the

evolutiontheory

�

PrefaceThe introduction of the tenth Lancer Evolution is a big milestone. Not

only for Mitsubishi Motors, but for everyone who loves high-performance

cars that are both functional and beautiful. This special book is an ode to

every aspect of the new Lancer Evolution.

As Ryugo Nakao, Product Executive, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, says:

‘The dramatic leaps forward in the evolutionary process of the Lancer

Evolution have been driven by the cutting-edge technology developed and

honed through our participation in the motorsport arena, fed back into

our production models. We invite you to experience for yourself the next

step up the evolutionary ladder.’

� �

Contents

CHAPTER ONE Early living 6A frank and colourful behind-the-scenes view of the actual design realization of the new Lancer Evolution.

CHAPTER two

Survival of the fittest 1�From 19th century Mitsubishi beginnings and successful rally history to nine successive generations of Lancer Evolutions. A flight through time.

CHAPTER THREE The expression of emotion 2�An emotional, visual tribute to the new Lancer Evolution.

CHAPTER FOUR

Science & study �6Food for petrolheads. All the facts and figures, technical specifications and elements that make a perfect driver’s car.

CHAPTER FivE

Natural selection �8Portraits of Jackie Chan and other passionate people with big Evo-hearts.

CHAPTER six

Power of movement ��The new Lancer Evolution is put to the test in the beautiful and rugged Black Mountain area of Wales.

CHAPTER sEvEN

Evolutionary psychology 66The innovative interior of the Lancer Evolution proves that function and beauty can go hand in hand.

CHAPTER EigHT

Reviews 72What do international automotive journalists think of the Lancer Evolution?

CHAPTER NiNE

Varieties of species 7�Trim levels, technical specifications, equipment, colours, dimensions, accessories… Here you’ll find it all.

Index 86

6

CHAPTER ONE

Early livingWith each new model created by Mitsubishi Motors, every millimetre

presents tough choices for its designers as they strive to balance form

and function while remaining true to the car and company’s heritage.

Despite the many obstacles that had to be faced, Mitsubishi’s passionate

design team came through gloriously. And so the tenth Lancer Evolution

was born. This is its inside story.

8

3 5 6 3 x 5 6 , 8 9 9 0Masaki Matsuhara, General Manager of Design at MRDE, Germany.

Matsuhara led the design development of the

Lancer Evolution (as he had for the Lancer).

He works at MRDE (Mitsubishi Research &

Development Europe) and talks full of passion

about Mitsubishi’s latest creation: “The new

Lancer Evolution is now both a reality and our

company’s flagship. During the years I was in

charge of it, we stayed loyal to the following

three aims: First we had to improve function-

ality, so we pushed back the boundaries in all

areas, lengthening the wheelbase for greater

stability, lowering the centre of gravity and

widening the track. In the meantime we also

reduced the front and rear overhangs to make

the car more manoeuvrable both at speed and

in town. The second aim was to create an opti-

mal shape while taking the Lancer Evolution’s

aerodynamics to a new level. For the exterior,

in particular, our engineers completed an

exhaustive wind tunnel test programme. The

third aim was to give the car a design that

Norikazu Nakao (Clay modeller

exterior, MMC).

Hiroaki Matsunobu (Expert project

manager, MMC).

Tsuyoshi Imaizumi (Digital

modeller exterior, MMC).

These very first design proposals by exterior designer Norihiko Yoshimine ultimately

led to the new Lancer Evolution.

3 4 , 5 6 4 5 6 0 9 8 4 0 : 8 9 6 7 6 , 4 6 9 8 5 0 4 6 9B x A

Norihiko Yoshimine (Designer

exterior, MMC).

appeals to the customer, the toughest task of

all for any designer. But we believe there can

be real beauty in a shape designed to be

functional and if that design is executed with

real skill and emotion, it will possess the

power to ignite passion in those that see it.

Now that development is finished, we the

designers are confident that the Lancer

Evolution is a fitting flagship for Mitsubishi.

Please go and see it in real-life. Then feel it,

sense it. You will not be disappointed.”

�

10

Two design proposals

The best way to underline Matsuhara’s words

is to explore two interesting phases in the

Lancer Evolution’s development and listen to

the designers closest to the project. The story

begins with the first ideas that were mere

sketches but which led ultimately to the

development of two design proposals in 2004.

