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- October 27, 2015
- The results of the rally are released.
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- October 27, 2015
- Report gFinal resulth is released
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- October 24, 2015
- Report gLeg 1 resulth is released
After the gshakedownh test of the Outlander PHEV finished safely, the team also made some adjustments to the vehicle to make sure everything was ready for the rally. Then, in the afternoon yesterday (October 21 in local time), the team departed from Lisbon, heading towards Portalegre in the east, where the rally will take place. Portalegre is about 220km away from Lisbon. Shortly after departing, the team crossed Ponte Vasco da Gama, the bridge crossing the estuary of the river Tejo. The total length of the bridge is 17.2km, and it seems to be the longest bridge in Europe. After about a two-and-a-half-hour drive on the expressway and local roads going through the peaceful countryside, the team arrived in Portalegre.
Overnight into the following morning on Thursday, October 22, official competition vehicle inspections took place organized by the Portuguese Automobile Association. Weather conditions were warm and sunny. There was no wind and the outside temperature was 23 degrees Centigrade.
The Outlander PHEV plug-in hybrid EV, Mitsubishi Motorsf rally car, passed without any problems and is the only entrant in the newly-established TE class*.
*TE is short for Tout Terrain Especial (from Portuguese). gSpecial All-terrain Vehicleh class.
The 29th edition of the Baja Portalegre 500 has attracted a total of 312 entrants, consisting of 92 automobiles, 37 buggies, 80 motorbikes and 34 quads. In addition, 69 competitors were entered in a promotional category for bikes, buggies and quads.
Leg one takes place on October 23 and offers 90.52 km of special stages (SS1+SS2) and 77.78 km of road liaison in a total route of 168.30 km. The second leg on October 24 comprises 350km of special stages (SS3+SS4) and 151.96km of road liaison in a total of 501.96 km.
The service park for the rally is situated in a field located a few kilometers south of the town center. The competition is held centering around the service park. The rally takes place on a gravel (unpaved) course including various types of roads such as flat and high-speed dirt roads, rough rolling terrain and narrow paths through forests. There are also jumping points and river crossings, so comprehensive ability to handle these situations will be required for the machine and the driver.
The Mitsubishi Motors team consists of captain/driver Hiroshi Masuoka, his co-driver Pascal Maimon, technical director Yasuo Tanaka (MMC EV Component Research Department), and four engineers from the same department. They will bring out the full potential of the Outlander PHEV with an aim to complete the rally and finish among the top teams.
A Word from Hiroshi Masuoka -Team Captain & Driver
gIfve really been looking forward to driving the Outlander PHEV in the Baja Portalegre 500 alongside several of the drivers who will be competing in the next Dakar Rally. With some shakedown tests in Japan and one in Portugal, Ifve been able to affirm the Outlander PHEVfs potential. Basically, we will be driving in series EV mode with the engine serving as a generator, while the car is driven by the electric motors. The electric motorsf smooth and powerful acceleration makes for easier acceleration control, as there is no need to concentrate on shifting gears so I can focus on acceleration. The real thrill of driving the Outlander PHEV is the energy management only an electric-powered vehicle can provide. Ifm keen to show the Outlander PHEVfs true performance potential in the field of rallying.h
A Word from Yasuo Tanaka - Technical Director
gWe have provided technical support to the teamfs Outlander PHEV in the Asia Cross-Country Rally (AXCR) for three years now. The Outlander PHEV we are entering in the Baja Portalegre 500 is basically the same as the one that competed in the AXCR in August. This time, however, we were able to do some fine-tuning to the rally car and match the characteristics of the Baja Portalegre 500 by exploiting the knowhow we acquired through our technical assistance during the AXCR.
The PHEV system components that have been updated for the rally, including the engine generator, faster charging speed and increased electric motor power output, are not just for improving the rally car for the race, but we are also using the race to find technologies we could apply to improve the performance of production vehicles. If applied to the production model, these modifications will see an improvement in vehicle performance. By identifying and overcoming a number of issues in continuous to-the-limit driving in rallies, we are aiming to enhance technologies that raise the performance and quality of EV/PHEVs in the near future.h
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Portalegre, which serves as the center of this rally, is a town in the region of Alentejo, near the border with Spain. The town consists of the old town laid out around the cathedral and the castle at the top of a hill, and the new town where many people live and work. Elegant medieval streets are preserved in the old area, and it has a nice ancient and relaxing atmosphere.
