Mitsubishi has ramped up its Ralliart accessories offering in its home market, Japan, adding visual packs to the ASX, Eclipse Cross, Outlander and Delica.
The Japanese carmaker last year announced the return of the famed Ralliart sub-brand, but rather than full-fat performance variants of its models, Mitsubishi has so far only revealed sticker and accessory packs that don’t add any mechanical tweaks.
The Ralliart performance arm was responsible for Mitsubishi’s rally championship cars from the late 1980s until about 2007, and the brand has also been used for higher performance versions of popular models like the Magna and Lancer.
These latest Japanese Ralliart releases are purely aesthetic accessories designed to give the models a clear Ralliart makeover.
The ASX, or RVR as it’s known in Japan, gains a skid plate package with a front and rear skid plate, as well as mud-flaps, side decals, a large tailgate spoiler, and Ralliart-branded floor mats inside.
Outlanders with the Ralliart treatment feature similar tweaks to the ASX but adds front skid garnish, side under garnishes, and a three-piece set of rear bumper garnishes, and floor mates for five- and seven-seat versions. The Eclipse Cross also features these accessories.
The Delica van, which is sadly not sold in Australia – although there are plenty on the roads thanks to grey imports – also features side mirror covers, side decals, red fog lamp bezels, blacked-out grille and lower air intake and the flashy red mud flaps.
The Mitsubishi ASX with Ralliart accessories.
Given these accessories are for the Japanese market, it’s unlikely they will be offered to Australian ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander buyers.
An Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson said the company is evaluating how the brand will work here.
"From an Australian product perspective, we are still working on how Ralliart can apply to the Australian market and look forward to sharing our plans as they evolve," they said.
In January, Mitsubishi ripped the covers from its Outlander PHEV plug-in hybrid concept that promised a “higher motor output” and “elevated acceleration”.
Ralliart versions of the Triton ute and related Pajero Sport SUV were released in Thailand in late 2021, but they were just accessories packs.
Rumours have swirled for some time about a Ralliart-branded version of the Triton that would have tweaked underpinnings and compete with the Ford Ranger Raptor and Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior.
However, nothing has come to fruition and the current Triton is due to be replaced either later this year or early in 2023.