Hiroaki Matsunobu, expert project manager for

Lancer/Lancer Evolution, explains: “As with

the Lancer, the initial design was based on a

MRDE proposal. Matsuhara was stationed

with MRDE and took the proposal with him

back to Japan, so we started the development

of the Lancer Evolution. Then two proposals

were developed at Okazaki, Mitsubishi’s R&D

centre in Japan.” In Japan the exterior de-

signer Norihiko Yoshimine was responsible

for one of the two proposals and duly made a

40% scale model. Yoshimine: “The basic form

was unchanged, but the front fender was

different. My proposal was based on WRC

rally cars that adopt blister fenders for aero-

dynamic reasons and our goal became to

implement this feature into a passenger car.

I had the idea at the WRC ‘Rally of Japan’

where I heard people saying how the func-

tional beauty of such extreme shapes was

really cool. I thought we could apply this

thinking to a road car.”

The Decision

Designer Norihiko Yoshimine and clay-model-

ler Norikazu Nakao were in the the wind tunnel

day after day, refining Yoshimine’s model in

collaboration with engineers. Yoshimine: “The

rally inspired blister fender’s purpose was to

achieve functional beauty but it proved difficult

to scale down. In the wind tunnel with the 40%

model, we pursued pure functionality so had

no time for design refinement.”

The time had come to decide which of the two

proposals for the 40% model to choose. The

decision came when Yoshimine received a call

from Matsuhara himself: “Your proposal has

been selected. Do your best”.

The 1/1 model

The next stage was to make a 1/1 model of

Yoshimine’s proposal made of special clay.

Yoshimine: “In two weeks in the wind tunnel

we made sure everything would work as it

should while Norikazu Nakao shaped the clay

model according to the aerodynamic input. It

was the cold season, so his hands were numb

all the time. Nonetheless we managed it.”

Yoshimine, Nakao and the others turned to digital exterior modeller,

Tsuyoshi Imaizumi, for a final translation of all the hard facts to digital

data and vice versa.

2 3 , 6 8 5 : 4 5 3 , 8 9 7 8 5 9 6

6 4 9 5 , 0 6 0 4 5 x 9 4 5 8 , 2 3 5 3 4

Carving the blister fender was one of the biggest obstacles to be overcome.

Clay modeller Norikazu Nakao doing his magic.

The exterior styling of

the Lancer (back) and

the Lancer Evolution

(front) took place at

almost the same time.

11

12

Genuinely functional

The team now started to make a prototype

with a glass fibre body. Yoshimine: “It was

impossible to open an air duct in the bonnet of

the clay model so Tsuyoshi Imaizumi from the

digital group scanned the clay model. From

this data came the FRP (Fibre Reinforced

Plastic) body. Usually we don’t make a glass

fibre prototype at this stage but the Lancer

Evolution was different.” Matsunobu adds that

his team wanted to ensure at this point that

the design was genuinely functional. All the

lines, ducts and outlets should have a func-

tion - no ornaments would be allowed. The

team tested the design from every angle

through which airflow could pass. Yoshimine:

“Even the outlet behind the front wheels is not

simply for show but to let engine heat escape.

We made a shape in front of the hole so we

could improve its efficiency and even con-

quered the aerodynamic disadvantage of the

inverted slant nose. We were not going to be

beaten by a slant nose.”

Struggle

Now the toughest part of Yoshimine’s design

needed tackling: the construction of the fend-

ers that would provide both superior aerody-

namics and a distinguished look. This turned

out to be a mighty challenge. The ridge of the

front fender above the front wheels goes

fluently in a horizontal direction, but at the rear

a small but unavoidable problem occurred.

Yoshimine: “Door handles! To avoid these, the

rear fender had to be front sloping. The ideal

aerodynamic shape seemed impossible to

create, because it would cover the recess for

placing one’s hand on the door handle. We

tried all types of data—changing from concave

to convex, or a curve that would eliminate the

blister in the rear. Converting the CAD data to

the clay model proved almost impossible, but

finally we managed. The blister’s bulge is now

smoothly fused with the door.”

Beauty

With this important element conquered,

Yoshimine, Nakao and the others turned to

digital exterior-modeller, Tsuyoshi Imaizumi,

for a final translation of all the hard facts to

digital data and vice versa. The final parts like

the diffuser, the concave and convex surfaces

and the intake and outlets in the bonnet,

though complicated, were all gradually

finished. In line with the ideas of Matsuhara,

the Lancer Evolution had to be more beautiful

than ever and achieve this beauty through

functional shapes. Imaizumi: “I think,

together, we got it right, even down to the

smallest detail.”

There it is. The metal body work for the actual Lancer Evolution.

An end and a beginning.

