The question being asked by Fifth Gear spokesman Tiff Needell, is what kind of a car can keep up with the Ford Focus RS? Fellow Fifth Gear presenter and BTCC champion Jason Plato brought along a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X to help him find out. The European hot hatch and the Japanese rice rocket were put up to some head to head competitions that included a high-speed stability test, with penalty kick, and a timed lap around a proper handling circuit. So which car wins out, the turbocharged 300 HP Focus RS with its touring car setup, or the rally bred all wheel drive 4B11 powered Evo X. Watch the video to find out for yourself.
Proving the popularity of Mitsubishi’s rally bred Lancer Evolution X FQ-400, despite the fact that the car was officially launched only a day ago, and it is already being seen in action. Check out the 403 HP turbocharged all wheel drive rocket as it receives its first impression.
Do you remember the Mitsubishi Evolution FQ 330 that we showed you last week, well that was nothing compared to this, the FQ 400. Whereas the 330 HP version seemed to be nothing more than an EVO MR with a reflashed ECU, the FQ 400 is a whole different animal.
Starting off with the basics, Mitsubishi’s 4B11 receives four new high-flow fuel injectors, a new hybrid turbocharger that reduces lag, an upgraded intercooler to handle the additional boost and a full 3 inch stainless steel exhaust that spits the spent gasses out of a centrally mounted tail pipe. The result is a peak output of 403 HP and 387 lb-ft of torque. Enough thrust to move the FQ 400 from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.8 seconds.
Getting back to the “all new animal” topic. The FQ 400 receives a couple of body mods, that not only make the car look as impressive as the old EVO VI TME, but their composite construction saves some unnecessary weight and makes the factory tuned EVO even more capable. The engine is hidden away by a new hood with larger opening for even better cooling; the front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and diffuser are all made from lightweight composite material.
Good news for all of the Evo enthusiasts out there, Mitsubishi UK has finally released a factory modified F**king Quick version of the Lancer Evolution X to the automaker’s line up. The eagerly anticipated FQ330 SST features a high performance exhaust, intercooler piping kit, racing intake and free flowing catalytic converter that raises the maximum output to 329 HP at 6,500 RPM and 322 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 RPM. The diamond star hot rod can go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 155 MPH. The FQ will be available from Mitsubishi in 4 different color options and can be yours for only £35,999.
This is good news for car fans across the pond, but because this is more of a U.K. thing than a Mitsubishi sponsored program, it is unlikely that we will see the FQ330 here in the U.S. anytime soon.
Someday the real world calls us all. No longer can a car just be purely fun; it now has to keep up some appearance of civility. While the Mitsubishi Evolution X makes rides to the grocery store as fun as a lap around a rally circuit; it’s loud exhaust and harsh ride will turn any date into deaf, stiff-walking old lady. Also the Evos appearance only gains respect from underlings in the corporate parking lot.
Enter the Lancer Ralliart. Where the Mitsubishi’s Evo X competes with rally uber-sedans like the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, this one competes with cars like the plain ‘ol WRX, Volkswagen R32 and Mazdaspeed 3. Compared to the Evo X, the ride in the Ralliart is less harsh, there is more noise dampening material, the bodykit is less dramatic, there is less power, and the base price is about $6,500 less. The Ralliart is not a soft Evo X; it’s just softer.< > More
Ralliart, Mitsubishi’s in house tuner that has been preparing Evos for battle for over a decade have prepared a trio of aerodynamic aides for the new Mitsubishi Ralliart Sportback model by the end of this month. The package adds a small lip type spoiler at the back of the hatch and immediately above is a wing that cuts the rear glass in half. Combined with the factory roof spoiler, all these wings make the Ralliart Sportback look like and Escort Cossie from the early 1990’s.
In HKS’s never ending quest for time attack dominance it has prepared a special version of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. This Evo X has been renamed the CZ200S and is a purpose built time attack machine. A time attack car has only one purpose: complete a single lap around a circuit faster than any other competitor.
If someone tries to see you a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, make sure they’ll take your unicorn in trade. Mitsubishi announced that since there are still plenty of Lancer Evolutions from the 2008 model year still available, there will be no 2009 model.
According to Mitsubishi spokeswomen Christine Jew, there were no changes planned for a 2009 Evo, and there is enough inventory to last until the 2010 model is released later this year. This is also not yet a sign that the Evo is in danger. Mitsubishi says the model’s sales were up 50.9% for 2008.
Ings, the Japanese tuner, revealed new images of the Lancer Evolution X N-Spec car. It gets a new front bumper with new canards, brake ducts, and intercooler shrouds. It also features a Z-Power adjustable carbon rear wing. This is more than just vanity, but a body kit built for functionality.
There are no featured performance upgrades in this package, but Ings already offers other suspension, exhaust and braking modifications for the Evo X. We have no information yet on pricing, but if anything interesting comes up we’ll pass it along.
Good news for hatchback fans, sorta. The long awaited by few Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback will only come in top of the line Ralliart and GTS trim levels in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency has only certified the top two engine choices of the five-tier Lancer family to be dropped into the five-door car. This is not a bad idea considering hatchback are not always popular in the U.S., especially cheap/slow ones.
Just like the sedan, the Sportback GTS will get a DOHC 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 168 hp, with a choice of five-speed manual (EPA rated at 20/27 mpg) or CVT (21/27 mpg). The Ralliart version will get a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder making 237 hp and rated at 17/25 mpg. It also comes with a six-speed TC-SST paddle sift transmission and all-wheel drive.
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