2014 Mitsubishi Outlander official safety car for Pikes Peak

Mitsubishi hit our radar on Tuesday for the first time in a long time. The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander crossover will be the official safety vehicle for the 91st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 30. The Outlander will join two Mitsubishi race cars as they attack the 12.4-mile course.

The dirt-road-ready Outlander uses the company's Super All-Wheel-Control, which can send power to each wheel individually. It's the same system that's in the current Lancer Evolution.

Two engines are offered for 2014: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 166 hp and a 3.0-liter V6 making 224 hp. A CVT is standard in lower models while the V6 Outlander gets a six-speed automatic.

The Outlander will be supported by two Evolution models as supplemental safety vehicles. They were built specifically for the race with support from AEM, BBS USA, Cobb Tuning, DC Sports, Kenwood and Muellerized Suspensions Tuning.

Last year Mitsubishi scored a second-place finish in the electric vehicle division. This year the company will bring two new, more-powerful prototype race cars called MiEV Evolution II. They will be driven by two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka and six-time Pikes Peak motorcycle champion Greg Tracy. The vehicles use identical electric motors and lithium-ion battery as the MiEV production vehicle.

Live coverage of the Pikes Peak International Hill climb will be webcast at www.ppihc.com/live-coverage on June 30.

By Jake Lingeman