This is not so much of a long term test, as it is a long timer test. The lovely red Evo in the pics is a 2010 model that has been on the press fleet for a long, long time. Most press cars come off the manufacturers fleet after 10 or 12,000 km, but this poor beast has well over 25,000 on the clock. Hand the keys to a hot rod to some auto journos and they become teenage hooligans again, so those 25,000 km are probably more like 100,000 km in the hands of a loving owner.

This car has had its wheels refinished recently and yet all 4 BBS rims look like they were sourced from a scrap yard. The car has been repainted and looks like someone decided to detail it with steel wool. Overall, Journos Behaving Badly have beaten the living daylights out of this 4 door rocketship. In other words, this is the perfect vehicle to see how the Mitsubishi’s flagship stands up to the real world.

The first time I drove an Evo X (it might have even been the same car) was shortly after it was released and I was still working as a Subaru dealership Service Manager. This may surprise some of you, but I thought that the WRX Sti was just ok. Yes, it was fast, it just felt a bit too mature for the juvenile that still lurks within my soul. Getting behind the wheel of the first version of Mitsubishi’s weapon to be sold in Canada was a revelation. This was how the STi should feel. The car felt rough and raw, like a race car that isn’t happy until the driver starts to pile on the throttle. It darted around on the road on acceleration and even worse under braking, because the suspension was set up for a quicker turn in, just like a race car. Here was a car that appealed to the hoon in me.

After all of the abuse, our tester felt exactly the same way as the first one I drove 2 years ago. I expected that the suspension might have softened up a bit or perhaps even started to make the odd clunk here and there as many long term media cars do. To Mitsubishi’s credit, the suspension and steering felt fantastic. That is no small feat considering the pummeling that the wheels have taken.

Our tester was an MR model that mates Mitsubishi’s Twin-Clutch Sportronic® Shift Transmission to the magnificent 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo engine. This engine produces 291 horsepower and 300 ft/lb of torque, which propels the Lancer from zero to jail in record time. I’m not a huge fan of the dual clutch type of transmission, however they work well when done right. When I first drove the MR, the Twin Clutch SST felt as good as the unit VW uses in the GTI and close to Porsche’s award winning PDK. The unit in our tester felt like it was suffering a bit, being a mite more clunky than I recall in stop and go and not shifting as crisply as the others on hard acceleration. Don’t get me wrong, it still worked well, but the transmission is often the weak point in any performance drivetrain because it is subjected to mistreatment by the driver and this unit was not a garage queen!

The interior of a press car can be a frightening space once it has been on the road for a while. Even if it has been kept clean, most press cars get used in ways that folks would never use their own cars for. As a result, seating surfaces wear out, creaks and rattles make themselves known and trim gets damaged. It is a testament to the quality of materials that Mitsubishi has used that the interior in our tester was showing zero signs of wear, looking just the way it did when it was new.

It is easy for a manufacturer to build a nice car, stuff a monster powerplant in it and impress drivers off the showroom floor. Even building a car that will run forever isn’t that tough, but building one that offers reliability and retains that new car feeling is quite an accomplishment. Not only is the 2010 Evolution just as sporting as it was at launch, but it stands up to life real world despite auto writers best attempts to wear it out.

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan, Mitsubishi, Electric, Racing

Mitsubishi has expressed serious interest in FIA president Jean Todt's proposed electric F1 series. The idea is in its infancy, and there is long way to go before silent F1 cars are zipping around the world's best racing circuits, but interest from the brand gives the idea a bit of a boost.

Over the last two years, Mitsubishi has significantly reduced its motorsports participation, beginning with its withdrawal from the 2009 Dakar Rally. That, coupled with the recent controversy surrounding the future of the Lancer Evolution, has elicited criticism that the Mitsubishi is moving in an anti-motorsports direction.

Company brass say that isn't true. Mitsubishi claims it's very interested in electric-vehicle racing as a way to speed up EV technology development and make advancements in its future road vehicles. Still, we'd wager it'll be years before an electric Evo hits the streets.

[Source: Mainichi Daily News]

Mitsubishi interested in electric Formula 1 series originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 May 2011 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Videos, Mitsubishi

Top Gear Live is the traveling version of the world's greatest show about cars. Part of that extravaganza includes The Stig, and he likes to showcase his driving talents to the crowd. One thing that doesn't require much skill, however, is a burnout. Supply Stiggy with a proper car, let him loose, and the result will be ruined tires, smoke and many cheering fans. Is it that easy if the car being used is a London Taxi?

It is when beneath the glossy black people-mover body sits a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The result is far better than the Cash Cab, and we think the Stig agrees. Click past the jump to watch two clips of the Evo taxi in action. Thanks to all for the tips.

[Source: YouTube via CarScoop]

Continue reading Video: Stig does donuts in Mitsubishi Evo-based London taxi

Video: Stig does donuts in Mitsubishi Evo-based London taxi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution Facebook page has a photo teasing a concept to be revealed Friday by asking if it's "the next Evo." It's called the "AF-J" — as in "April Fools' Joke." Hey, Mitsubishi, it's not funny to joke about things you've killed. More »

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Etc., Mitsubishi

Speculation surrounding the Mitsubishi Evolution has reached a fever pitch over the last few days. Has the Lancer Evolution reached the end of the line? Is Mitsubishi going to produce a new version that utilizes a hybrid powertrain? We don't have an answer, but we do know that fans of the Evo are scared. The object of their affection has potentially met its demise. In an effort to show how much the car would be missed, a group of Evo-lovers have banded together to show support for the car they so-admire.

The title reads "Mitsubishi, Keep the Evo Alive" and it's for an online petition to show the tri-diamond automaker how much its sports sedan will be missed. If you want to join in and show support, head over to the site and join the cause. If you prefer the dirt-drift action of a Subaru, then lean back in your chair, don't click anything and cackle wildly.

[Source: Causes.com]

Cause to keep Mitsubishi Evo alive and pure pops up on the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Mitsubishi, Misc. Auto Shows

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is such a good car, it seems that Malaysian automaker Proton decided it ought to offer a version of its own. Sort of. While the company's Jebat Concept, which was just shown off at the Kuala Lumpur Motor Show, is styled to look like the Evolution, it's actually powered by the 237-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged mill used in the slightly less potent Ralliart model.

Nobody seems to know at the moment if the Jebat Concept has any shot at production, but its existence isn't all that surprising considering that Proton just recently launched the Inspira, itself an almost exact copy of the standard Mitsubishi Lancer. In any case, it's clearly differentiated from its siblings by virtue of its matte black front and rear fascias and side sills, along with a Proton-specific grille. See for yourself in the image gallery below.



[Source: Autocar]

Proton builds itself a Mitsubishi Evolution originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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