1�

CHAPTER TWO

Survival of the fittest

The new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution didn’t just appear out of nowhere.

its origins date even further back than its sporty predecessors

from the 1970s… in fact, its name speaks for itself: the Lancer Evolution

has been born after years of development and is part of a continuing

process for better, faster, more…

Lancer 1600 GSR at the 1974 East Africa Safari Rally.

18 1�

If anyone living in 1870, the year in which

Yataro Iwasaki founded the Japanese

Tsukumo Shokai Shipping Company, had told

him that more than a century later his com-

pany would be producing the world’s best

rally cars, he wouldn’t have believed it. He

wouldn’t even have known what a rally was.

Or a car, for that matter. Maybe the crafts-

men on the big black and white photograph

would have believed it, because in 1917 they

built the Mitsubishi A behind them (see

image on page 15). The A was the first

series-produced motor car in Japan, built by

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co Ltd, a forerunner

of today’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

But even then there was still a long way to go

before the first genuine Mitsubishi rally car

would see the light of day.

First steps

It was not until the 1960s that Mitsubishi

produced another passenger vehicle, be-

cause Japan needed commercial vehicles

and buses in the preceding decades - intro-

ducing diesel engines in motor vehicles and

4-wheel-drive technology in Japan in the

process. Mitsubishi took its first steps in

international racing with the small 500 from

1960, basically an affordable and efficient

family car. Nevertheless, this two-cylinder,

493 cc car won its class at the 1962 Macau

Grand Prix while the other three 500s

entered came in second, third and fourth.

After this highly successful racing debut the

goals were set. The 600 from 1962, more

performance orientated than its predeces-

sor, followed the 500 and became firmly

established in motor sports after its fantastic

performance at the 1963 Malaysia Grand

Prix, where the first three places were taken

in the under 600 cc class, beating much

more established opposition. The following

year, the larger and all-new Colt 1000 took

the first three places in the Japan Grand

Prix. It was in 1966 that Mitsubishi Heavy

Industries Ltd. moved its motorsport activi-

ties from passenger car based ‘Touring Cars’

like the Colt 1000 to ‘Formula Cars’, open

monoposto classes. Here the new Mitsubishi

Colt F3A was competitive from the begin-

ning. Taking on the likes of Lotus and

Brabham, it won the Exhibition Class of the

1966 Japan Grand Prix. Circuit racing con-

tinued all the way until 1971 when

Mitsubishi’s crowning achievement was to

win (first and second place) the Japan Grand

Prix overall with the Colt F2000. In parallel,

the car that can really be said to have laid

down the formula for success in rallying that

Mitsubishi has been enjoying ever since was

the 1967 58hp 1000F. Entered into the gruel-

ling Southern Cross Rally in Australia that

year, it came fourth overall despite its small

engine and won its class outright. The next

year, it earned Mitsubishi its first podium

position by coming third overall.

Lancer EX2000 Turbo at the 1981 Acropolis Rally.

Lancer Evolution at the 1999 Monte Carlo Rally.

Lancer WR05 at the 2005 Corona Rally Mexico.

This Colt 1000F can be considered as

Mitsubishi’s first genuine rally car and as

such, the first link to Lancer Evolution.

The ‘car-breaker’

The seventies and eighties prolonged

Mitsubishi’s success in motor sports, now

purely focused on the world of rallying. With

rally ace Andrew Cowan driving the 150hp

Colt Galant 1.6L GS, Mitsubishi gained its

first international rally victory in the 1972

Southern Cross. Then the Lancer came, saw

and conquered. It was 1973 and the sports

version, the 1600 GSR, took a remarkable 1-

2-3-4-victory in the Southern Cross. The

following year it ran its first World Rally

Championship (WRC) event: the extremely

tough East African Safari Rally, aka the ‘car-

breaker’. Finishing in one piece was difficult,

let alone winning. The 1.6 litre Lancer how-

ever, with Joginder Singh at the wheel, ran

straight to victory at its debut on the five day,

6,000 km rally, beating Björn Waldegaard’s

2.7 litre Porsche 911. Singh repeated his

success in the 1976 Safari Rally with other

Lancers coming home second and third,

while that same year Mitsubishi also took a

first in the Southern Cross Rally. After that,

Mitsubishi’s rallying victories became almost

countless, with the Lancer EX2000 Turbo and

the Galant VR-4 from the eighties being

amongst the most competitive cars in rally

championships all over the world.

