When the original specification of Super 200 rally cars was introduced, it was hoped that performance would be comparable to existing Group N rally cars and that both could compete side by side. However, it soon became clear that the S2000 cars’ lower minimum weight ggave them a significant advantage over Group N cars.
The FIA subsequently introduced the R4 specification, which allowed a series of weight-saving components to be developed for Group N cars, with the aim of equalising performance and ensuring parity in competition.
In 2010, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation approached MML Sports and asked it to jointly develop and market, along with Ralliart Italy, the official kit of parts to upgrade Group N Lancer EvoIX and EvoXs. Homologation was granted in early 2011 and MML Sports immediately demonstrated that its own R4 Lancer EvoX was at least as competitive, and more often than not, more competitive, than normally-aspirated S2000 cars.
The R4 upgrade kit consists of several bespoke designed and fabricated components to reduce the overall weight of the EvoX rally cars. The complete kit can be seen by downloading the schematic diagram below but in essence, it revolves around fabricated front and rear crossmembers, re-designed suspension mounting arms, lightweight bonnet, boot and door panels with impact-absorbing foam inserts and a revised heater assembly and dashboard.
See our article about Rally Car Rental.
The regulations also allow a lighter laminated front windscreen but this is ordered separately.
The results are clear to see. MML Sports’ own Lancer EvoX R4 was in the region of 100Kg lighter than comparable Group N cars during its test phase in actual competition in 2011 and this translated to a one second per kilometre advantage over its own Group N EvoX, in identical stages.
In real terms, this put the MML Sports’ R4 EvoX genuinely on the pace of an original specification Super2000 car in competition in Latvia, driven by a front-running S-WRC driver.