After the dayfs work the long-awaited dinner time comes. The team visited a restaurant serving excellent local cuisine of Alentejo, where the meat dishes were recommended. Although there were various choices including pork, chicken, beef and lamb, the team selected boar, which is a characteristic dish for this region. The restaurant staff explained that they obtain fresh meat from local hunters. While you may think that boar meat has a strong smell, the grilled boar meat served had such a savory smell, stimulating the appetite of the team. The meat was surprisingly tender and juicy, similar to quality pork. However, the flavor was more strongly condensed, and its powerful taste is almost addictive. It is an exquisite dish I strongly recommend if you are visiting Alentejo. For your information, Alentejo is also famous for its locally-produced wine. There were actually many vineyards and wineries on the way to Portalegre. Enjoying the atmosphere of travelling like this is a part of the lure of the rally, which requires traveling a long distance.
SS1 course recce (trial run on the course) with a scooter. *photo taken at a closed (non-public) rally course.
SS1 course recce (trial run on the course) with a scooter. *photo taken at a closed (non-public) rally course.
yLisbonzThe lookout of São Pedro de Alcântara is located on top of a hill, with a bird's-eye view of the city of Lisbon and the river Tejo.
yLisbonzThe lookout of São Pedro de Alcântara is located on top of a hill, with a bird's-eye view of the city of Lisbon and the river Tejo.
yLisbonzThe city of Lisbon
yLisbonzPraca do Comercio is a large open space facing the river Tejo. The large arch is quite unique.
yLisbonzThis is the river Tejo at the front of Praca do Comercio. Although it looks like the ocean, it is actually categorized as a large estuary.
yLisbonzLisbon is a city on the sea and is famous for seafood. This is a healthy dish of grilled sea bass and vegetables.
yPortalegrezThe cathedral is located at the top of the hill at the center of the old town.
yPortalegrezStreets of the old town of Portalegre
yPortalegrezGrilled boar meat
yPortalegrezChestnuts and walnuts are also local specialties.
Portugal, October 24, 2015 - The first leg (173.94km) of the Baja Portalegre 500 cross-country rally took place on October 23. Mitsubishi Motorsf Outlander PHEV, driven by Japanfs Hiroshi Masuoka and navigated by Frenchman Pascal Maimon, finished in a time of one hour 16 minutes and 10.71 seconds to take third place in the National Rally, 32nd overall and first in the TE class.
Portugalfs Carlos Sousa and Paulo Fiuza, running in the FIA T1 category, were the first of the 89 teams to start the 5.62 km Super Special Stage (SSS1), a legendary section in this rally, with several hundred spectators in attendance. The competitive action was held in partially cloudy conditions and an ambient outside temperature of around 20℃entigrade.
Mitsubishi Motorsf Outlander PHEV finished the stage in a time of fiveminutes 26.71 seconds that put it in an excellent second place in the National Rally and 26th overall and enabled Masuoka to display the carfs real potential.
The second selective section (SS2) of 83.15km was resurrected for this yearfs event and took competitors over a challenging off-road route through some of the remotest parts of eastern Portugal.The special started just north of the village of Ponte de Sor and wound its way in an easterly direction along gravel tracks and dusty trails, via a track north of Alter de Ghão, to finish near Portalegre - at the same finishing point as the opening super special stage.
The first car began the second special at 15.10hrs before teams returned to the NERPOR exhibition center in Portalegre for a service stop at the end of the day. Cloudy conditions prevailed for the longer of the dayfs specials and the temperature dropped slightly to 18℃entigrade.
Mitsubishi Motorsf Outlander PHEV finished the stage in a time of one hour 10 minutes and 44 seconds and that put the crew in third position in the stage rankings for the National Rally. That meant Masuoka and Maimon finished the opening leg in a similar position in the national event and in an unofficial 32nd overall.
A Word from Hiroshi Masuoka - Team Captain and Driver
gThis is the first time Ifve competed in the Baja Portalegre in 10 years. I retired from the rally scene after the Dakar Rally in 2009, but I was able to maximize my years of rally experience. It was a very good day for us.
But the road conditions were not ideal, as we started behind many other rally cars. The car was perfect and Pascal and I made no mistakes. We checked the temperature of all the components and everything was good. I was very impressed with the car and I know that we can drive much faster in the future.h
A Word from Yasuo Tanaka - Technical Director
gGoing full force to attack the five-kilometer Super Special Stage (SSS1),we were able to put on a convincing display of the PHEVfs real potential with the smooth and torquey power of its motors and its superior handling from its low center of gravity.
