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The Lancer WRC04’s appearance reflects the
increasing importance of aerodynamics in World Championship rallying. MMSP
spent almost three weeks testing in the Lola racing team’s wind tunnel,
re-designing the bonnet, along with the front and rear wings, as well as
the rear aerofoil. The first priority was to gain more down force, but
close attention was also paid to airflow through the engine bay to
maximize cooling. It is a perfect illustration of the strenuous yet
conflicting demands that the World Rally Championship imposes. Down force
is a vital element of a competitive car on high-speed rallies, but good
cooling is a key requirement on a turbocharged rally car, as the ambient
temperature on rallies can exceed 30 degrees Celsius and it is often
highest on the rallies held at the lowest average speeds. Airflow beneath
the car was also considered.
In designing the chassis, the emphasis has been not just on good handling,
but on strength, simplicity and ease of maintenance. The car uses
McPherson strut suspension all round. It is a robust system and to make
servicing straightforward, components are often interchangeable not only
front and rear, but left to right as well. Most suspension components will
be made of steel, to ensure reliability. The Lancer WRC04 will use
specially modified Ohlins dampers, like its recent predecessors, building
on a fruitful past relationship. The steering rack and cross members are
also new designs, partly because the engine has been relocated, tilted 20
degrees rearwards to improve weight distribution.
The 16-valve, twin-cam, two-liter engine belongs to the 4G6 family used so
successfully in previous Lancers. It employs the well proven cast iron
block and an aluminium alloy cylinder head, but it has also benefited from
significant alteration. First and foremost, it is based on the version of
the engine fitted to the new and highly popular Lancer Evo VIII showroom
car, but with a new turbocharger, fitted with the regulation 34-millimetre
intake restrictor, new intake and exhaust manifolds, and new internals.
Although the bore and stroke remain unchanged, the crankshaft, connecting
rods and pistons have been lightened and the electronic management systems
are new. MMSP has turned to Magneti Marelli to supply its electronics for
the first time, using an advanced engine management package that doesn’t
rely on fuses or circuit breakers. There are two control units, one for
the engine and one for the chassis. As the system is fully integrated,
each is capable of controlling all electronic functions throughout the
car. The system saves weight and enhances reliability.
The transmission also reflects MMSP’s new strategy and has nothing in
common with the four-wheel-drive systems used on previous Lancers. The
2004 car will use a transversely mounted five-speed gearbox supplied by
Ricardo. The gear change will be manual and all three differentials will
be passive, an epicyclical center differential splitting torque front to
rear. The front and rear differentials will also operate on mechanical
principles.
"With the current regulations in the World Rally Championship, because the
engines have quite small restrictors, the power curve and the torque are
so good that it makes it possible to use a five-speed gearbox. Why have
six gears when you can have five? We will analyze different possibilities
as we develop the car and will introduce new features as necessary",
Fornaris explained.
The decision to use passive differentials is unusual, but reflects MMSP’s
determination to ensure that the chassis is fundamentally sound and
effective before introducing refinements. A semi-automatic gear change is
likely to be developed during 2004, once MMSP is satisfied that the Lancer
WRC04 is living up to its potential, in terms of both performance and
durability. Active differentials are also under consideration, but are not
an immediate priority.
Brembo will supply brakes and once again, MMSP is placing the accent on
simplicity. The braking system will not incorporate water cooling
initially.
The Lancer WRC04 began testing in mid-October and will undergo a
comprehensive development program in readiness for its first appearance on
the 2004 Monte Carlo Rally, when French star Gilles Panizzi leads an
all-new driving team. In its first three months, the new Mitsubishi will
face tarmac and ice in Monte Carlo, snow in Sweden, and dusty
loose-surface stages in Mexico.
"We are not expecting too much from the car at first. At the moment, it is
too early to say anything about performance. It is very new and we have
had very little time to design and test it. We can expect a few problems
in the test period, as you would with any prototype car, because the test
schedule is very tight. The idea was to do something quite simple to start
with. We know we have plenty of things to learn. I hope it will be a
little bit faster than the old car at first. We will try to develop the
car step by step and I hope in the second half of the season that the car
will become more competitive. We can make progress faster this way, but we
are not expecting instant results. We are competing in a tough
environment", Fornaris stated.
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OVERALL LENGTH 4360 mm
OVERALL WIDTH 1770 mm
WHEEL BASE 2600 mm
FRONT TRACK / REAR TRACK 1550 mm
WEIGHT 1230 kgs
ENGINE MODEL 4G63, 4 cylinder, 16 valves DOHC turbo charged
BORE & STROKE 85,5 x 86,9 mm
DISPLACEMENT 1996 cc
ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Magneti Marelli, multi injection
MAXIMUM OUTPUT 300 PS / 5500 rpm
MAXIMUM TORQUE 55 kg-m / 3500 rpm
CLUTCH Carbon triple plate
TRANSMISSION Ricardo/MMSP 4 wheel drive, 5 speed, limited slip
differentials front center and rear
MAXIMUM SPEED 220 kph
SUSPENSION Front and Rear McPherson strut, coil springs, anti roll bar
STEERING Power-assisted rack and pinion
BRAKES Brembo, ventilated disks - 370 mm diameter tarmac, 300 mm gravel,
328 mm snow
8 pot caliper tarmac, 4 pot gravel and snow
WHEELS ENKEI magnesium cast 8x18 tarmac, 7x15 gravel 5,5x16 snow
TYRES Michelin
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 90 litres
SEATS Recaro composite
COCKPIT Components Sabelt
INTERCOM SYSTEM & HELMETS Stilo
CAR DESIGN Using PTC Pro Engineer
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