Check out the rally-ready version of the Xpander MPV

Mitsubishi breaks the rally racing customs with its seven-seater Xpander, which turned into a rally ready van. The product is a result of Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Sales Indonesia (MMKSI). Interestingly, the car is soon going to be a part of the Xpander Rally team.

The Mitsubishi Xpander AP4 was first seen in action at the Tembong Jaya circuit, Serang, Banten, in July last month. The automaker has had its history of racing on the tracks and was seen dominating the Dakar Rally ever since the 1980s, marking 12 overall victories in a short span of time.

Developed by Team Ralliart New Zealand, the Xpander was built to AP4 specification and shares striking similarities with the Proton Iriz R5 in terms of its underpinning and styling. The overall striking appeal of the car has been enhanced aerodynamically with an improved overall weight in its design approach.

Considering the exterior enhancements, the Xpander AP4 picks on boxy wheel arch extensions besides showcasing a deeper front air dam, a roof scoop, and a massive goalpost-style rear wing to add on to the performance section.

Moving inside, the AP4 features a pair of OMP bucket seats in place of the seven seats. The interiors of the car also flash six-point harnesses, an OMP steering wheel, and a hydraulic handbrake amongst sporty looking pedals wrapped in chrome.

Talking about their recent feat, Naoya Nakamura, President Director of MMKSI in a recent interview exclaimed, “Our collaboration with the XRT team in realising the first modified seven-seater MPV crossover and joining the AP4 Rally continues. Even in the midst of the challenging conditions, MMKSI and XRT remain committed to prepare the Mitsubishi Xpander AP4 for national and international rallies. This is one of our efforts to present a unique new adventure for the Mitsubishi Xpander family, and of course we will share this experience for our consumers to enjoy”.

Powering the AP4 is a 4B11T turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that has been modified to adapt to a shorter stroke and gets an inlet air restrictor. The capacity of the engine has been reduced from 2.0L to 1.6L, to boost the performance of the car. The vehicle gives out 350 horsepower and 556 Nm of peak torque.

Mitsubishi Xpander AP4 is a distant dream for Singapore as of now.

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