
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Phil L. 5:14AM (12/11/2007)
C'mon - We did this last time.
The Dakar is an amazingly long rally - but this year's edition is nowhere near the longest.
See previous post with links here:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/02/vw-tackle-longest-ever-dakar-rally-with-4-race-touareg-2-tdis/
Meanwhile, I'll be warming up my torrent loading client for the rally. Dakar coverage in the US stinks...
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nagmashot (Georg Stark 8:45AM (12/11/2007)
VW runs diesel too in the long distance Ralle world championship.VW has won this season long distance Rally worldchampionship vs BMW and Mitsubishi and last year Mitusbishi won Dakar only because of VW´s bad luck, VW had won 10 of 14 stages till a part broke that never broke befor in 2seasons and all long distance.
Most likely Mitsubishi simple use the same engine as VW does. Mitsubishi already use VW diesel engines in the new 2008 Lancer ... the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0 Di-D is powered by a VW 2.0l TDI engine (last generation not the new VW generation )
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ello 11:01AM (12/11/2007)
Nagmashot, Mitsubishi won last years Dakar Rally because they have much more reliable cars, simple as that. Last year VWs seemed to be faster but were FULL of all kinds of problems, engine fires, electrical problems, clutch problem, just to name a few. Whats the point of building a faster car if it can't go the distance reliably. Dakar is a specific race, speed matters but also reliability/durability counts probably more. It's not a one stage race. VW, last year concentrated on more powerful engines, and Mitsubishi concentrated on a better stability performance as well as their new clutch replacement system, which a driver can actually replace the clutch during the race in about 20 minutes without waiting for outside help. Mitsubishi has won this even 7 times in a row, gotta give them credit where its due, VWs are simply not as reliable and thats what kills them.
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nagmashot 1:49PM (12/11/2007)
Just imagine that VW has come back to the Dakar and Marathon Rally Wolrd Cup in 2004 the first time since many years (they arleady have won the Dakar..5 years befor Mitsubishi´s first success!)
2004 back to FIA Marathon Rally and Dakar
2004 6th place
2005 3th place
2005 won the FIA Marathon Rally World Cup
2006 2th place
2007 winning 10 of 14 stages till a broken engine stoped the leading VW.
2007 won the FIA Marathon Rally World Cup
The VW Race Touareg has won since 2004 24 podium finishes, 61 stage victorys, 7 Fia Marathon Rally´s , 2 FIA Marathon Rally World Cups... not a bad statistic for such a unreliable car..
LOL
Your comment about relibilty is simple riding on a brand hater wave... If VW´s reliabilty is so bad why do they grow each year over 10% and are the 4th largest car manufactor in the world... 2th largest if you only count cars and no light trucks...
Why does Mitsubishi buy engines for their new 2008 Lancer from VW?
Why is VW according to JD.Power Asia south Pafcific 3th ranking brand in quality study in the Chinese market which will outnumber the US market sales in the next two years.
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ello 4:59PM (12/11/2007)
Nagmashot, what are we talking about here? If you want to go into deep statistics then Mitsubishi as a sports car company has an excellent track record too. From their early 1970s rally success with Lancer 1600 GSR to their 4x4 heritage, to their VR-4 heritage, to the 1990s Tommi Makinnen days, to their current Dakar D O M I N A T I O N. How can you even compare VW to Mitsubishi when it comes to Dakar, 7 straight wins, 12 overall, there is no comparison here.
As far as VW as an everyday car company, yeah they are much larger than Mitsubishi Motors but thats not what we are comparing here nor does it mean they make better cars (I don't count Porsche, Audi, or Bugatti). As far as diesel engines go, Mitsubishi Motors is working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on their own diesel line and Mitsubishi heavy Industries has plenty of experience when it comes to diesels most notably in FUSO truck line. Those engines will be available in 2009 and somehow I have a feeling that over time Japanese diesel engines will offer better performance/efficiency then their German counterparts.
Besides, whats all the love with diesel engines? They are not as reliable as gasoline units, they require turbocharging to really compete with their gasoline counterparts, and a price of diesel fuel in US is actually more expensive than the highest rate octane gasoline and even if diesels burn less fuel per mile, the offset in savings won't justify the extra cost of a diesel engine.
And although modern diesel engines generate less CO2 than gasoline counterparts, thats not the whols story when it comes to being cleaner as diesels generate much more particular matter (PM) and Nitrogen Oxide (NO - which is the element responsible for smog creation). CO2 stats, although not meaningless, are definitely not the real measurement of pollution levels.
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nmac 6:25PM (1/01/2008)
ello, Diesel is by far the more reliable powerplant. As for the turbo issue, its there so morons can get to speed faster than is necassary on public roads. Fuel economy can get to hybrid class, with out the added trashing of the planet which, by the way is an added bonus for the hybrid buyer.Mitsubishi is using VW. Powerplants because at this point, it is economically wiser for them to buy than set up a whole new plant.( at this point)As for the Dakar version having some resemblence to the pig brute unit available on the showroom floor..??? Surely you jest!!? the badge is about all you get in common.
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nmac 6:27PM (1/01/2008)
People, you can cat the exhaust to cover the pm offset. Not overly expensive nor hard to do. Perhaps we should really look at the alternative of destructive distillation of waste( rubbish, ) for the creation of hydrogen. catch said gas, compress and use for an exhaust return of H2O?. Not hard,can save on land refill sites as well as cleanup from logging etc,etc. Perhaps though we should just be ignorant clowns and drive the cheapest most polluting piece of crap we can find and say, " hey, it wasn't worth the cost offset to go clean"
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