Bring Back the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Over the summer, Mitsubishi Motors revealed its upcoming lineup for the 2021 model year. They’re all the same classics Mitsubishi is known for, with no sight of the C/D segment vehicle teased during the discussion of the mid-term plans for the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance . Some of us are hoping for a smaller vehicle, being that a C/D segment car could be anything from a subcompact to another large vehicle. With the Lancer teased as a crossover, we’re not sure which way it could go, but we’re hoping if Mitsubishi brings back the Lancer, it doesn’t pull an Eclipse Cross and instead returns it to its former glory. Hate to say it though, but with high-performance automakers pulling out of the race to make the switch to alternative fuel, is a Lancer sports car in the cards? The Mitsubishi Lancer EVO is still a powerful sports car.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution died out several years ago, discontinued and sold out. Owners who were lucky to purchase a Lancer EVO before it was chucked either love the EVO because of the ride it offers or love it because they love to race. Looking at the Mitsubishi Motors a lineup now, no one would guess that Mitsubishi is capable of a sports car, with only SUVs in the cards. However, that’s Mitsubishi Motors NORTH AMERICA. Overseas, it’s a different story.

Yes, in Japan, Mitsubishi Motors has SUVs, and trucks, and dune buggies, and minivans, and probably a family sedan hiding in the midst of it all! So why not another sports car? Lancer owners know its capabilities, BBC’s TopGear has been known to show off the Lancer EVO eight-generation with its insane grip and traction for those tight turns. Recently, _ Hoonigan _ pit the Lancer Evolution VIII (eighth-gen) against the Audi RS3 – a much newer sports car, with the Lancer Evo over ten years old. Automotive tech is slow to adapt, but a decade is plenty of time, right?

Wrong. What Mitsubishi Lancer Evo owners _ also _ know is that the Lancer is one of the most easily modded vehicles. We had a whole little ‘speal about it years ago when the Lancer first went into the coffin. You can modify your Mitsubishi Lancer for more horsepower pretty quickly. See where we’re going with this? We’ll be honest, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII that raced this Audi RS3 comes equipped with a massive new turbocharger that brings the engine to the 700 to 800 horsepower range, and with a set of drag radial tires on all four corners, this Lancer Evo is at part with some of the recent high-performance vehicles on the market today.

When compared with the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine under the hood of the Audi RS3, it’s still a competition. The Audi comes with a bigger turbocharger that definitely has an output of 800 horsepower. What might give it the edge is the driver doesn’t need to worry about shifting in the Audi, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch. The driver in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo is stuck to the classic H-pattern manual transmission. We just want to point that out.

The results are – Mitsubishi won the first drag race, and lost the second when the driver missed a gear shift. In other words, this ten-year old Mitsubishi Lancer is better than a present-day Audi RS3. Please, Mitsubishi Motors, bring us back the Lancer Evolution. Maybe we can start a petition? Join the discussion on Miami Lakes Mitsubishi social media .

Photo Source/Copyright: AutoEvolution.com

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