One of two last Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo-Rs in Singapore – featured here!
Those who had played cars in the 1990s and up would be most familiar with this step-up in the automotive ladder especially when life brought you a family and children to look after. Those who once played 3-door hatchbacks and coupes would be staring at the new car market examining what “dadmobiles” were available, and some eyes would be fixated on the likes of the Airtrek.
Aside from the big “Turbo-R” name which used two huge letters that equally mean business, the Airtrek also had pretty different styling than its contemporaries, the frog-eyed headlights similar to that of a Toyota Aristo, but more importantly the heart under the bonnet; Mitsubishi’s famed 4G63T.
The 4G63T that the Airtrek comes with would be identical to the Lancer Evolution 7 GTA on paper – an automatic variant of the Evolution chassis. The Airtrek Turbo-R produces a quoted 240 horsepower and 343Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with optional gear select.
These 4G63T engines are very interesting, as they appear to be what can be referred to as a “parts-bin special”:
- Detuned with a TD04 turbocharger (Evolutions use variants of the TD05)
- 8:5:1 compression pistons (unique only to the Airtrek by part number) while Evolutions are 8:8:1)
- Different/No oil squirters than the Lancer Evolution blocks
- Crankshaft part no. same as Evolution 4
- Headgasket part no. same as Evolution 5 and 7
- Connecting rod part no. same as Evolution 1 and 3
- Less aggressive camshaft profile and different valve springs
- Smaller 450cc injectors (Evolution 5-9s are ~560cc)
- Longer intake runners
Dissimilar to the manual Lancer Evolutions are the all-wheel drive system, which the Airtrek comes with but without Active-Yaw Control (AYC).
This unit is essentially one of two Cycle & Carriage-delivered Airtrek Turbo-Rs left in Singapore. A third silver one has since been scrapped last year after being deregistered prematurely by its owner after being renewed for 5 years. It supposedly has been sold to a scrapyard after it was left in Johor.
Like my own experience, the owner Rick has been finding it extremely hard to find parts for the Airtrek; parts from Japan have dried up, and more local examples have not been appearing for parts. Unlike local Civics that are picked apart every other day, there has only been one new half-cut of an Airtrek in the past few months.
Rick’s Airtrek is far from stock, with a new built engine in and many go-fast components in the engine bay. At the time of us meeting, it had yet to have a tune to boost its power. But the overall presentation is already very good; blue and chrome all around like that of a 2010s tuner build.
Despite the apparent internal differences with the Airtrek block over the Lancer Evolution, many modifications are still relatively plug-and-play. Parts specifically for the Airtrek are also still present in the right places.
As for this unit’s history, most of the exterior modifications were already done up by previous owners, which prior to Rick’s acquisition had been bouncing around a few dealers and owners.
The exterior parts include a DAMD front bumper, ROAR sideskirts and RALLIART rear lip, riding on 19-inch Volk Racing TE37SL Black Edition III.
Sitting in the engine bay is an AVS radiator, BEATRUSH manifold heat shield, strut bar, GReddy AirInx filter, Carbing cooling plate and Lancer Evolution valve cover.
In the interior is a Lancer Evolution steering wheel, RECARO SR-C semi-bucket seats, alcantara headliner and storage bin, RALLIART shift knob and gauges. Exceptional to me is the original infotainment panel still intact – the majority of Malaysian units use an aftermarket panel for a larger screen.
Accommodated by the large-diameter wheels is a Brembo big-brake kit with drilled rotors, painted red to suit the TE37SL lettering.
We shot Rick’s Airtrek Turbo-R alongside his son’s Colt Version-R, a fitting duo for the old and the young. The Airtrek SUV works for the family runs, while the Colt hatchback works for a boy-racer attitude for a young driver.
Both cars and their turbo flutters were simple pleasure, each quick pull and catch-up is always announced with an audible flutter, likely as fun to the driver as is motoring enthusiasts – less so for the average joe caught off-guard!
This was a pleasant and last-minute plan on my part, my fellow photographer toowidesupra suddenly letting me know about the arrangement during PORSCHE JEWEL UNDERGROUND, but at the very least, after a few months on my end, the photos and supporting magazine writeup is done.
That magazine piece will be in the gallery below, and more of my family’s Airtrek can be found as Trek here. Happy reading, and thank you to Rick and Ryan for having us!
~Linus
Gallery:
Read more: MotorGala: Honda Civic Type R (FD2R)
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