Well, I’ve already found my favorite vehicle from the upcoming 2026 Dakar Rally. R Team – Ralliart Off Road Italy is campaigning a 1990 Mitsubishi Delica L300 in the Dakar Rally’s Classic Class. While the team has a host of other Mitsubishi vehicles in the race, the Delica is by far the most oddball and amazing.
The R Team Delica L300: What We Know
According to a graphic I found via Bluesky, the R Team has entered this 1990 Delica powered by the 4D56 2.5-liter turbodiesel engine (the same engine we had in our 1989 Delica, and in our current 1991 Pajero). It says it makes 140 hp, far more than the stock 89 hp from a non-intercooled diesel Delica. I’m guessing they’ve added an intercooler and possibly upped the boost.
The van has a two-speed transfer case with low range and a five-speed manual transmission. It’s equipped with a 120-liter (32-gallon) fuel tank, 235/70R16 BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires, and 16″ Evo Corse wheels. The above graphic states the top speed is 141 kmh, or 87.6 MPH—not quite fast enough to go back in time.
From a photo on the R Team Facebook page, I can see four large Osram driving lights, a front exo cage, some big mud flaps, and a rear spoiler. The van has a full roll cage, too. It was originally a Delica L300 from the Canary Islands of all places. Other photos from driver/builder, Henry Favre’s Instagram, it appears the van retains the leaf springs in the rear and torsion bars up front. Unfortunately, there aren’t tons of pic of the van.
Piloting the L300 will be van owner and bulider, Henry Favre; the navigator is Alessandro Iacovelli. They will be car #751. Their motto? “O la va, o la spacca,” which translates to “make or break it.” This will be the duo’s second Dakar. They ran last year in a classic Mitsubishi Pajero with the same lower-budget plan to go race this iconic rally. But, Favre was quoted as saying, “We don’t really care about the rankings. We’re there to have fun, to entertain those who follow us from home and, above all, to play with cars that aren’t fast but brave. It’s a game and a huge challenge at the same time.”
I love that “aren’t fast but brave” quote. This is so very much our feeling on the 4x4s we own.
We wishteam #751 and the rest of the Dakar Rally participants the best of luck. The Dakar Rally runs from January 3-17 in Saudi Arabia.
Andy Lilienthal is an award-winning writer and has written professionally since 1999. He has over 13 years in the automotive aftermarket working at companies including Warn Industries, Bushwacker, and Lund International. Editorial works include writing and photography for off-road print magazines, to new-car reviews online. He’s a photographer with images in multiple magazines, blog sites, and The New York Times.
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