The
Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR is the high-performance version of the first generation
LancerThe Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
sedan, developed by
Mitsubishi Motorsis the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Throughout its history it...
to further their aspirations in
off-road racingOff-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
, especially the
Safari RallyThe Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
of
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
. Thanks to repeated triumphs in what was the most gruelling rally in the world, it earned the nickname "King of Cars" in
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
.
After sporadic successes with the
ColtThe current Mitsubishi Colt is a supermini built by Mitsubishi Motors. They are manufactured in Japan at Okazaki and in Europe at their NedCar plant in the Netherlands, using the same underpinnings as its sister car, the now discontinued Smart Forfour...
and
GalantThe Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. The name was derived from the French word galant, meaning "chivalrous". There have been nine distinct generations, and cumulative sales now exceed five million. It began as a compact sedan, but over the course of...
rally cars in previous years, Mitsubishi decided to develop a Lancer model specifically to tackle the notorious
Safari RallyThe Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
.
The
Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR is the high-performance version of the first generation
LancerThe Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
sedan, developed by
Mitsubishi Motorsis the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Throughout its history it...
to further their aspirations in
off-road racingOff-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
, especially the
Safari RallyThe Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
of
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
. Thanks to repeated triumphs in what was the most gruelling rally in the world, it earned the nickname "King of Cars" in
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
.
Motorsport heritage
After sporadic successes with the
ColtThe current Mitsubishi Colt is a supermini built by Mitsubishi Motors. They are manufactured in Japan at Okazaki and in Europe at their NedCar plant in the Netherlands, using the same underpinnings as its sister car, the now discontinued Smart Forfour...
and
GalantThe Mitsubishi Galant is an automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969. The name was derived from the French word galant, meaning "chivalrous". There have been nine distinct generations, and cumulative sales now exceed five million. It began as a compact sedan, but over the course of...
rally cars in previous years, Mitsubishi decided to develop a Lancer model specifically to tackle the notorious
Safari RallyThe Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
. Run over 6,000 km of arduous terrain under searing equatorial temperatures, the race was regarded as the toughest in the world, and typically only one car in five which set off from the start would manage to reach the finish line in
NairobiNairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi Province. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters"...
. Mitsubishi sanctioned official factory teams for the 1974–77 events, building for itself an enviable reputation for durability when only one of thirteen cars failed to finish in those four attempts. The high point was a clean sweep of the podium places in 1976.
The car had previously demonstrated similar qualities in 1973, with its debut in the
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
n
Southern Cross RallyThe Southern Cross Rally was a major international rally mainly held in the Port Macquarie region of New South Wales, Australia, between 1966 and 1980. The rally attracted many of the world’s leading rally drivers and factory teams....
being rewarded with a clean sweep of the top
four places. Works driver
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
would go on to dominate this race in the '70s, winning five consecutive titles from 1972 to '76. Cowan and
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
also scored a 1–2 finish for the Lancer GSR at the 1977 Rallye Bandama Côte d'Ivoire.
Production ceased when the Lancer range was facelifted in 1977, although it remained a popular car with
privateersIn motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
into the 1980s. However, the decline of endurance rallying and the rise of the
Group BThe Group B referred to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rally racing regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents,...
class eventually signalled its demise.
Safari Rally
1st,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ David Doig
4th,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ John Mitchell
(1st in class)
8th, Davinder Singh / Roger Barnard
10th, Prem Choda / Pauru Choda
retired,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ David Doig
1st,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ David Doig
2nd, Robin Ulyate / Chris Bates
3rd,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ Johnstone Syer
6th,
Kenjiro ShinozukaKenjiro Shinozuka is a Japanese rally driver. Since his debut in 1967, his greatest successes have been as a works driver for Mitsubishi Motors...
/ Bob Graham
4th,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ Paul White
5th,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ David Doig
6th, Davinder Singh / Chris Bates
10th,
Kenjiro ShinozukaKenjiro Shinozuka is a Japanese rally driver. Since his debut in 1967, his greatest successes have been as a works driver for Mitsubishi Motors...