22 2�

I II III IV V VI VII VIII IXThe New

Lancer Evolution

‘Evo’-mania

Enter the Lancer Evolution in 1992. What an

impact it had! This car was especially con-

ceived for Group A rallying, with the WRC in

mind. It owed both the 2.0 litre DOHC engine

and the 4WD technology to its predecessor,

the Galant VR-4, but the 2,500 mm wheel-

base of the Lancer was considered optimal

for a rally car and its much reduced weight

made it the perfect device to realise

Mitsubishi’s goal of becoming the dominant

force in world rallying. In its 1993 debut it

came third place in the Acropolis Rally and

second in the RAC Rally.

Its successor came in 1994. This Lancer

Evolution II, equipped with a new front spoil-

er, a larger one at the rear for greater stabil-

ity at high speed, and a new active 4WD

system, gained its first WRC win at the

Swedish rally in 1995. With every new Lancer

Evolution generation, Mitsubishi improved

the technology to meet the ever-changing

demands of the World Rally Championship

and tightened its grip on world rallying. The

rallying successes also had a tremendous

effect on Lancer Evolution sales, as produc-

tion cars were also equipped with state-of-

the art rally technology. By August 1996 an

absolute record sale of 7,000 cars had been

established for the street version of the third

generation Lancer Evolution. By this time it

was Evo-mania: the initial production run of

its successor, 6,000 cars, sold out in three

days!

World Rally Car

The 1996 season brought Mitsubishi its first

driver’s title thanks to the legendary Tommi

Mäkinen, a feat he repeated the following

year driving the all-new Lancer Evolution IV.

But it was the Lancer Evolution V which, in

1998, made the breakthrough everyone had

been working so hard for: the Manufacturer’s

Championship in the WRC, with Tommi

Mäkinen winning his third consecutive

Driver’s Championship. This all happened

despite the fact that the Lancer Evolution V

was still a Group A car, while in the mean-

time a special rally car class had emerged:

the World Rally Cars. These were still Group

A cars, but did not require homologation and

therefore could be more purpose-built for

rallying.

Therefore the Lancer Evolution VI was the

last genuine Group A car built by Mitsubishi.

The 2001 Lancer Evolution VII, based on the

larger Lancer Cedia platform, was

Mitsubishi’s first World Rally Car, introducing

Mitsubishi’s Active Centre Differential.

The Lancer Evolution VIII followed in 2003

and became the first Lancer Evolution to be

officially sold in Europe and the United

States, adding Super Active Yaw Control

technology to its already superlative

enablers. Last of the previous generation,

the 2005 Lancer Evolution IX featured more

sophisticated aerodynamics, light material

(aluminium) body construction, etc...

It’s been sixteen years since 1992 and

Mitsubishi Motors now presents the next

generation of the highly acclaimed Lancer

Evolution series. More than just another

iteration, the new Lancer Evolution breaks

the mould, reaching new frontiers in terms

of driving dynamics, but at the same time

responding better to market demands for

design, convenience features and long-

distance driving.

www.lancer-evolution.eu

2�

CHAPTER THREE

The expressionof emotion

Every angle, every line and every inch… The new Lancer Evolution breathes

pure emotion. its totally new design embodies a rich rally history as well

as a timeless future. Looking at the car carefully, you can actually feel

the focus and commitment of its developers. What you see and feel is their

expression of emotion captured in one modern masterpiece.

strength of mind

Overtaking is an

instinct

Fluent forms

shaped by the wind

Aero- dynamic beauty

There’s a purpose to every

angle

An ideal natural habitat

36 37

Engine performance curve

Torq

ue (N

m)

Out

put (

kW)

Engine speed (rpm)

217kW(295hp)6500rpm

366Nm3500rpm

CHAPTER FOUR

Science & StudyThe new Lancer Evolution has rightly earned praise from all four corners

of the earth for its rugged good looks and purposeful stance, but its beauty

is not simply confined to what you can see on the surface. Go beneath the

skin and you’ll find a car that is engineered like no other car on earth. In

every area, from its body, suspension and brakes to its engine, gearbox and

aerodynamics, the Lancer Evolution has benefited from the total engineering

integrity approach applied by Mitsubishi Motors’ engineers.

Technical Team

A small group of Mitsubishi’s most experienced engineers headed the team that devel-oped the Lancer Evolution. Led by Ryugo Nakao, he explains how the philosophy of the new car differs from those which preceded it:

‘In developing the Lancer Evolution series to date the main thrust has been how fast we could make them. But in our view things have now changed. Today’s new generation of super high-performance machines need to deliver more than absolute speed; they have to wrap that speed in safety and in comfort. Reconciling these apparently contradictoryperformance qualities became our mission in de-veloping the new model.’ He continues: ‘It has been our wish that customers who for one reason or another gave up their super high-perfor-mance machines now revisit the passion they used to feel, the excitement they used to enjoy. That is the mission that has driven the dramatic progress achieved’.

