Image: GHrallyemotion via YouTube
About This Quiz
Subaru and Mitsubishi are two of the most iconic automotive brands to enter the rally racing world — and now is the perfect time to put your racing knowledge to the test.
Subaru has been racing for decades, sharing such iconic vehicles as the Subaru WRX and the Impreza 555. It has gone on to win dozens of championships and titles at the hands of some of history's most talented drivers. Subaru racers have taken the podium time and again, broken motorsports records and made long-lasting names for themselves in the books of automotive history. And don't forget about Mitsubishi! Mitsubishi's history includes going up against prime performance models on the world stage and taking home medals, titles and championships with ease, cementing its legacy in speed, power and handling.
From the development of influential new engines to modern innovations in racing technology that span hydraulic handbrakes to turbo anti-lag systems, these vehicles are defining parts of automotive and motorsports history, without which modern rally racing would not be the same.
How much history do you know about the automakers that helped to define rally racing and make it what it is today? Find out today with a quiz on foundational racing moments, engineering advances and historic victories from two of the industry's leading performance automakers.
The Mitsubishi Colt F-Series
The Mitsubishi PX-33
The Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon C-10
The Mitsubishi 500 Super Deluxe
The Mitsubishi 500 Super Deluxe was a vehicle that marked a lot of firsts for Mitsubishi. Not only did it take the podium for class A at the Macau Grand Prix, but it was also the first mass-production passenger vehicle created by Mitsubishi after World War II — and the first Japanese car ever tested in a wind tunnel!
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Finland’s 1000 Lakes Rally in 1993
While Subaru has become an iconic rally racing name, it hasn't been in the industry that long. Two Subaru Impreza 555s raced in the spring of 1993 at the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, driven by Markku Alen and Ari Vatanen. While they didn't win, they got the industry's attention.
The SCCA RallyCross Nationals in 2000
The Baja 1000 in 1955
The Lake Superior Performance Rally in 1990
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Environmentally friendly engineering
While the original GDI was produced back in 1925, Mitsubishi brought it into the mainstream in the 1990s. Ultimately, it helps to increase vehicle efficiency and reduce emissions from the exhaust.
Maximum torque output
Rally car off-road handling
Ride comfort and driving smoothness
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They wanted to compete with European performance vehicles like Ferrari and Porsche.
They wanted to expand into the Australian market.
In the 1970s, Mitsubishi set its sights on the Australian import market — and picked rally racing as a way to do so. Australia's Southern Cross Rallies were known for being difficult and dangerous, and Mitsubishi used them as a stage to showcase how capable, reliable and performance-oriented its vehicles really were.
They wanted to downplay their humble origins.
They wanted to showcase their all-star racing team.
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A race car driver named William Right
The Washington Riding Expo
World Rally eXperimental
The Subaru WRX has been around since the early 1990s and was named the World Rally eXperimental or simple World Rally Cross. The street-legal version featured many racing-inspired elements, and the Type RA was stripped of everything from power windows to anti-lock brakes for improved performance.
The Winding Resting Engine
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"Gone in 60 Seconds" and "Bullitt"
"Thelma and Louise" and "Vanishing Point"
"Thunderbolt" and "Who Am I?"
Jackie Chan had a long-standing relationship with Mitsubishi and was known for using only Mitsubishi models in his films, including "Thunderbolt" (1995) and "Who Am I?" (1998). The company even honored Chan through specialized editions with individual badging and decals.
"American Graffiti" and "The Gumball Rally"
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Costing more to repair than the vehicle is worth
Needing a transmission replacement at 120,000 miles
Getting the highest number of traffic tickets
The Subaru WRX STI is one fun car to drive — maybe a little too much fun. The WRX and WRX STI are popular among young drivers, aftermarket parts are inexpensive and easy to find, and that racing legacy is close at hand — or foot. No matter the reason; it was named the number-one vehicle for traffic tickets in a 2019 study. In fact, more than 20% of WRX owners were cited within three years of purchasing insurance.
Requiring a fresh coat of paint every 10 years
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Colin McRae
Tommi Makinen
While Colin McRae helped to cement Subaru's Legacy, it was Tommi Makinen who got the Lancer Evo's first championship run and continued to carry it to victory for the next three years. Juha Kankkunen was known for his racing with Toyota, Peugeot and Lancia, and Henri Toivonen for Porsche.
Juha Kankkunen
Henri Toivonen
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Red and blue
Blue and green
Blue and yellow
The iconic blue and yellow color scheme for which Subaru is known is actually a throwback to an early sponsorship deal with a cigarette called State Express 555, a British American Tobacco product that had become very popular in Asia. While cigarette companies are no longer allowed as racing sponsors, the classic livery colors remain.
