Scorching Colt is hot to trot

Racing specialists Ralliart tune tiny Colt to create mega Mitsubishi.

Auto Express Car Reviews

04th May 2008

It looks like tuner Ralliart is downsizing! Mitsubishi’s official performance division has worked its magic on the Colt – and this is the result.

Ralliart is famed for its fire-breathing modifications to sporty cars such as the Lancer Evolution and FTO coupé, but the limited edition Version R Special is based on Mitsubishi’s five-door supermini.

It features an uprated 154bhp, 1.5-litre petrol engine. That’s only 7bhp more than the flagship CZT, but the chassis has also been stiffened with seam welding around the door openings to improve handling.

It can go from 0-60mph in seven seconds, and hit a top speed of more than 130mph. Extended wheelarches, tinted windows, a tweaked exhaust pipe and black alloy wheels also set it apart from lesser models.

Only 300 examples of the limited-run design will be produced, but there are no immediate plans to bring it to British showrooms.