2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

Mitsubishi’s Evolution VIII manages to bully a V12 Lamborghini Murcielago into a 180 degrees spin, and effectively wins the race. It’s a remarkable feat made all the more so, given Jeremy Clarkson was driving the EVO and British Touring Car driver, James Kaye was behind the wheel of the Lambo.

It’s as though an Alien race with no experience whatsoever in building cars, got to work and packaged all this advanced technology into the first thing they saw on the freeway and behold, the Mitsubishi Evolution! And Evolution is exactly right. While the EVO VIII was a sensation, it was also too hardcore for many. A brutal ride, notchy gearshifts and only five forward speeds, meant a very select and very small market.

Along came the EVO IX with various improvements including an extra cog and a thing called MIVEC (Mitsubishi variable Valve Timing), which made the car faster, smoother and an easier drive than its predecessor. And while the ride quality was still considered harsh by anyone other than a track day junkie, it was noticeably more compliant than the EVO VIII, especially over speed bumps and those wheel-warping potholes. Was it a twenty-four seven commuter? Not quite, but almost.

It’s still a hardcore machine, no doubt about that. But this particular variant, the Evo MR, which I have been driving, has one of those automated manual gearboxes, which can swap ratios quicker, than it would take your left hand to reach the shifter.

It works pretty much the same way as Volkswagen’s DSG gearbox although, Mitsubishi call it a Twin Clutch-Sport Shift Transmission (TC-SST), which was developed by German transmission and drivetrain gurus, Getrag. It’s fast shifting but doesn’t feel quite as refined as the DSG system but then again, this is an EVO and thankfully, things are still a lot more frenetic on board this car, including the shifts.

You can still have a five-speed manual, if you’re a diehard or more importantly, if you can’t stretch the budget in these dark times, but its the TC-SST more than anything else, which makes this the first incarnation of the EVO you could live with twenty-four/seven. What made the EVO IX such a quick thing can be attributed in most part to its power to weight ratio, 7.1kw/kg. It had a kerb weight of just 1470kg and even less, if you opted for the performance pack, which included forged wheels by BBS, which sliced off another 1.1kg per corner.

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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR

A winged, blinged all-wheel-drive sport sedan, the Lancer Evolution GSR is a continuation of a line of long-legendary rally cars that first gained notoriety on the World Rally Championship. Originally designed as a homologation model for WRX, worldwide demand grew and the first models exported to the United States were the Evo VIII or Evo 8. As with the Nissan GTR, the Lancer-Evolution’s reputation preceded its North American arrival by way of the exposure it received on the Grand Turismo video game.

The Lancer Evolution carries over the basic body design of the standard Lancer, with the addition of ground effects, a front lip kit, a rear diffuser and through the addition of the GSR Sight, Sound and Spoiler package, the famously gargantuan rear wing is included at just the right height to cut the driver’s rearward visibility in half.

A good-looking three-box sedan, it is one you shouldn’t shy away from. Possessing side lines that mimic the look of a BMW 3-Series four-door, it stands out from other vehicles in its niche. Rally-inspired foglamps and HID headlamps in front as well as the intercooler poking through a portal in the lower grille are there for all the fan-boys to get hot and bothered by, while a central NACA duct to introduce cool air to the intake and two flanking vents help to exhaust trapped air from under the hood area.

Powered by the forcefulness of a 2-liter inline four-cylinder engine with Mitsu’s MIVEC variable valve timing system, the intercooled and turbocharged engine produces 291-horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. But that’s just on paper. The engine, known internally as the 4B11, has ditched the use of a balancer shaft as seen on the previous Evo engine, due to improved NVH and new hydraulic engine mounts.

The GSR arrives standard with a new five-speed manual gearbox that has no dedicated reverse gear. Due to space limitations, an arrangement was made to use the 1st and 3rd gears and combine them with synchromesh to get that backward motion.

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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution vs 08 Subaru WRX STI

Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder compares the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the 2008 Subaru WRX STI. Shot and produced by: Lindsay Bjerregaard, Eric Rossi and Sarah Gersh.



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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX review

It’s still amazing to see just how far this car has come. Worlds apart from the doughy, tinny, average Lancer from which it takes its basis, the Evo easily justifies its 170% premium over the parent car. And the thing is it’s 170% better - no questions asked. But the real beauty is that it loses none of the practicality. The boot is still huge, the rear seat will actually house humans, and the front seats are just bliss. Plus, the visibility puts just about every other sports car to shame. It’s hard to imagine an easier car to see out of in all directions.

But where it differs dramatically is underneath. To house the all-wheel-drive system, the front and rear quarter panels have been replaced with flared versions. Three differentials supply power to all four wheels, and the SAYC (Super Active Yaw Control) system combines sensors and grip control to allow for mind-bending cornering. And this where the Evo IX is probably the most impressive.

Slewing into a corner, you’ll notice that the steering is super reactive. The slightest movement off centre, and your lateral inclination is apparent. The feel is probably a bit dumbed down, but there’s enough torque-steer and kickback to let you know what’s happening underneath, which along with slight tramlining on poor surfaces, means the feedback you do get is related to your speed anyway.

