Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and its motor sport unit, the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team has confirmed that it will once again field a four-car line-up on the 31st Dakar Rally.
The event, which will switch to fresh territory in 2009 and take competitors through Argentina and Chile from Saturday January 3 until Sunday January 18, 2009, will see the Japanese manufacturer use the new turbo-diesel 'Racing Lancer', with Stephane Peterhansel, Hiroshi Masuoka, Luc Alphand and Joan 'Nani' Roma all remaining onboard.
Indeed Mitsubishi's line-up is the same as that which has represented the team on this annual cross-country rally since 2005 and in addition to gunning for it's first-ever victory with a diesel powered car, the company will also be after its 13th success in total - and its eighth win in succession, having won the Dakar Rally every year since 2001.
The new 'Racing Lancer' meanwhile will be officially unveiled on Thursday October 2 at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, which opens to the public from Saturday, October 4 until Sunday, October 19.
It will be displayed alongside the 'Lancer Sportback' upon which it is based and which is due to go on sale across Europe this autumn.
![Mitsubishi's latest cross-country rallychallenger - MRX09. [Pic credit: Mitsubishi]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/467881.jpg)
