The LANCER EVOLUTION II, which had won the first rally it entered with an active differential system in the final round of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) the previous year, entered the opening rally of the 1995 World Rally Championship (WRC), the Monte Carlo Rally. There was a big change in the team’s participation that year. One was the official appointment of Tommi Mäkinen. The other was the active participation in tarmac rallies, which the team had previously not taken part in. While the newly appointed Mäkinen was set to race in every round throughout the year, Kenneth Eriksson would enter the gravel rallies and Andrea Aghini (Italy) would drive in the tarmac rallies.
Rd.
name
Country
1
Rallye Monte Carlo
Europe, France, Africa and Monaco
2
Swedish Rally
Sweden
3
Rallye de Portugal
Portugal
4
Tour de Corse
France
5
Rally New Zealand
New Zealand
6
Rally Australia
Australia
7
Rally Catalunya
Spain
8
RAC Rally
United Kingdom
In the first rally in Monte Carlo, Mäkinen finished fourth and Aghini finished sixth. In the following round, Rally Sweden, Eriksson and Mäkinen raced phenomenally to give the LANCER EVOLUTION its first overall WRC victory with an overwhelming first and second place finish.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS team’s LANCER EVOLUTION III made its debut in round 4 of the championship, the Tour de Corse (France). A larger intercooler, a front bumper with a huge air intake, a large rear spoiler, etc. were fitted, starting with the standard production model. The Group A specifications included a secondary air supply system that is known as anti-lag system. This was MITSUBISHI MOTORS' answer to improve the turbo response to throttle operation at the time of acceleration, which took into consideration a new rule that reduced the intake restrictor diameter from 38 to 34 mm. In Corsica, Aghini's LANCER EVOLUTION III fulfilled the team's expectations by finishing third. In the fifth round, Rally New Zealand, Mäkinen was leading until the beginning of the second leg before going off the road. In round six, Rally Australia, Eriksson gave the LANCER EVOLUTION III its first victory. At the end of the year, Eriksson and Mäkinen ended up third and fifth respectively in the drivers' Championship. The MITSUBISHI MOTORS team also finished second in the Manufacturers Championship (manufacturer’s title), and the team came close to reaching the pinnacle.
In the mid-90s, each rally was alternately counting towards the WRC and the 2-Litre WRC (World Rally Championship for 2.0 L cars). That year, Kenjiro Shinozuka took the runner-up spot for the second consecutive year at the Safari Rally, which was held as a 2-Litre WRC round. In this same championship, Mäkinen also won the 1000 Lakes Rally (Finland). In the APRC, the Lancer Evolution III won four of the six rounds, Eriksson being crowned as the drivers' champion. Another success worth mentioning that year is RALLIART Germany grabbing the top three positions FIA Cup for Production Rally Drivers. After that, MITSUBISHI MOTORS drivers went on to completely dominate the Production Car category, in which the high level of standard production vehicles’ fundamental performance is the key to victory.
In the first rally in Monte Carlo, Mäkinen finished fourth and Aghini finished sixth. In the following round, Rally Sweden, Eriksson and Mäkinen raced phenomenally to give the LANCER EVOLUTION its first overall WRC victory with an overwhelming first and second place finish.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS team’s LANCER EVOLUTION III made its debut in round 4 of the championship, the Tour de Corse (France). A larger intercooler, a front bumper with a huge air intake, a large rear spoiler, etc. were fitted, starting with the standard production model. The Group A specifications included a secondary air supply system that is known as anti-lag system. This was MITSUBISHI MOTORS' answer to improve the turbo response to throttle operation at the time of acceleration, which took into consideration a new rule that reduced the intake restrictor diameter from 38 to 34 mm. In Corsica, Aghini's LANCER EVOLUTION III fulfilled the team's expectations by finishing third. In the fifth round, Rally New Zealand, Mäkinen was leading until the beginning of the second leg before going off the road. In round six, Rally Australia, Eriksson gave the LANCER EVOLUTION III its first victory. At the end of the year, Eriksson and Mäkinen ended up third and fifth respectively in the drivers' Championship. The MITSUBISHI MOTORS team also finished second in the Manufacturers Championship (manufacturer’s title), and the team came close to reaching the pinnacle.
In the mid-90s, each rally was alternately counting towards the WRC and the 2-Litre WRC (World Rally Championship for 2.0 L cars). That year, Kenjiro Shinozuka took the runner-up spot for the second consecutive year at the Safari Rally, which was held as a 2-Litre WRC round. In this same championship, Mäkinen also won the 1000 Lakes Rally (Finland). In the APRC, the Lancer Evolution III won four of the six rounds, Eriksson being crowned as the drivers' champion. Another success worth mentioning that year is RALLIART Germany grabbing the top three positions FIA Cup for Production Rally Drivers. After that, MITSUBISHI MOTORS drivers went on to completely dominate the Production Car category, in which the high level of standard production vehicles’ fundamental performance is the key to victory.
