Story of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution the end of a Japanese icon

The Mitsubishi Evolution was a small four door sedan. On the outside it was a boring sedan with a funny looking radiator and a nice set of rims. But if you look closely or know what you’re looking at, you’ll see those “nice rims” are five spoke high performance Enkei rims hiding a set of very nice Brembo calipers that stops this sedan very quickly. The brakes aren’t the only thing helping stop this little puppy, a set of McPherson Struts at all four corners do the job pretty well. The suspension allows this car to do a lot including, stopping, cornering immensely and even taking a couple of jumps. They might be up to the specs of the WRC status but it’ll take a few and then some.

Also helping Mitsubishi Evolution is the AWD System. A center differential controls the torque delivered to each wheel. Then come the options, 5 speed or 6 speed based on which model you buy is which transmission you get. Then, one of these transmissions is bolted to a finely crafted turbocharged 4 cylinder coded 4G63. The 4G63 and these transmissions were directly removed from the WRC victor Gallant VR-4. This motor is puts out 244HP and 228 FT-LBS TQ. This is where the deer gets its legs.

The “EVO” has one of the world’s largest enthusiast scenes in the world today; all Ten versions. Minor changes were made over the first three editions. Then in 1996 Evo got a facelift. New fog lights, spoilers and rims. In 1998 Mitsubishi allowed Ralliart dealers in Europe to get the Evoluiton. 1999 models received yet another face lift; the fog lights were reduced in size and moved over slightly. In 2001 the FIA mandated that WRC racers follow WRC rules for building cars and not the Group A class rules; and so the EVO seven was born. The Evo seven was created based on the new larger Lancer Cedia platform. Mitsubishi beefed up the suspension and added an active center differential as well as new front and rear differentials. They also increased the torque. New shocks, brakes and rims are the highlight of this next facelift in 2003. However, the big news was that the USA was to be receiving the Evolution. Minor facelift in ’05 but the big thing is the addition of the MI-VEC to the 4G63. Finally in 2007 brought the Mitsubishi Evolution X; a completely new EVO.

It would stay this way till 2011 when Mitsubishi decided to step in and interfere with Evolution.