Merry Christmas!

Well, another year has passed, and now most people are still rushing to get things done before Christmas. I'd like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! The blog's been on a slow burn, but I tried to speed things up this year (with one post per month, not much, but the farther the topic goes back in time, the harder it is to find infos and pictures). But not much ago the blog has welcomed its 24000th visitor, which is quite great! I hope you'll stick with me in the coming times as well.

Here's a couple of pictures of Ralliart's test in Rovaniemi from the December of 2000, with Tommi giving Santa a ride in his own slide!

I'm sure they went a little sideways later... (Mitsubishi)

Tommi and Joulupukki, with S44 TMR in the background (Mitsubishi)

Retro Rumour Mill - Abu Dhabi and Mitsubishi?

Well, this time a bit of an ancient, but interesting rumour regarding Mitsubishi and Abu Dhabi. Many of you know that Abu Dhabi entered the sport as a big sponsor in 2007 as part of the Ford WRT from Finland onwards. Also, MML prepared an update for the Lancer WRC05, which they claimed made the car 0.5s/km faster than before. Two things that has nothing in common at first sight - and since this is a rumour, take this with a grain of salt -, it might have had. Theory says that Abu Dhabi contacted MML and Mitsubishi about a full-time works return to the series. However, Mitsubishi didn't want it in the end (because of the new direction they had and have at the moment), and so Abu Dhabi went to Cumbria instead. It would have been very interesting to see this come together if it was really true (car/drivers-wise, etc.), but unfortunately it didn't. However, they got as far as decorating up a Lancer WRC with Abu Dhabi colours - it would have looked good if it became a reality. At least we got a better car out of this whole thing in the end, which pretty much kept it alive as long as it is.

Unfortunately, this never became a reality... The WRC07 in Abu Dhabi colours (internet)

N2 APC

This car - just like sister N1 APC - was an APRC-exclusive car, with her being assigned to then up-and-coming Richard Burns. Their first event together was the 1996 Rally of Thailand. They were mixing it up with Mäkinen, Mcrae and Eriksson, but on the last stage of the first day they had a problem, hit a tree, rolled and retired.

Their second event together (there was Indonesia, but no English plates were put on those cars) was the Petronas Rally of Malaysia. The car got a Petronas livery for this event, and it went very well, as they finished 2nd overall!

Podium of the Petronas Rally of Malaysia 1996 (McKlein)

Next up was the Smokefree Rally New Zealand, and the Lancers sported a Rothmans livery this time. The event was star-studded again, but Mäkinen and Possum Bourne crashed, and that left Burns in the lead with Eriksson closing in. However, the Briton did just enough to keep his lead, and win his first major international event.

Smokefree Rally New Zealand 1996 (response.jp)

Her last known event was the 1996 Hong Kong-Beijing Rally, again with Burns. The drivers' championship already went to Eriksson, but Mitsubishi looked to retain their manufacturers' title. Burns couldn't answer Ari Vatanen's times, and had to settle for 2nd; however, a 1-2-3 finish still ensured the Title and good spirits.

The three musketeers, or N1 APC, N2 APC and the Japanese car lining up for the start (Mitsubishi)

1996 Hong Kong-Beijing Rally

Whereabouts

Same goes for this as N1 APC: not much possibility for its survival, but if it made its way somehow into a collector, it can still be around somewhere.

Track recod

Starts: 4

Wins: 1 - 1996 Rally New Zealand

Podiums: 3

• 1996 Hong Kong-Beijing Rally
• 1996 Rally New Zealand
• 1996 Petronas Rally of Malaysia

Retirements: 1 - 1996 Rally of Indonesia (Accident)

N1 APC

In rallying heyday of the '90s, there was a championship besides the WRC which was almost as important for the Japanese manufacturers as the big series itself - the now often overlooked and forgotten about Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, or APRC. The series was prestigious, and the events so special that many times the manufacturers called for specialist drivers - such as multiple times Dakar and Safari Rally winner Ari Vatanen, Asia-specialist Kenneth Eriksson, Kiwi Possum Bourne, and also Dakar Rally and APRC champion Kenjiro Shinozuka. Of course, besides these drivers, the top WRC stars were regular participants, with Mäkinen, Sainz, McRae, Burns, Kankkunen and Liatti taking part as well.

After this little intro, let's get back to the Mitsubishi part in all this. For 1996, Ralliart prepared two cars (or numberplates) for APRC use: N1 & N2 APC; these cars were often partnered by Shinozuka's RHD, Ralliart Japan-prepared Lancer. N1's first event was the 1996 Rally of Thailand, with the crew of Tommi Mäkinen and Seppo Harjanne. It is undclear as to what happened to them, but they didn't finish.

No info or pics, just this bad quality cutout of a video... 1996 Rally of Thailand

Her next documented deployment was the Rally New Zealand, again with Mäkinen. They were leading after the first day with a big gab behind them, but they hit a treestump on the second day and had to retire.

1996 Smokefree Rally New Zealand

Her final event was also the very last running of the infamous Hong Kong-Beijing Rally, but this time her driver was Ari Vatanen, multiple time Safari and Dakar Rally winner, 1979 World Rally Champion. He bid farewell to the car and the rally in style, winning it without doing any recce! Also, a 1-2-3 finish ensured Mitsubishi successfully defended their manufacturers' title in the APRC.

Hong Kong-Beijing Rally 1996 (Response.jp)

Whereabouts
This was an APRC-exclusive car, and given the fact that the Evo IV was already knocking on the door and this car just having done an endurance gravel event, there's not much chance for it still being around, although it's possible.

Track record (confirmed starts only)
Starts: 3
Wins: 1

• 1996 Hong Kong-Beijing Rally

Podiums: 1 (1996 Hong Kong-Beijing Rally)
Retirements: 2

• 1996 Rally of Indonesia - unknown
• 1996 Smokefree Rally New Zealand -  Lost wheel