The new Lancer Evolution product manager was Hideyuki Iwata and he expands on these themes, explaining the motivation

Evolution in terms of automo-tive technology. We gave much thought to what was necessary to realize further advances in Lancer Evolution’s road performance qualities: speed and acceleration, cornering and handling and braking. The answer: go back to the basics. Our focus in this process was not on absolute speed or accelera-tion but rather on-demand, feel-good acceleration.’

behind the new direction taken by the new Lancer Evolution and how the benefit can be seen not just on paper but, most importantly, on the road as well. ‘Firstly, while the major advances made by previous Lancer Evolutions were mostly of a technological and engineering nature, the new Lancer Evolution has leapt forward in the design field too. Working in close cooperation with the designers who created a final shape that has aerodynamic technology built in throughout. There is a purpose to every shape and I believe that the new Lancer Evolution’s functionally appealing design makes those reasons plain to see. Secondly, we have the advances seen in Lancer

Engine team: ‘Drive it and feel its performance and response yourself!’

The result is a car that’s not merely faster but, more importantly, better in every important area. It’s easier yet more fun to drive. It’s more stable in a straight line and quicker around a corner, yet safer both in terms of avoiding an accident and how it behaves if the worst should happen.

It contains the sum total of Mitsubishi’s unique engineering knowledge and represents the single largest step forward in the entire 16 year history of the legendary Lancer Evolution. It is no exaggeration at all to

call it a technical masterpiece, a car where everything has a place and a purpose, a car brimming with state of the art technology, yet utterly devoid of pointless gimmicks. This chapter will explain in detail the most important techno- logical developments within the Lancer Evolution, intro-duce you to the people responsible for them and explain their importance to the car.

EnginE

The new Lancer Evolution is the

first in the history of the breed to

feature an aluminium engine block,

leading to a saving of 12.5kg.

The S-AWC development team: ‘Seamless control brings driving pleasure

and reassuring security.’

38 39

Computer

Engine load

Cam angle sensor

Oil control valve

Exhaust MIVEC actuator Intake MIVEC actuator

4B11

495mm

Rearward facing exhaust manifold layout

4G63

10mmdownward

630mm

Power unit

the new 4B11 DoHC MiVeC turbocharged engine takes up the

mantle from the 4G63 and is now powering the new Lancer

evolution. in developing the new power unit, efforts focused

on creating a high output engine that returned excellent fuel

economy with clean emissions.

the 4B11 uses a forward facing intake and rearward facing

exhaust ports. this change has eliminated the need to run the

exhaust pipe under the engine, allowing the engine to be lowered

by 10mm and contributing to a lower centre of gravity.

Engine and Turbo

To most ‘4G63’ is just a collection of letters and numbers, but to true Lancer Evolution aficionados they are a legend, for this is the designated title of every Lancer Evolution engine of the last 15 years. But now there’s a new name in town, it’s called 4B11 and, in years to come, it will become as revered as its predecessor, for it is the designation of the all new engine used by the new Lancer Evolution. Although it retains the 2-litre, four cylinder, twin-cam, 16-

only lighter as a result, but more compact, allowing it to be positioned 10mm lower than in the Lancer Evolution IX and so lowering the centre of gravity.

Titanium Turbo

Crucial to the effectiveness of any turbocharged engine is the speed at which the turbo can respond, and by using a titanium turbine wheel in the turbocharger, response times have been improved by up to 18 per cent over the previous model.

valve design architecture of its illustrious forebears, it is new, quite literally from the ground up.

Most notable is that its block is now made from cast aluminium, saving 12.5kg but at the same time it produces more power (295hp at 6500rpm) and more torque (366Nm at 3500rpm) than the engine it replaces.

It was designed to be inherently smooth-running, negating the need for the secondary balancer shafts found on the 4G63 and is not

Highly effective: a

titanium turbine

wheel with aluminium

compressor wheel.

MIVEC continuous VVT system35° change in exhaust cam angle

At max. advance At max. retard

At max. retard

At max. advance

Cam phase angle Advance chamber Retard chamber

Valve overlap

At max. retard At max. advance Intermediate position

Crank angle

25° change in intake cam angle

to increase accuracy

and durability the new

4B11 employs a timing

chain instead of a

timing belt.

the variable valve

timing of the 4B11

changes the cam

angles on the intake

and exhaust cams,

depending on engine

speed and load.

