Mitsubishi is preparing to defend its 8 consecutive victories[1] in the toughest endurance race on the planet, the Dakar 2008.[2]

Mitsubishi's CEO, Osama Masuko, has also announced that the event will be providing essential technical feedback for the all-new range of high performance clean diesel engines, which have been confirmed will make their debut at the Dakar in 2009.

Feedback on both durability and endurance data is essential for the manufacturer's revolutionary development of clean diesel engines to be seen in a number of future production models.[3]

The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team has also been making final preparations for the 2008 event, with testing in Morocco and Tunisia.

Even under the tight new performance handicap regulations of reduced engine air-restrictor[4] and obligatory switch from six- to five-speed gear box, Masuko added that this work produced multiple gains in terms of transmission endurance, suspension and handling. As a result, the overall performance is even stronger than it was for the Dakar 2007.

1] A win in 2008 would take Mitsubishi's overall tally to 13 wins from 26 starts
[2] Formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally
[3] Clean diesel engines have also been seen in Mitsubishi's Concept-cX and Concept-RA
[4] The diameter of the engine air-restrictor has been reduced from 32mm to 31mm.