Black and yellow
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Its large front fog lights
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV was ahead of its time because it emphasized the use of onboard computers for tracking the vehicle's movements and responses when driving. It is also known for its two iconic front fog lamps that make it easy to spot at a distance.
Its matte paint style
Its one-off grille design
Its unique engine noise
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They hosted a rally.
They produced the Subaru 22B STI.
The Subaru 22B STI is a vehicle worthy of legend. According to the story, only 400 were produced and only for the Japanese market — and they sold out in just 30 minutes. Another two dozen were then made for overseas, but none ever came to the United States.
They partnered with Mitsubishi.
They made the Subaru Brat available in the United States.
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The Mitsubishi Minica
The Mitsubishi Delica
The Mitsubishi Starion
The Mitsubishi Pajero (Montero)
The Mitsubishi Pajero is one of the most successful Dakar Rally cars in history, having won almost half of the races over nearly 40 years. It is also known at the Mitsubishi Montero because the name "Pajero" has crude connotations in Latin American Spanish. "Montero" translates to "mountain hunter."
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All-wheel drive vehicles
Right hand drive vehicles
Station wagons
The Subaru Legacy set a record for performance station wagons in 1993, with a run of 249.9 kilometers per hour (a little over 155 miles per hour) over 1 kilometer at the Bonneville Speedway in Utah. In 1998 it set another record, at more than 270 kilometers per hour over 1 kilometer.
Performance sedans
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It outsold competing models.
It beat existing land speed records.
It brought home two wins from the Safari Rally of Kenya.
After excelling at the Safari Rally of Kenya, the Mitsubishi Lancer 1600 GSR went on to win four consecutive Australian Southern Cross Rallies, from 1973 to 1976. With a 169-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine that just kept winning, it was little wonder the nickname stuck.
It beat existing endurance racing records.
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Entered the American motorsports circuit
Used alternative energy sources
Was named Motor Trend's Best Performance Vehicle of the Year
Participated in all the WRC races for the year
1994 was a high achievement year for Subaru. Not only did they participate in all of the World Rally Championship races for the first time, but they finished in second place overall.
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Five
12
Mitsubishi is a Guinness World Record holder for the highest number of Dakar Rally wins by a manufacturer — 12 between 1985 and 2007. The rally is considered one of the most challenging and dangerous in the world, and Mitsubishi's continued success is one reason the company is an important player in the rally racing community.
One
20
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100,000 kilometer world speed record
In 1998, the Subaru Legacy covered 100,000 kilometers (around 62,137 miles) in 447 hours, 44 minutes, 9.8 seconds. The average speed of the vehicle was about 223 kilometers per hour (138 miles per hour).
0 to 60 time
Quarter mile time
Top speed record
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2.0-liter 6-cylinder engine with AWD
2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with AWD
The Lancer Evolution took inspiration from the Galant VR-4 for its AWD drivetrain, and the engine became a company classic that is still used today. It produced about 244 horsepower for a top speed of 142 miles per hour.
2.5-liter 6-cylinder engine with FWD
2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 4WD
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Tommi Makinen in a Lancer Evo VI
Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica
Colin McRae in a Subaru Impreza 555
While each of the mentioned drivers did win a World Rally Championship Driver's Title in the vehicles list, Colin McRae was the youngest driver ever to do so, winning the title at just 27 years old. He still holds the title, though he passed away in 2007.
Richard Burns in a Subaru Impreza WRC 2001
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World Wide Rally Team
M-Sport World Rally
Andrew Cowan Motorsports (ACMS)
Andrew Cowan, originally from Scotland, was one of the most important racers in Mitsubishi's history. He set up ACMS as a European hub for Mitsubishi's performance and motorsports activities. It eventually evolved into Ralliart Europe, which entered the WRC for the first time in 1989.
Cameron Glickenhaus
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The Subaru Leone
The Subaru Leone replaced the Subaru 1000 and preceded the famous Subaru Impreza. Most models were equipped with four-wheel drive, and the Leone — Italian for "lion" — was the top-selling Subaru model until the 1989 Legacy.
The first generation Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Brat
The Subaru Domingo
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Right-hand drive to left-hand drive
Front wheel drive to four wheel drive
For the third generation Subaru Legacy, produced from 1998 to 2004, Subaru did away with front wheel drive vehicles and made each model based on a four wheel drive platform. In Australia, it was sold as the Subaru Liberty.
