EXCITING NEW CHALLENGE WITH DIESEL POWER
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and its motor sports unit MMSP have established the rally team's objectives for the coming season. These objectives include the 2009 Dakar, which will break new ground by starting and finishing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But the major new feature of the team's 2008 programme is the introduction of a turbo-diesel version of the highly successful Pajero/Montero Evolution, code-named MPR14. The new 2,997cc V6 power plant benefits from Mitsubishi's longstanding expertise in the field of advanced diesel technologies, ranging from low compression ratios to high-pressure fuel injection.
Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart has also decided to take a lead by enhancing its environmentally responsible approach to its competition activities in association with its key partners, Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich, all of whom stand out as pioneers in their specific domains when it comes to protecting the planet. “Now, our motor sports activity has taken a step up to establish the environmentally friendly engineering strategy of Mitsubishi Motors,” underlines MMSP SAS's new president, Osamu Nakayama.
Repsol sees the arrival of diesel power for the Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR14 as an ideal opportunity to introduce its latest research developments into efficient fuels in general, and non-food sourced bio diesel in particular. Indeed, the firm's efforts in this field contributed to its recent nomination as a 'Gold Class' company in the Sustainability Yearbook 2008.
The Michelin Group – which owns the BFGoodrich brand – has always stressed that the transfer of technology between its motor sports activities and road tyres is by no means unilateral, and cites its ongoing research into low rolling resistance as one area in which production tyres have benefited the competition programmes of partners such as Mitsubishi.
Last but by no means least, Valeo's long experience of automotive systems and electronics proved invaluable during the development of the new diesel-powered Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution MPR14. The company made essential contributions to the specific cooling system using the UltimateCoolingTM architecture. Valeo's input also concerns the advanced low energy LED front and rear lighting systems used on the car, which further contribute to achieving appreciable fuel savings.
