Not surprised, but disappointed.
Mitsubishi made the announcement in May that Ralliart was being revived in Japan. There’s still hope for another revival, however, with the Lancer Evolution nameplate. MMC CEO Takao Cato stated that Ralliart’s return is about developing genuine accessories for its models. However, the Japanese marque is also looking into motorsports.
Japan’s Response reported that the Lancer Evolution has not yet been announced.
Kato was the one who initiated the shootdown. He stated that he wanted to do it, but that first, the company must be on its feet. According to Kato (via Google Translate), the company is not strong enough.
According to the report, MMC shareholders also want the Lancer Evolution nameplate back. It’s not surprising that shareholders care more about profits than their image. However, we believe that all parties can agree that a halo sportscar would be a great addition to the company’s efforts to restore the Mitsubishi-ness of its cars.
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It is obvious that Mitsubishi decided not to prioritize the Lancer Evolution’s Return due to electrification and its costly development. Mitsubishi’s strengths in hybrid vehicles and offroad machines are also very strong, and Kato wants to take advantage of that to get the company back on its feet.
Notable is the fact that Mitsubishi has been having a difficult time as a company. The Diamond brand is realigning its lineup as part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and will be focusing its efforts on the ASEAN region.
But, you never know what the future holds. It might take a bit more patience to see the Evo nameplate return.