Automatic to standard
Hatchback to coupe
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BRAKE — to indicate to other drivers that the Lancer EX had a poor stopping distance
McRae — to pay homage to the rally car champion Colin McRae
TURBO — to intimidate other drivers
A 1.8-liter turbo engine meant the Lancer EX was a force to be reckoned with in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The engine was known as the "Lan-Turbo," and Mitsubishi wanted to be sure you saw the Lancer EX coming from a mile away.
CHAMP — to celebrate recent WRC wins
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Subaru focused on creating performance sedans for the average consumer.
Sebastian Loeb won Subaru three back-to-back WRC championships.
Petter Solberg helped to keep Subaru competitive and won a WRC in 2003.
After McRae, Petter Solberg became the frontrunner of the Subaru racing team in the newly evolved Impreza WRC cars. He won the only championship of his career with Subaru and stayed until 2008.
Subaru experienced a period of loss and poor racing stats.
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To meet WRC racing standards
To get more people interested in racing
To create a North American market model
To celebrate a fourth WRC championship
Tommi Makinen helped bring Mitsubishi to victory again and again. After the fourth championship, they honored his — and the team's — successes with the Tommi Makinen edition of the Lancer Evolution VI, produced in 2000. It was lower, quicker and more responsive in steering.
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It couldn't come up with new vehicle ideas.
Ratings and sponsorships were down.
The company was suffering due to a global economic downturn.
The recession in America in 2008 affected people and companies around the world. While Subaru claimed that they pulled out of the WRC because they had achieved their motorsports objectives, there was no denying that money played a significant role. The lack of recent wins also likely had some impact.
It couldn't get the right drivers for the team.
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It was fitted with an all-carbon fiber reinforced plastic rear spoiler.
The spoiler's low weight and high rigidity increased vehicle downforce, and the following year a MR (Mitsubishi Racing) version was released. Mitsubishi continued to strive for speed, power and motorsport victories.
It was available in North America and Europe.
It never won a WRC title.
It featured a mid-engine configuration.
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Better braking and slowing response
Lighter load over the front tires for improved vehicle balance
In the early days of racing, Subaru was very interested in balance and weight distribution — and the Impreza 555's engine was a result of that. The Impreza is still manufactured today, but the 555 designation ended in 1996.
Improved connectivity to onboard computer systems
More aerodynamic design
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It was the first race they won in 10 years.
They were testing a new race car.
It furthered their EV brand.
Mitsubishi has been chasing mass-produced alternative energy vehicles for years, and in 2015 their efforts were rewarded when the Outlander PHEV joined the gas version on the off-road track. It didn't just race — it helped to take home the fastest time in three of five segments.
They took the podium.
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He helped to make Subaru's WRC cars more aerodynamic.
Peter Stevens is one of the most well-known and influential automotive designers in history. Like all WRC teams in the early 1990s, Subaru was looking for new ways to take their team to the next level after regulation changes, and Stevens played an integral role in aerodynamic design.
He worked to improved Subaru's fuel efficiency and limit emissions.
He proposed a mid-engine configuration.
He won the Subaru WRC racing team more victories than any other driver.
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The steering was too tight
The B pillars limited visibility
It required a left-footed braking approach
New drivers had to adjust to this vehicle's left-footed braking approach, which frees the right foot to work the throttle. This new version of the Lancer Evolution had MacPhersons for the suspension, as well as improved weight distribution and a new exhaust.
There was a delay in vehicle response
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The Ford Mustang
The Porsche Panamera
The Volkswagen Golf R
There's no questioning why the Subaru WRX is a favorite among car enthusiasts. It had a massive impact on design and engineering for years to come and influenced vehicles like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, the Ford Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R.
The BMW M3
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The Lancer has more engine options and more horsepower.
The Lancer was never available in America.
The Evolution has a different drivetrain and stiffer suspension.
Though the two vehicles are very similar, there are a few details you're bound to notice between the Lancer and the Lancer Evolution, like the shift from AWD to 4WD and a performance-oriented stiffer suspension in the Evolution.
The Lancer was lighter, larger and more aerodynamic.
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It won the first WRC race it entered.
It only placed once in 1987.
Subaru is known for producing the ultimate rally racing vehicle, but that's largely due to the influence of Colin McRae, who started driving with the team in the early 1990s. Before him, the team landed a podium spot just once, in 1987.
It didn't win a race until the 1990s.
It was disqualified from the first race it entered.
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He won in a landslide victory.
He rolled a WRX STI in the penultimate corner and lost by .52 seconds.
Colin McRae is the man to thank for Subaru's racing legacy, and he made quite a show in the 2006 X Games Rally competition that he lost by a nose — despite a rollover. Travis Pastrana won the race.
He ceded the race to his team.
He took the latest Subaru WRC vehicle out for its inaugural race.
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You Got:
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