Following its string of rally victories, the Mellors Elliot Motorsport (MEM)-prepared Proton Iriz has received FIA R5 homologation which enables it to compete in the full gamut of FIA-sanctioned rally events, including those on the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar.
The Iriz R5 made its debut at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and its string of successes include the more recent victory at the Cambrian Rally. Its first win at the Grizedale Rally in December 2017 following its initial Goodwood outing in July 2017 and a podium finish at the Malton Rally in November that year.
To recap, MEM started work on the rally-going Proton Iriz in 2016. Its beating heart is an adaptation of the 4B11T turbocharged inline-four from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, albeit with its cylinders sleeved down for a total displacement of 1.6 litres in order to comply with R5 and WRC2 regulations. Transmission and all-wheel-drive is by Xtrac, suspension from Reiger, brakes by Brembo and electronics by Cosworth.
All test and competitive outings by the Iriz R5 were done with driver Oliver Mellors, son of MEM team principal Chris Mellors. The Iriz R5 was also tested by two-time WRC champion Marcus Grönholm, who came away from the private test session with positive feedback for the car and the team.
GALLERY: Proton Iriz R5 at the Cambrian Rally, 2018
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