/ Bob Graham
Southern Cross Rally
1st,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ John Bryson
2nd, Barry Ferguson / Wayne Gregson
3rd,
Doug ChivasDoug Chivas was an Australian rally and racing car driver. Chivas drove the first Lotus Mark 6 in Australia in the early 1950’s winning many races....
/ P. Meyer
4th,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ Garry Connelly
1st,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ John Bryson
2nd,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ Garry Connelly
1st,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ Fred Gocentas
2nd,
Barry FergusonBarry Ferguson, MBE is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He plays for English Premier League club Birmingham City....
/ L. Adcock
5th,
Kenjiro ShinozukaKenjiro Shinozuka is a Japanese rally driver. Since his debut in 1967, his greatest successes have been as a works driver for Mitsubishi Motors...
/ Garry Connelly
1st,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ John Bryson
2nd, Barry Ferguson / N.Faulkner
5th,
Kenjiro ShinozukaKenjiro Shinozuka is a Japanese rally driver. Since his debut in 1967, his greatest successes have been as a works driver for Mitsubishi Motors...
/ Garry Connelly
4th,
Kenjiro ShinozukaKenjiro Shinozuka is a Japanese rally driver. Since his debut in 1967, his greatest successes have been as a works driver for Mitsubishi Motors...
/ Garry Connelly
(1st in class)
Rally Bandana Côte d'Ivoire
1st,
Andrew CowanAndrew Cowan is a Scottish former rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart until his retirement on 30 November 2005.-Early years:...
/ Johnstone Syer
2nd,
Joginder SinghSardar Joginder Singh Bhachu was a successful endurance rally driver in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the Safari Rally three times, in 1965 driving a Volvo PV544 with his brother Jaswant as co-driver, and in 1974 and 1976 driving a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR.The eldest of ten children born to...
/ Mike Doughty
Technical specifications
- Engine
- Layout — Longitudinally mounted front engine
In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
, rear wheel drive
- Configuration — Water-cooled
Internal combustion engine cooling refers to the cooling of an internal combustion engine, typically using either air or a liquid.-History:The change of air cooling to liquid cooling occurred at the start of World War II when the US military needed reliable vehicles. The subject of boiling engines...
SOHC straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is a four-cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a...
, eight valves, five main bearings
- Bore x stroke — 76.9 x 86.0 mm
- Capacity — 1597 cc
- Compression ratio — 9.5:1
- Fuelling
- Fuel system — Twin carburettors, catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. First widely introduced on series-production automobiles in the U.S. market for the 1975 model year to comply with tightening EPA regulations on auto exhaust, catalytic converters are...
- Fuel capacity — 50 L
- Peak power
- Road car — at 6300 rpm
- Rally car — at 7800 rpm
- Peak torque
- Road car — at 4000 rpm
- Rally car — at 5500 rpm
- Transmission
- Type — 5-speed manual
- Top gear ratio — 0.85
- Final drive ratio — 3.91
- Suspension & brakes
- (front) — Independent MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot, widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson who developed the design, based in part on designs created by Guido Fornaca of FIAT in the mid-1920s...
s, coil springA Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
s, anti-roll bar, disc brakeThe disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel. A brake disc , usually made of cast iron or ceramic composites , is connected to the wheel and/or the axle...
s
- (rear) — longitudinal arms, drum brake
A drum brake is a brake in which the friction is caused by a set of shoes or pads that press against the inner surface of a rotating drum. The drum is connected to a rotating wheel.-History:...
s
- Steering
- Type — Recirculating ball
Recirculating ball, also known as recirculating ball and nut or worm and sector, is a steering mechanism commonly found in older cars and some trucks. Most newer cars use rack and pinion steering instead, but some significant manufacturers still use this technology in some models, e.g...
- Turning circle —
- Performance
- Top speed —
- Power:weight ratio — 112.36 bhp/ton
External links