Mitsubishi Evolution MR Part 1: Design Review

Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution is one of Japan's most-loved performance cars. Much like fellow Japan Domestic Market (JDM) super stars - Nissan Skyline GT-R and Subaru WRX STi - the Evo earned it's notoriety in the U.S. on digital racetracks in living rooms across the country via Playstation's Gran Turismo line of games.

Where the Evo really made its reputation though, has nothing to do with video games. It was in the World Rally Championship - or WRC for short. Mitsubishi won it's first championship in the WRC in 1996 with the Evo 3. They then went on a tear, winning the title four years in a row with Finnish driver, Tommi Makinen behind the wheel of Evos 3, 4, 5, and 6. That level of domination is what led to the car's popularity in the world of Playstation.

So essentially, the Evo is a rally replica. An homologation special built so the company could go kick-ass on an international level. But due to the lack of interest and fan support for rallying in the U.S., Mitsubishi didn't offer the Evo here.

But as the fan base grew with the popularity of Playstation, so too did the frustration of U.S. based Evo fanatics. Mitsubishi finally relented and brought Evolution 8 to our shores in 2003 - partially due to Subaru's success with their own rally replica - and Playstation star - the WRX STi.

The Evo 8 quickly found a hard-core group of followers in this country; mostly guys - and some girls - who had spent years "driving" the car on their TV screens. The Evo 9 that followed was - aptly enough - an evolutionary step up from the 8.

The new car, officially known as the Lancer Evolution by the way, not the Evo 10, is an all-new design. Beyond the aggressive, scowling lines of the car, the most significant feature of the new Evo is Active Yaw Control, or AYC. Available on JDM versions since the Evo 4, AYC is an active rear differential that can apportion power side to side via two clutches on the diff depending on the All Wheel Control systems calculations. The system is nothing short of amazing, making average drivers look good, and good drivers look great. Having driven the car on track, we now know how they got all of those crazy slides in those Best Motoring videos. Along with AYC, there are several other super-techie systems on the car that help the Evo go through corners like few other cars in the world. One other notable new feature is Mitsubishi's new SST twin clutch transmission available on the top-of-the line 2008 Lancer Evolution MR. We'll review that gearbox in more detail in our performance and technology story.

With all it's WRC success, gaming popularity, and leading edge technologies, the Evo continues to prove it is worthy of it's fanatical following.

Design
The Evolution MR is the latest and greatest - well - evolution of Mitsubishi's much respected performance icon. Redesigning the "halo" car in your line-up is no easy task. Mitsubishi recognized this and decided to test the waters before committing to the design of the "Evo X" by producing a showcar - the Concept X - to judge the public's reaction. That concept was an absolute homerun, leaving Mitsubishi with a clearly defined next step: Building it.

The end result is pretty true to the concept version. Ok, so the wheels are smaller and the greenhouse is a bit taller, but the overall look of the showcar is there. And in fact some of the details - such as the flared fenders - are actually better resolved on the production car than on the concept.

We'll start at the back with the feature that says "Evo" more than any other: the rear wing. Big enough to make an Airbus A380 envious, it actually works - even visually - on this car. Normally, throwing a massive wing on the trunk lid would give you an unbalanced car (aesthetically) front to rear. Something like the automotive equivalent of a mullet: "business in the front, party in the back." But as we'll see when we get around to the front, it's quite aggressive on that end, as well. It works because of the massive, muscular front and because it's a signature element of past Evos.

In the back, there are twin exhausts for the first time on an Evo. They exit through a pair of diffusers, and combined with the scowling tail-lights, continue the aggressive attitude of the car.

The Lancer origins of the Evo are more difficult to disguise in profile. It's a little tall and the wheelbase a bit short. That is the result of being based on what is essentially an economy car, but the clever designers at Mitsubishi have drawn your attention away from its proportions with some nice details, such as the 18" forged wheels and the rocker panel extensions that hunker the car down visually. However, one definite negative mark for the design team is the Maytag lint-filter used to cover the front fender vent. Come on guys!

One of the most important elements of a car's design, the front graphics are made up of the headlights, air intakes, side markers, etc. and their overall arrangement. A car's front graphics can be likened to a person's face. And in this case - no surprise - we see an angry, aggressive face with scowling headlights and a big gaping intake. You'll notice that the bumper intersecting the intake is always blacked-out no matter the color of the car. This is done so that it sort of disappears, becoming part of the air intake graphic - we see Audi doing this with their front ends, too. And in this case, it works very well.

The design of the Evolution MR is quite successful. It feels honest in its various elements - wings, scoops, vents, all functional. It's cohesive, making perfect sense from front to back. And it's very much in keeping with the Evo's performance heritage. In fact, it's a strong enough design that Mitsubishi seems to be adopting it as the company's new design language, as evidenced by it's latest concept cars which feature many of the Evo's characteristics.

Watch the video
Read Part 2: Interior & User Experience
Read Part 3: Performance

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

Performance
- Acceleration: Doesn't have quite the punch of the Evo IX
- Handling: Makes you look like a hero
- Braking: Stable on the brakes, with impressive stopping power and zero fade

Design
- Exterior: Great job of masking its econo-car roots - and true to the fantastic Concept X showcar
- Interior: Better than past efforts, but still room for improvement

Utility
- Comfort: Recaros a bit unforgiving, can get tiresome - ride too
- Space: Back seat quite small, trunk ridiculously small

Safety
- Dynamics: Active Yaw Control takes the cake, but ABS and stability control also very good
- Technology: Much stronger body (side impact) with all the usual airbags

Value
- Price: Getting a bit expensive, but still worth it
- Mileage: Turbo loves revs which means it loves fuel as well

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: Any Evo guy or gal will have to trade up to the MR
- Fun to spank: Can not be driven quickly without smiling

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / All-wheel drive
Engine: Turbocharged and intercooled, 2.0 liter, inline 4 cylinder
Power (SAE): 295 hp @ 6100 rpm
Torque: 300 lbs-ft @ 4000 rpm
Redline: 7000 rpm
Gearbox: Dual-clutch 6 speed
Curb Weight: 3580 lbs.
0-60 mph: 5.2 sec. (with launch control)
1/4 mile: 13.8 sec. (with launch control)
Top Speed: 155 mph
Mileage: 16 city / 22 highway
Base Price: $38,000 (mfg. estimate)
Competitors: Subaru Impreza WRX STI, BMW 135i