New cylinder head with double variable valve timing

The 4B11 engine features a truly innovative aluminium cylinder head that helps to save weight and to improve cooling efficiency as well as fuel economy.

Unlike its 4G63 predecessor, the new engine features direct valve activation rather than employing a rocker system to increase valve response, to improve the level of accuracy and reliability, and finally also to

intake valve to maximise air volume in the combustion chamber. Similarly if optimal low speed torque is asked for, the intake valve timing is advanced while the exhaust valve timing is retarded.

allow higher engine speeds. But most notable is that the famed Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) which continuously varies the valve timing now operates on the exhaust as well as the intake valves. This improves torque and output over the full rev range, especially in the lower and middle range.

In normal driving, this ensures increased valve overlap to maximise fuel efficiency but as soon as more power is required, it will delay the closure of the

40 41

twin CLutCH systeM

the secret of the tC-sst is

that it is effectively two three

speed gearboxes – one for odd

numbered gears and one for even

ones – mounted on the same

output shaft.

New Lancer Evolution Lancer Evolution IX

5-speed M/T synchromesh comparison

Single synchromesh

Singlesynchromesh

Multi-synchromesh(double)

4th5th

5th

4th

Shift fork 4

Shift fork 3No.2 clutch (even gears)

No.1 clutch (odd gears)

Centre differential

Driving in 1st gear Driving in 2nd gear2nd gear pre-select

Shift fork 2

Transfer gear

Shift fork 1

Twin Clutch SST

Twin Clutch SST shifting mechanism (from 1st to 2nd gear)

Even gearinput shaft

Odd gearinput shaft

A toggle switch allows

the driver to choose

between normal,

sport and super sport

modes.

Twin Clutch Sport Shift Transmission (TC-SST)

Another all-new development for the Lancer Evolution is its Twin Clutch SST. This gearbox not only offers the best features of both automatic and manual transmissions: it exceeds them.

Apart from the steering wheel-mounted paddles, it appears just like a conven-tional automatic: there are two pedals and a centre-console mounted gearshift. However the six speed TC-SST gearbox has no torque converter making it more efficient than a normal automatic. Instead it uses two clutches, one to engage the gear in use, the other to pre-select the next gear required. That way, when the command for the next gear is given either by the driver or, in automatic mode, by the on-board computer, the change takes place instantaneously.

Automatic mode – activated when the gearshifter is in ‘D’ - leads to seamlessly smooth gearchanges, but also when the driver moves into manual mode, either by using the steering wheel paddles or moving the gear lever into its manual plane, the shift quality is both quicker and smoother than any human could manage.

In addition to offering both manual and automatic gear selection, the TC-SST also offers three distinct driving modes, operated by a button

located behind the gear stick. In ‘Normal’ mode, gears are changed as smoothly as possible at relatively low revs, to maximise comfort and economy. ‘Sport’ mode is ideal for spirited country driving and both quickens the shifts and raises change points. The ‘S-Sport’ (Super-Sport) mode is really intended for purely sporting environ-ments like race tracks and offers up the fastest con-ceivable shift times while letting the engine reach peak revs between changes, never

the well proven principle of using inverted strut front suspension and a multi-link rear axle, all aspects of its design from its geometry to its spring, damper and roll-bar rates have been rethought from scratch. World-leading Eibach springs complete with Bilstein dampers are used at each corner.

At the front, the suspension has been modified to accom-modate the 18” Enkei wheels or even lighter BBS forged alloy wheels with their 245/40 section tyres while improving steering precision and, through the extensive use of aluminium, keeping unsprung weight – one of the greatest enemies of the chassis engineer – to a minimum.

At the rear, forged aluminium is used for both the upper and lower arms while the entire assembly is more rigidly mounted to the car’s structure to improve handling response and minimise vibration.

Combined with the Lancer Evolution’s added structural rigidity, this suspension system offers great wheel control, superb grip yet added ride comfort and refinement.

falling below 4500 rpm in automatic mode. The TC-SST allows the driver to achieve the quickest possible accele-ration from rest, by removing human error and therefore consistently improving acceleration times.

So if you can imagine the smoothest automatic gearbox and the quickest manual you can think of in the same car, you have an idea of what Mitsubishi’s TC-SST gearbox can achieve.

The new Lancer Evolution is also available with a standard five speed manual gearbox designed to have a greater torque handling capacity than that in the car it replaces, combined with a more satisfying shift quality.

Suspension

Like the rest of the car, the suspension of the Lancer Evolution has been entirely revised. Although it follows

twin Clutch sst team:

‘Lightning-fast and

seamless

shifting feel.’

steering wheel-mounted magnesium shift paddles.

the five speed manual

transmission of the

new Lancer evolu-

tion uses multi-cone

synchronizer rings for

improved performance

and durability.