In the afternoonfs SS2 we had Hiroshi drive the Outlander PHEV more steadily instead and we constantly verified the load on the PHEV system during the run. The car ran so well today. This was the best day in our new project with this rally car so far - better than we have seen in the past. Tomorrow is a very long day with longer special stages. We have never experienced that before. We hope that everything will be good.h
Portugal, October 25, 2015 - The second and final leg of the Baja Portalegre 500 cross-country rally was held on October 24 and ran over a total route of 501.96km. Mitsubishi Motors' Outlander PHEV, driven by Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka, finished the event in 47th position overall in a total time of 11 hours 45 minutes and 47 seconds.
The third stage of 144.13km had started a short distance north of the village of Ponte de Sor, west of Portalegre, and wound its way through rural countryside to the northeast before heading south towards Chana-Est and rejoining a route that was used on Friday afternoon that finished south of Portalegre. Conditions deteriorated after light rain and the stage surface was damp and, by the time the Outlander PHEV entered the stage, the track conditions were very difficult, with deep ruts in the road. The car was running well on a competitive pace until a fuse issue occurred 58km from the start and the decision was taken to stop and return to the service park with the support of a quick assistance vehicle.
The car was repaired swiftly at the service park and a special stage of 200.95km was on the agenda for the afternoon. This longest stage of the event began near the village of Crato and wound its way north towards Vila Flor, before turning in a westerly direction through remote countryside to the town of Gavião and on to a finish at Ponte de Sor. Masuoka carded a time of three hours 29 minutes and 37 seconds in the rain and finished the special second of the 20 finishers in the National Rally category and 22nd overall. It was another perfect opportunity for Mitsubishi to demonstrate the superior all-terrain
The shakedown took place in the village of Santa Margarida do Sado, located about 120km southeast of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The Outlander PHEV was placed on the carrier car early in the morning by MBP Automóveis Portugal, SA, the Mitsubishi Motorsf Portuguese distributor, and took the expressway and local roads towards the location of the shakedown stage. Colored in silver and red, the Outlander PHEV was at the center of peoplefs attention on the way.
The shakedown course is an unpaved gravel road closed off to general traffic. It is a stage about 4km long going through a forest of cork oaks and pastures. The Outlander PHEV, with its level heightened to perfection through careful tests in Japan and through the participation in the Asia Cross Country Rally held in August, was immediately started up after going through a simple system check. Beside the driver at the wheel, Hiroshi Masuoka, is Frenchman Pascal Maimon who drove with Masuoka when he won his first Dakar Rally in 2002. They first checked the condition of the course by driving at moderate speed. Then, going full throttle, the Outlander PHEV smoothly went over the scheduled test menu.
The morning session was finished after collecting sufficient data and Masuoka getting used to the vehicle. At a diner located nearby the course, all the staff of the team ate lunch together sitting at a large table, enjoying Portuguese cuisine. Everyone ate their fill of the delicious dishes, starting with the local specialty sheep cheese and smoked pork, and then moving on to an asparagus omelet, spinach soup, and marinated and grilled pork ribs. Mealtime is not only a time to relax but also an occasion for communication for a rally team. By enjoying delicious foods together, the team naturally grows more tightknit.
The team returned to the course after lunch and resumed the shakedown. The afternoon session focused on continuous driving to check the condition of the vehicle and the details of various settings after driving a long distance. Driver Masuoka tried several settings such as the PHEV system and S-AWC, and drove the Outlander PHEV in a dynamic but delicate fashion. At the end, the Outlander PHEV was taken on a roughly 50km-long drive. The vehicle continued running vigorously until sunset, and finished all the scheduled tests. It looks like the driver, Masuoka, felt solid response from the vehicle before the main competition in the rally.
Team Captain & Driver Masuoka said with satisfaction, gBecause the vehicle was already finished to near-perfect condition in Japan, the long drive went without particular problems. We had feedback from the data obtained through the Asia Cross Country Rally held in August, and I confirmed further increased reliability. I think the course we drove today is quite similar to the actual course used in the rally, and I felt really good while driving. The Outlander PHEV has an inherently low center of gravity, and its movement is stable even on a course where a high level of handling performance is required. Thanks also to S-AWC, the vehicle is quite maneuverable. It was a meaningful shakedown because I was able to check it on a road that is similar to the actual rally course.h
After finishing the shakedown, the team drove the evening road to Lisbon and arrived safely at the distributor. The team staff carefully implemented a check and maintenance of the vehicle, finishing a long but fruitful day. The team finally sets off tomorrow to Portalegre, where the rally takes place. With the main stage of rally approaching, the morale of the team staff is higher than ever.