Satu pasukan dari tokoh-tokoh dan juara-juara perlumbaan kereta lumba Malaysia akan bersaing dalam Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), satu perlumbaan Rentas Negara yang disenaraikan oleh FIA yang bermula pada tahun 1996. Malaysia menjadi tuan rumah untuk perlumbaan motorsport ini selama enam tahun dari 1996 hingga 2003, memaparkan yang terbaik di Malaysia dalam satu acara yang diiktiraf secara global yang merentasi sempadan, budaya, dan masyarakat.
Kini, dua puluh tahun kemudian, Malaysia bangga dapat menjadi tuan rumah bersama Thailand untuk perlumbaan Rentas Negara yang prestij ini. Acara di sini akan mempamerkan keindahan alam semula jadi, bandar, kampung, masyarakat, dan budaya yang pelbagai di “Malaysia: Truly Asia”. AXCR kini menjadi fenomena Asia (acara rentas negara tertua dan terbesar di Asia) yang melibatkan pasukan lumba automotif pengeluar, syarikat swasta besar, dan peminat lasak 4X4 yang ekstrem.
A Team of motorsport legends and champions of Malaysia will compete in the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), an FIA Sanctioned Cross Country Rally that began its first journey in 1996. Malaysia hosted this prestigious motorsport for six years from 1996 – 2003, showcasing the best of Malaysia in a world-staged event that bridges borders, cultures and people.
Now, twenty years later, Malaysia is proud to be able to co-host this prestigious rally with Thailand. The event here will showcase its beautiful nature, cities, villages, people, and diverse cultures of “Malaysia: Truly Asia”. AXCR is now an Asian phenomenon (the oldest and largest cross country event in Asia) that has auto manufacturers’ race teams, large private corporations, and extreme 4 X 4 enthusiasts participating in this Cross Country Rally.
After not being run for 3 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2022 returned this month. The tough event held in the northeastern part of Thailand and in Cambodia saw Team Mitsubishi Ralliart taking overall first place after 6 days of competition over 1,200 kms.
The event saw the participation of a total of 56 machines – 21 in the motorcycle category, 2 in the sidecar category, 32 in the car category, and 1 in the truck. Legs 1 to 3 were run over courses in the area around Buriram, while Leg 4 brought the participant to the border between Thailand and Cambodian. For Leg 5, the participants crossed into Cambodia to race to finish line near the World Heritage site of Angkor Wat.
Ralliart is a name that motorsports enthusiasts, especially fans of off-road events, will know well. It was the competition division of Mitsubishi Motors and associated with the Dakar Rally as well as the World Rally Championship. Unfortunately, MMC went through difficult times and had to reorganize itself, which led to the Ralliart division having to cease its operations in 2010.
However, in 2021, the company indicated that it would revive the Ralliart brand although it did not give details of what could be expected. It showed some Ralliart-themed models in Bangkok but enthusiasts are hoping for some performance-oriented products.
Perhaps they are still formulating plans on what they want to do with the brand, which is still strong in people’s minds. Soon, we’ll see Team Mitsubishi Ralliart in action again when it competes in the Asia Cross-Country Rally (AXCR) 2022. Prior to the event, the team conducted endurance tests with a Triton on an off-road course in Thailand on June 27 and 28.
The endurance tests subjected the car to high loads comparable to those expected in the rally and focused mainly on the reliability and durability of the chassis and engine. To test the performance of the truck in an environment similar to that of the actual course, the team used a 10-kms course that combines a high-speed range, rough gravel road and a narrow, winding forest course.
“Since the Triton has a robust chassis frame and an excellent handling performance, we decided to reduce the vehicle weight at a minimum for the rally modification while leveraging its original strength as much as possible,” said Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. “Having covered more than 800 kms in two days, the vehicle showed its great performance throughout the tough endurance tests as we expected, and now we are confident that our preparation is on the right track.”
Hiroshi Masuoka is a very experienced off-road driver, having participated in the Dakar Rally since 1987 and winning it in 2002 and 2003 – with the Mitsubishi Ralliart team, of course. He has also visited Malaysia to assist Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia in introducing models such as the Triton and Pajero Sport.
AXCR is a gruelling, week-long, 2,000-km cross-country rally that races through the natural terrain of Southeast Asia. Normally held in August of each year, the rally was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the dates for the rally were pushed back to November 21 to 26, and the course will be about 1,700 kms long. It will start in Buriram in the northeast of Thailand (where there is a racetrack) before crossing into Cambodia and ending at the World Heritage site of Angkor Wat.
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s Triton
The Triton is classified by the FIA as a Group T1 rally car (prototype cross-country vehicle). Based on the Thailand-specification double-cab model, the car’s bonnet, front and rear doors, interior and other parts have been lightened, while the body has been strengthened with a roll-cage and under guards.
The dedicated suspension provides superb handling characteristics, while the front and rear limited-slip differential, large-diameter off-road tyres and lightweight alloy wheels greatly improve handling on rough road surfaces. Tuning of the 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine has focused on reducing friction loss and weight, and improving responsiveness in the mid-speed ranges frequently used in rallies.
Some AXCR stages include river crossings, so water-proofing modifications have also been added, such as stronger sealing and an air-intake snorkel.
