http://www.worldrallynews.info/cgi-bin/vie...038844570,80725,

 

no way

 

apparently yes way, for at least a year. It seems that they want to develop a new Group A lancer and a Open WRC spec lancer. Also, from the grapevine, it seems the Mitsubishi Colt could be an option for a new WRC development program....



The world works in mysterious ways, it seems

 

The Lancer Evo VII WRC car was woefully inadequate compared to the 206 WRC and Focus WRC cars. Band aid fixes weren't going to get Mitsubishi anywhere next year. The big downside that I see is that bailing on the entire season is going to hinder the development of Jani Paasonen, who was Mitsu's best hopes for a win/championship in the future.

The Colt seems to be a logical choice for a body, as does the Pajero Evolution. Those both have a tall-wagon body style which doesn't lend itself well to a low CG, so we may see a completely new car for '04.

 

damn, it was my fav car to watch in WRC :-/

-stek

 

By then, following Mitsubishi's logic, we should have an EVO IX or even an EVO X

I'm looking forward to seeing the Citroen Xsara WRC in its first full season. It promises to be a challenge to both Ford and Peugot. I also hear that a new, more powerful and better handling Impreza WRC03 is on the way (YAY!) which will now step up and take dominance of the sedan cars of the WRC (of which the others are the Lancer and the Octavia)

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by WestSideBilly
[B]The Lancer Evo VII WRC car was woefully inadequate compared to the 206 WRC and Focus WRC cars.

 

Peugeot is not sitting still, though, and I imagine they will bring an even faster 206, or possibly a 307-based replacement.

The Impreza WRC *was* the dominant sedan this year - far and away better than the Lancer, the pig Octavia, and the Elantra...

 

I thought I heard somewhere (maybe it was in Nicky Grist's conversation with Sheehan on the Speed Channel coverage of Rally Australia) that Ford was planning to dump the Focus and build a car based on a different platform. I haven't seen anything more on that, so maybe it's nothing more than a rumor.

 

Well, what other car does Ford have that COULD replace the Focus WRC02? I mean, the focus is a good, solid rally car (the road car, on the other hand....) that has the ability to do extremely well. There are no more escorts... it'd be nice to have GT40 Rally Car

But no, I think the Focus is here to stay for a while