In a series of paintings commissioned by Ralliart in the 1980s, I used the rough touch that I used for my sports-themed paintings at the time. I expressed the dramatic atmosphere of motorsports by combining cars and human figures. I had a close relationship with Akira Kondo of Ralliart, both publicly and privately. In later years, Kondo-san purchased an assembly kit of an Australian-made dinghy (small sailboat). He and I worked hard on it together in a garage in the middle of summer, and we showed it off to many of his friends on the beach in Hayama. It was a short and happy time until Kondo-san was hospitalized again. Akira Yokoyama
“Galant GTO MR”
The Galant GTO was Mitsubishi’s first sports model, launched in 1970. It was the first domestic 2+2 coupe to adopt a fastback design, and its distinctive features included a rear ducktail and a sporty cockpit-type dashboard. The top grade MR was equipped with Mitsubishi’s first twin carburetor DOHC engine, which produced 125 hp, one of the top-class 1.6-liter engines at the time.
“Lancer 1600GSR”
From 1973 to 1977, Mitsubishi won the Safari Rally twice, the Southern Cross Rally three times, and the Bandama Rally with the Lancer 1600GSR, demonstrating its international competitiveness. The drivers were Joginder Singh for Safari and Andrew Cowan for Southern Cross and Bandama. These successes would later lead to the development of the Lancer Turbo and the Lancer Evolutions.
“Colt 1000F at Southern Cross Rally.”
At the suggestion of Doug Stewart, a local test driver in Australia, where the Colt 1000F was exported, Mitsubishi entered the 1967 Southern Cross Rally. Colin Bond won the small-displacement class, and Stewart, who had proposed the entry, finished third. This marked the beginning of Mitsubishi’s rally activities.
“Colt Formula F2B”
Mitsubishi led domestic formula car racing with the Colt Formula from 1966 to 1971. Osamu Mochizuki, Osamu Masuko, Kuniomi Nagamatsu, and others competed against European and Australian drivers to win the Japanese Grand Prix and other races, proving their ability at the international level.