But I would have liked to see them in races that mattered most to the consumers, like WRC and Dakar, where racing technology get's injected into future passenger car design.

 

Toyota won the overall WRC manufacturers title in 1999, after which they decided to concentrate on Indycars and F1.

Several Toyotas competed in the 2007 Dakar race, including a RAV4.

 

WRC was a "then" for Toyota. It would have been nice to see them get involved up to this time when they can even afford to sponsor an F1 team. And where were those RAV-4s though in the Dakar when Mitsu came out with a 1-2 victory? Thing is, those Toyota vehicles are not a manufacturer team, maybe some private teams that never got the R&D dept of Toyota involved in the race. Only Volkswagen and BMW came in full manufacturer team effort besides Mitsubishi. Would have been nice to see full Nissan factory back in the race.

 

first of all, let me say hallo to everybody.
i'm a new member posting from milan, italy (yes, that milan, that italy) and i want to say that mitsubishiforum.com il best i have found on the web!
i'm currently surfing looking for all informations about the new outlander, which has been presented in italy last week.
what can i say, i made a short test drive and i fell in love with it!
just consider that unluckly the only motor available at the moment in europe is the 2.0 liter diesel from volkswagen with 6 speed manual transmission. another diesel motor and a petrol motor will follow later this year.
i was very impressed from this first contact with the new outlander, but i'm not totally satisfied with the oplitics of mitsu-italy because, apart the range composition, they dont't seem to import the most of accessories available in the usa.
i'm aware of omologation problems, but i don't see a problem with a "Cargo Area Protector " or with "Neoprene Seat Covers". Hope italian importer will wide the range o after-market accesories.
Said this, i'm considering the new outlander only when it will come with the 6 speed automatic transmission! and i hope that the price wiil be more american than italian (at the moment the price in italy is $.47.000...).

best regards to everybody!

 

race on sunday and sell on monday doesnt work anymore. Monte Carlo is being dropped by chevy despite its nascar success. What consumers want is comfort and race inspired suspensions dont work for average joe. At the same time, reliability and utility are at the top of the list as well.

I dont put too much stock on which company does what in racing whatever the type of racing it may be. Thats pointless to me.

 

As a part of Europe I'm sure you'll be having the same accessories available in Italyas the rest of usEuros. http://www.mitsubishi-motors.ie/templates/Mitsubishi06/downloads/Accessories/Outlander.pdf

Afterthe introgo to tab (LOOKS) then chooseaccessories http://www.newoutlander.com/swf/index.jsp?language=default

 

wait, wait wait... your telling all of us that race on sunday, sell on monday dont work... Tell that to Chevy, who continues (out of just dumb stupidity) to stop making dale earnhardt versions of the monte carlo...
As for Toyota winning alot...
Compare that list of mostly priviteer team wins to Ferrari, Honda, Peugot, Renault, Mitsubishi, Ford, or Chevy...
Then take note that only the years that they one anything, and I do mean anything were years that other manufactures chose to sit out that season. Sorry pal, just the way it is.

As for Race inspired technology not making it into average cars, because average Joe only wants a soft queit ride, and reliability. Complete B.S. How many of the things are on cars now that wouldnt be there if it werent for race teams coming up withthis stuff... Do you honestly think you wouldhave a fully independant rear suspension, or all wheel drive, or a six speed. Do you think you would haveanti lift, and anti dive technology, do you think you would have traction control, how bout anything bigger than 14inch steel wheels, or four wheel disk brakes, orbucket seats... If it werent for race teams going out and figuring what works best, ALL OF THE RELIABLITY THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH WOULD BE DOWN THE DRAIN. Racing breeds reliablity... If a manufacturer (and this is why they do it) can go out, and build a truck that will fly through the desert at high speed, and not break, then they know they can use that technology in modern cars. Do you really think they have 5 million channel data aquistion systems so they can monitor one race car? No, that information is used to make that car go faster, and also to see what they can gleen from it, and put into production. Toyota is the buick of import cars. all they want is nice riding camrysthat people replace every three years, or 36000miles

 

Yeah right. Tell that to honda which is replacing its double wishbone setup to macpherson. That is after doing a great job in F1 racing.

 

[quote]ORIGINAL: soundcolor

It is not. Reason is practical. Most racing is for marketing purposes. Average joe cannot afford carbon fibre cars. Only cars that really benefitted from racing are very high end models like
Bugatti Veyron
McLaren
Mercedes SLR etc
Just try to compare whats in race cars and real world everyday cars. Not much really. Its economics.

 

Im not saying that we are driving around in formula one cars or rally cars, or even stockcars.
What I am saying is that what they learn out there racing they bring home, and use where they can in a practical sense.

Why do you think we have an aluminum roof on our car,
or four wheel disc brakes.

The reason honda went to a Macpherson setup is beyond was a pure cost thing. Producing the double wishbone front suspension was getting to be expensive, and when honda chose to replace it, they lost alot of sales, As I have stated in another thread, Not that the model civc that was the first with the macpherson setup did horrible at the dealerships, and was replaced long before hondas typical lifespan for the civic. Think of it like this, The EG civic ran from what, 91-95, the EK model ran from 96-00, The next model Si sold so poorly that honda pulled it after only two years, (I know what you are going to say, they did the same thing with the 99-00 Si, but remember that car was released as a final huraah for the EK line) The next Si sold so horribly that Honda dealers were selling them for 14-15k here, and not much more anywhere else. Why, it wasnt because of the suspension. The RSX had the exact same setup, The reason was that honda didnt spend the time to get it right in the Si. No one wants a half assed car, and Honda rapidly learned there lesson.
You dont think that any racing technology gets put in average Joes hands... What about those magnesiumpaddle shifters you like so much? wonder where those came from?