Back in May, Mitsubishi announced the excellent news that its Ralliart motorsport subdivision would be returning to the spotlight. Unfortunately, that news was accompanied by the suggestion that the skunkworks department would only be applying its expertise to a pickup, at least for the initial period. Nevertheless, this is better than no news, as the last we heard of Ralliart prior to this was in 2017 when the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was tipped to be as sporty as things would get. Now the Japanese automaker is making a splash, or is about to. The company has just announced that a Ralliart concept will be coming to 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, along with an all-electric kei car concept.
This follows the recent reveal of Mitsubishi's first EV late last month. This new kei car will be "founded on safety, security, and comfort, as well as environmental-friendliness." Mitsubishi goes on to say that the car will be easy to drive and practical (relatively speaking - this is still going to be a tiny car). Advanced driver aids and connectivity will also be showcased here, but that's about all we know so far.
What about the Ralliart concept? Well, this teaser is accompanied by even less information: "The Ralliart concept car brings together Mitsubishi Motors' engineering and passion for Monozukuri challenges (craftsmanship)."
It is said to offer a premium feel and a strong presence while showing what the styling philosophy of future Ralliart vehicles will be like.
We'll learn more at 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, which will be held from January 14-16. As for production viability, Mitsubishi says nothing of the Ralliart concept, which could be an SUV, a hatchback, a pickup, a sedan, or something else. Of course, we hope that this could be the beginning of the revival of the Evolution moniker, but we wouldn't put money on it. As for the new EV, a production model "will go on sale in Japan early next fiscal year," which could mean a full reveal as early as April or May 2022. Don't expect the little runabout to come to the US, but keep your fingers crossed for a fire-breathing, rally-bred homage to past rallying conquests.