For a high-performance sedan to realize unrivalled handling and response it must have a superior suspen-

sion system that provides the maximum tyre/surface contact and grip. the Lancer evolution’s suspension

system has been set up for outstanding cornering performance while at the same time delivering a quality of

ride comfort that befits a new generation sports sedan. BBs forged alloy wheel.

42 43

Active Yaw ControlActive Centre Differential

Active Stability Control

Anti-lock Braking System

Braking

Acceleration from standstill

Entering corner

Pulling out of corner

Oversteer

Understeer

component in operation

Active YAw control

AYc regulates the torque differential between the rear wheels

to enhance cornering performance and traction.

S-Awc System

the S-Awc system provides three

distinct strategies for the driver to

choose between, for use when the

car is being driven on snow, gravel

or tarmac.

Super All Wheel Control

Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) is a short name for a number of different electro-nic and mechanical devices that work together to create the way the Lancer Evolution responds to the driver. It is no exaggeration to call this system unrivalled by any other in existence and it provides the latest Lancer Evolution with the ability to build further upon the already staggering dynamic reputation of the previous nine genera-tions of Lancer Evolution.

Active Yaw Control (AYC)

AYC remains a feature unique among road cars to the Lancer Evolution and has been developed further for this tenth generation. As in previous versions, an electronically controlled rear differential takes informa-tion about longitudinal and lateral acceleration, steering angle and wheel speed and apportions torque between the rear wheels according to need. In addition the new Lancer Evolution now has the ability to compare the attitude of the car to that

As before, the S-AWC can be tailored to snow, gravel or tarmac surfaces at the flick of a switch.

Active Centre Differential (ACD)

At the heart of the S-AWC system lies an active centre differential. Unlike passive systems that react only to the detection of a loss of grip at either axle, the ACD also takes electronic information from the S-AWC system to determine the optimal torque split between the front and rear axles and distributes it via a hydraulic multi-plate clutch.

intended by the driver and, using AYC, make the neces-sary adjustments to ensure the driver’s wishes are car-ried out.

Active Stability Control (ASC)

Using sensors located around the car, ASC allows wheel slip at either end of the car to be detected immediately and, by strategically applying each individual brake according to need, prevents a loss of control developing. The sys-tem is so swift to react and so smooth in its actions, the driver is often unaware of its operation.

Sports ABS

This system uses sensors at all four wheels to prevent wheels from locking even under the most extreme braking. The system has been designed to be as

Active centre DifferentiAl

AcD regulates the speed differential between front and rear wheels to enhance steering response and

traction.

S-Awc indicator on Multi-information display.

S-AWC’s vehicle dynamics control system

CAN cableElectric linesHydraulic lines

ACDtransfer

IndicatorASC OFF switch

ACD / AYC hydraulic unitSteering angle sensorWheel speed sensor

AYC differential

S-AWC mode selecter

Engine

TMTM

ECU

ETACS

S-AWCECU

EngineECU

Integrated yaw & G sensorASC / ABS hydraulic unit & ECU

S-AWC system

ABS

Active Stability Control (ASC)

AYC (brake force control)

AYC (lateral torque vectoring)

Deg

ree

of c

ontro

l / b

enef

it

ACD

Driving statusStable Critical

Activation of S-AWC components

non-intrusive as possible and comes complete with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) that makes sure each wheel has the maximum possible braking power available at all times.

44 45

Roof

Fenders

Front bumper beam

Enginebonnet

Use of aluminium panels

A v-shaped brace

greatly increases the

torsional stiffness of

the body structure.

Critically, the new Lancer Evolution also has a wheel-base that is 25mm longer than the Lancer Evolution IX and a track that is 30mm wider, offering yet more stable handling, better grip and improved ride comfort.

Safety

With the Lancer Evolution, safety is not something that’s been added, it’s been designed into the car at an almost molecular level. There is no more important responsibility for any car than to ensure the safety of its occupants and, as we shall see, whether you measure a car’s ability to avoid an accident or how it performs if the worst does happen, the new Lancer Evolution is one of the safest ultra-high performance cars ever made.

Body and chassis

The key to making any car handle properly is achiev-ing first class structural stiffness and the new Lancer Evolution is over 50 per cent stiffer than the Lancer Evo-lution IX, providing a superb platform for the suspension systems to work. This has been achieved through the use of high and super-high tensile steels in the car’s structure, to maximise rigid-ity while, at the same time, keeping weight gain to a minimum.

