Next-gen Mitsubishi Strada to enter 2023 Asia Cross Country Rally

Immediately after it launches on July 26, 2023, the next-generation Mitsubishi Strada will enter the 2023 Asian Cross Country Rally (AXCR).

The next-gen Mitsubishi Strada that will enter the 2023 AXCR

The AXCR will commence from August 13 to 19, 2023, and Team Ralliart with the support of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) enters the rally racing event with three all-new Strada pickup trucks. Piloting one of these units is the defending AXCR champions Cayapon Yotha and Peerapong Sombutwong from Thailand. 

The other two rally trucks are piloted by Rifat Sungkar from Indonesia, Chupong Chaiwan from Thailand, and Japanese duo Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui. Heading the team is former Dakar Rally Champion and now MMC executive Hiroshi Masuoka. 

Looks like its entering the race with minimal mods

Based on the pictures shared by MMC, it seems that the trucks Team Ralliart is using come with minimal mods. This mirrors the old Strada that they used in the previous year’s AXCR. All the styling cues of the next-gen truck are there including its aggressive front fascia and angry headlamps, but it also gets a set of all-terrain tires, beadlock wheels, a snorkel, tow hooks, and mudguards. 

For those unfamiliar, the AXCR is the largest rally event in Asia. It is also one of the most grueling as it covers almost 2,000 kilometers of varied terrain from Pattaya, Thailand to Pakse Laos. Most of the rally goes over harsh jungle tracks. Last year’s race consisted of six days in total, and MMC says participants also had to face unpleasant weather conditions. 

Chayapon Yotha (right) and Peerapong Sombutwong (left)

Aiding the drivers in dealing with those challenges is the Strada’s Super Select II four-wheel-drive system which has the advantage of being used at rapid speeds. This is thanks to its locked center differential with a 4Hi (4H) mode. 

No one knows yet what engine the next-gen Strada is using, but previous reports say that it might be a new 2.4-liter 4N16 turbodiesel engine. The said engine belongs within the same series as the current Strada’s 4N15 turbodiesel mill. 

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart

Mitsubishi Ralliart with their Strada trucks dominated the 2022 AXCR. From Leg 1 to Leg 5 of the rally event, Chayapon Yotha’s Strada consistently came in first, with the fastest times within the Group T1 Modified Cross-Country Class resulting in the title win. The other Team Ralliart Strada driven by Rifat Sungkar meanwhile, came in fifth place. 

For more updates on the 2024 Mitsubishi Strada and how it will perform at the upcoming AXCR, keep it here on Philkotse.