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Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia (TMR) today officially revealed its FIA-specification Outlander PHEV and Triton 2014 Australasian Safari contenders just three days ahead of the iconic off-road event’s ceremonial start.
More than 330 hours in the making, the production class Outlander PHEV rally car is the first entry of its kind in an Australian motorsport event.
Piloted by driver Steve Glenney and co-driver Bernie Webb, the TMR Australia Outlander PHEV will compete in a production category designed purely for electric and hybrid vehicles – P1.6.
Steve Glenney said the crew was busy preparing for the challenge of steering the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV through some of Australia’s toughest and most remote countryside.
“The Australasian Safari is a notoriously challenging event – its gruelling combination of long straight desert roads, dry creek bed crossings and rocky terrain means drivers and co-drivers need to be both physically and mentally ready for eight full days of competitive driving,” he said.
“We already know Mitsubishi’s proven four-wheel drive technology makes it an ideal fit for rallying, but the real thrill for us is the unique experience of driving the Outlander PHEV in such an iconic event.”
Australian rally legend and former Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution driver Ed Odynski will lend his support to TMR Australia throughout the Outlander PHEV’s Safari effort.
Mr Ordynski said he was pleased to once again join forces with Team Mitsubishi Ralliart and be involved with the team running Australia’s first ever plug-in hybrid rally car in the Australasian Safari.
“Mitsubishi’s intuitive plug-in hybrid EV technology impressed me when I drove the Outlander PHEV earlier this year,” he said.
“The technology is really quite sophisticated and I’m looking forward to helping the team use the strengths of the Outlander PHEV’s lightweight electric vehicle system to optimise our performance in the Safari.
“The high torque characteristic of the electric motors and instant throttle response – which work so effectively in everyday driving – are ideally suited to the demanding driving conditions we’ll experience during the Safari.
The 2014 Australasian Safari will run from Perth to Kalbarri in Western Australia from 19-27 September.
Read our Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV review
