FOR motoring aficionados, the 1990s was the zenith of the rally-bred street-machine era. The production versions of those winged wonders that set alight world rally stages also adorned the walls of hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts around the globe.
In this class, there have always been two main players, “orimental” machines named the Subaru (formerly Impreza) WRX STi and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The latter is the protagonist of this test.
The Evo is based on its unspectacular front-wheel-drive Lancer saloon sibling, but boasts a multitude of aerodynamic, mechanical and electronic modifications, many of which were developed for competitive rallying. These changes aim to elevate this Mitsubishi’s depth of dynamic ability on a tight road course virtually beyond those of much more exotic cars.
SA buyers were privy to only generations VIII and IX. Finally, several years after its international debut, Evo X (that’s 10) is available locally.
So, what kind of performance and sense of occasion does close to R700 000 buy? From a visual point of view, the Evo X wears Mitsubishi’s corporate droop snout and the black centre section lends an air of aggression that isn’t as easily visible against the test unit’s dark hue.
Walk along the flanks and those 18-inch alloys, which are genuine, lightweight BBS items, will most likely catch your eyes. Lower side sills aid the ground-hugging appearance and the pièce de résistance for boy racers will undoubtedly be that rear wing, which tends to obscure your vision through the rear window. A pair of chrome exhaust tips poke out from the diffuser. Barring the tiny Evolution script on the boot lid, very few people will know what this car is.
Entering the cabin is an easy affair thanks to keyless entry. Once inside, however, disappointment sets in. Except for the Recaro bucket seats, there are precious few elements to announce this car’s performance credentials, or indeed justify its price. There are swathes of dark plastic and very little is special about the facia. There are no additional gauges to show boost pressure or oil temperature, and there’s also a notable lack of any carbon-fibre or any go-faster adornments save for traces of metal-look trim in strategic spots.
The Recaros can’t adjust vertically, while the steering wheel doesn’t telescope, which means that finding a comfortable driving position wasn’t possible for most members of the test team. Shorter members needed more seat height and the taller ones had to drive hunched forward so that they could reach the steering wheel.
Space in the cabin is adequate, but if you buy this as a family car you’d better take note of the luggage volume (or lack thereof). As the boot houses a full-size alloy spare, battery and washer bottle, plus a subwoofer, there is just 136 dm3 of space for the shopping. Put into perspective, that’s the same as a Mini Cooper.
The engine fires up crisply with a mechanical edge. Since the very first Evo saw the light of day, the recipe has been the same: a 2,0-litre turbocharged motor driving all four wheels. The engine is an all-new, all-alloy unit that produces 217 kW and 366 N.m; these are fractional 10 kW and 11 N.m increases over Evo IX.
Sadly, to set off there is no clutch to modulate once you select a gear. Yes, Evo X is available solely with the two-pedal variety. Coupled with the motor is a twin-clutch transmission and the driver changes gears via a shifter or steering-mounted paddles.
The transmission is slick and works well as an automatic. There are two fast-acting modes apart from the default and both work well when you want to press on. If you have to self-shift, the paddles hook gears quickly and smoothly, but in its most aggressive automatic setting the box does not need any human intervention.
Thanks to this transmission, you no longer need to be a mechanical masochist to extract a good launch from the all-wheel-drive machine. Side-stepping the clutch at full revs is a thing of the past courtesy of the launch-control programme. On our test strip, we managed a best sprint time of 5,79 seconds from rest to 100 km/h. Incidentally, that makes it as quick as the manual Subaru STi we tested. At the kilometre-mark, it was travelling at over 200 km/h.
While these figures are by no means slow, the Evo doesn’t quite feel as fast in the process; it all seems rather clinical and devoid of interaction. The engine note, too, is anodyne and without delight, unlike the characteristic flat-four burble of the STi.
On the open road, the Evo mostly rides well, but crashes over sharper imperfections. Move away from the straight byways and smooth curves to challenging, tight corners and it really comes into its own. As expected, there is an abundance of grip through the twisty stuff. There are several mechanical and electronic systems (see left) in place to ensure that the car is always pointing in the right direction. Even on bumpy roads, you can climb on the loud pedal so early it sometimes beggars belief. In this active scenario, enthusiastic drivers will again miss the lack of manual shifts. But make no mistake, on the right road and at the right time, the Evo X comes closer to almost anything out there in making mere mortals feel like WRC aces.
Test Summary
Mitsubishi fans have waited a long time for this car to arrive. But…
The Evo shows its age, even more so when you factor in the astronomical pricing. However, the manufacturer claims that all the cars ordered for our market had already been presold before a price had even been announced.
It’s not a bad car, it just doesn’t do enough to warrant the price. With hot hatches developing similar power (Opel Astra OPC: 206 kW) and its main rival costing over R100 000 less, we can’t advise anyone to spend R700 000 on an Evo X.