By ALISTAIR KENNEDY
21 August 2006

Mitsubishi Australia is in midst of a flurry of new releases and upgrades. The most recent arrival is the high-performance Ralliart five-door hatch. A Colt coupe-cabriolet will arrive here in October.

The Ralliart has received a substantial body kit to attract the attention of keen drivers. There’s a front airdam, sporting mesh sports grille, lower grille and bonnet vents, over-fenders, side sills, rear spoiler, an extended rear bumper with air diffuser, large chrome exhaust, fog lights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

And that bonnet intercooler slot makes a real statement about the intent of this hot little turbo car.

Inside there is a leather-clad steering wheel and the handbrake lever gets the same upmarket treatment. In a very appealing touch, both driver and front passenger get the same Recaro sports seats as are fitted to the Lancer Evo IX.

Ralliart Colt has a more rigid body than the standard Colt to give the suspension a more stable platform on which to work. Naturally there is a sports suspension system that’s complemented by upgraded brakes, wheels and tyres.

Standard features include ABS, stability and traction control, dual front airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters.

Power comes from a turbocharged and intercooled version of the 1.5-litre engine that was added to the upgraded Colt in February this year. The Ralliart unit generates 113 kW of power and 210 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm. At 1130 kg it is 60 kg heavier than the standard Colt and there’s more than enough power for the keen driver with only minimal turbo lag.

We were able to test the smallest Ralliart on some demanding winding and hilly roads through the Royal National Park south of Sydney and into the Southern Highlands. The engine pulled strongly throughout with plenty of punch through corners and fast pickup when required for safe overtaking. Steering response was almost immediate.

As the driving enthusiast would expect of a performance car the Ralliart Colt only comes with a manual gearbox, a five-speed unit in this case. The gear shift lever is taller than we would like but works well enough.

The suspension is firm but comfortable although a couple of moderate sized potholes did send a shudder through the car. Handling was safe and predictable and the little Mitsubishi cornered safely at reasonable speeds.

Mitsubishi is predicting sales of 80 Ralliart Colts per month, all through the company’s network of specialist Ralliart dealers. There are currently 27 such dealers with a further 16 to be added shortly in a push to put Mitsubishi Australia squarely into the performance motoring market.

Those who can’t afford the $29,990 to buy a Ralliart Colt can dress up their standard model with a $4000 Ralliart body kit. Seems a bit like cheating, but there has always been a market for the car that looks the part without actually having the performance to back up its appearance.