We’ve found that out of the three settings - Tarmac, Gravel, and Snow - for the Active Centre Differential (ACD), that Gravel is the best for wringing as much speed as possible out of the Evo. Tarmac is well balanced, and Snow tends to understeer too much. But Gravel sends most of the power to the rear, meaning when you think you’ve run out of grip, you haven’t.
Simply hang on for the ride of your life, and remain committed to the corner. An initial understeer tendency is initially offputting, however keep your foot buried, and the torque is shuffled to the rear, where the back is brought around, and the front merely determines the line (while adding more grip). The reward is the car resting on the outside rear tyre, and oversteering through the exit. Fun? You bet. But fast? Yes, it’s that too.

The Evolution IX is one of those cars that you have to experience more than once. The purity of the drive experience isn’t whitewashed by electronic wizardry. You still have to work hard to get a result. But the result you do get is more than your senses can handle at first go. If this is what the IX is like, we can’t wait to drive the Evo X when it is released in a few short weeks.

Specifications:
Engine: 1997cc DOHC four cylinder petrol 16 valve
Power: 206kW @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 355Nm @ 3,500rpm
Top Speed: 250km/h
0-100km/h: 5.5 seconds
0-400m: Not tested
NCAP rating: N/A
Safety: ABS, EBD, Dual Front Air Bags
Turning Circle: 11.8m
Fuel Tank: 55 litres
Fuel Type: 98RON Unleaded
Fuel Consumption: 10.6 litres (Man)
Wheels: 18″ x 8.0″ Alloy
Weight: 1,470kg

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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Review

The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is entirely new and based on the similarly redesigned 2008 Lancer compact sedan. As before, it's a high-performance version, with a potent turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive and related upgrades to improve handling and braking. The Evo X, however, is meant to be more refined and accessible to a wider range of buyers. It starts with the new Lancer platform; a slightly longer wheelbase and a much stiffer body structure give the 2008 Evolution a more substantial feel. The Evolution also benefits from the Lancer's sharper exterior styling, improved interior and new entertainment and safety features.

However, while its styling and newfound creature comforts are key to bringing new folks into the Evo cult, maintaining the performance and handling that created that cult in the first place is paramount. On that front, the Evo X is a mixed bag. Specifically, the new Lancer has gained weight over its predecessor, which wipes out the added horsepower gained by its all-new aluminum block (versus iron) turbocharged inline-4. When comparing acceleration numbers from this and the prior generation, the two work out to nearly even. The new engine is certainly a smoother operator, however, cleanly building boost in a linear manner even at low engine speeds. It doesn't have the same high-rpm kick as its predecessor, but it's still a hell-raiser and easier to live with.

There are two Evo varieties available. The GSR is aimed at the more hard-core enthusiast set, with more aggressive suspension settings and a standard five-speed manual transmission. The MR not only sports a softer suspension, it features Mitsubishi's new automated twin-clutch manual transmission that's operated via metal paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. (It can also operate as a traditional automatic.) This transmission swaps ratios with lightning-quick precision, which is welcome regardless of whether you're driving at 10/10ths or just turning your brain off and leaving it in "D."

Like past Evos, the X sends power to all four wheels, but this one manages to feel more rear-biased in the way it drives and handles. Credit the fact that this is more than simply all-wheel drive. Dubbed Super All-Wheel Control, Mitsubishi's system features an active center differential that sends power to all four wheels, while Active Yaw Control calculates various vehicle dynamic factors and compensates to maximize grip. With a hard launch, you can expect a 0-60 mph time of about 5.0 seconds. And around our skid pad, the GSR managed an impressive 0.99g of grip, which is supercar territory. Throw in sublime steering and the Evo X becomes one of the best-performing cars at any price.

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Full Test 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR

Well, 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is slower than the Evo IX it's replacing. A lot slower.

Hey, don't shoot the messenger. Channel your anger toward Hiroshi Fujii, the platform manager for the Evo in Mitsubishi's research and development department, and the man they call Dr. Evo. It was Fujii and his team that created the Evo X, the largest, most refined and most technically advanced Evo ever.

Fujii's team has packed this all-wheel-drive, turbocharged sport sedan with active differentials, a dual-clutch semiautomatic gearbox and an all-new all-aluminum engine. They've strengthened its structure, fortified its five-speed manual transmission and added active stability control. Heck, it's the first Evo with a navigation system, HID headlamps and Bluetooth. It would seem that the doctor and his nurses spent years adding everything to the car except speed.

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And that's the deal with the Evo X; it's better than its track test numbers tell the world. It still feels like an Evo, but it's a more livable Evo that can be driven and enjoyed by those of us over 30.

No, it's not the quickest of its kind, but the aftermarket will fix that quarter-mile thing with the determination of a gunshot. Just give the guys at HKS or Vishnu Performance a few months. They'll have the new 4B11 2.0-liter cranked up like your favorite tweaker on a Saturday night. Then there will be no reason to look down upon Fujii's latest creation.

It's the right car at the right time to continue the model's tradition of affordable turbocharged all-wheel-drive performance. Evo-heads the world over better start saving up.

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