Aluminium is used extensively in the construction of the new Lancer Evolution, with the roof, bonnet, front fenders and front and rear bumper beams being made from the ultra-light material. This serves not simply to keep weight to a minimum, but also to con-centrate mass in the centre of the car and keep the centre of gravity as low as possible which is also critical to creat-ing a great handling car.

equipped with force limit-ers. For added pedestrian protection, the bonnet is now supported by a corrugated rather than a conventional beam structure to reduce injuries.

Passive safety

Like all Lancers, the new Lancer Evolution is built around Mitsubishi’s cut-ting edge RISE (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) monocoque structure. This massively strong assembly employs the strategic use of ultra-high tensile steels never seen before in any previous Lancer Evolution model to ensure maximum crash protection from the front, side and rear. The body is designed to direct impact forces away from the occupants and for the car’s extremities to deform in a pre-programmed manner while the passengers remain safe within a steel safety cell.

As well as this structural strength, all new Lancer Evolutions come with seven airbags as standard – adding a driver’s knee airbag to go with the more usual front, side and curtain airbags, while the front seatbelts are both pre-tensioned and

High rigidity body

functional air ducts in the aluminium bonnet.

Seven airbags including a knee airbag

as standard.

torsional rigidity +40%

flexural rigidity +60%

(compared to lancer evolution iX)

red parts: specially reinforced parts

for the new lancer evolution.

46 47

Undercover Transfer cooling airflowBrake cooling airflow

the airflow

underneath the

front of the car.

Bi-xenon headlamps

with cornering lamps.

Bonnet air intakeBonnet air outlet

Fender vent

Fenders Side skirt

Large rear spoilerRear combinationlamp units

Front edge of engine bonnet

Lower surface of front bumperFront wheel arch rear lip

Front wheel arch airdam

Body parts with aerodynamic properties

the lancer evolution’s body has been developed to realize superior overall

aerodynamic performance both in terms of air resistance and downforce.

styled to decrease drag and lift. Underneath the car, air is channelled by diffusers to increase downforce and therefore grip and stability at high speeds while, at the back, the substantial rear spoiler also plays an important part in maintaining the car’s aero-dynamic balance and handling consistency at all speeds.On its way past the car, the airflow is also used to help

Airflow design

From front to back, every surface of the new Lancer Evolution, including the one you can’t see under the car, has been designed to exploit the air flowing over it.

At the front, large air-intakes ensure the engine receives the cooling it needs while the whole front bumper is

extract hot air from under the bonnet, cool the brakes, further reduce drag and lift and cool the car’s trans-mission. Even the exhaust system has been strategi-cally located so as to ensure the most aerodynamically efficient exit path for the engine gases.

www.lancer-evolution.eu

Active safety

At a fundamental level, the Lancer Evolution’s speed, agility and all-wheel drive system gives it a huge ad-vantage over conventional cars when it comes to avoid-ing accidents. In addition to this, all the functions of the S-AWC system discussed earlier do not merely make the car more fun to drive, they also make it far easier to control in an emergency situation.

And when it comes to the simple business of slowing the car, the Lancer Evolu-

illuminate your direction of travel during manoeuvring at speeds below 100km/h, depending on the steering angle.

tion has some of the best equipment in the world to help, in the shape of massive Brembo brakes. With 350mm ventilated discs with four piston calipers at the front and 330mm items at the rear (up from, respectively, 330 and 310mm for the Lancer Evolution IX), the new Lancer Evolution offers massive stopping power even before electronic safety systems like S-ABS and EBD need to be triggered.

Another active safety feature is bi-xenon headlamps with cornering lamps which

the new lancer

evolution offers

massive stopping

power.

48

CHAPTER FIVE

Naturalselection

What’s 295hp without feet on the pedals? What’s S-AWC without two

hands clasped around the steering wheel? A driver’s car without a driver?

Nothing. The Lancer Evolution is a car meant for enthusiasts – built by and

for passionate people. Men and women who appreciate every single second

in their Lancer Evolution. Time to introduce some of those Evoists.

Name: Uwe NittelAge: 38Place of residence: Adelmannsfelden, GermanyOccupation: Rally driver My Lancer Evolution:“The Lancer Evolution has become a part of me since 1995 and I’ve achieved a lot of success in my sport with it. I trust it, both professionally and privately.”

Best thing about the Lancer Evolution?“Performance, dynamics and safety are the features that make

the Lancer Evolution the ultimate driving machine. What I love about the Lancer Evolution, is the good inclination of performance. It has an incredibly powerful torque band, starting already in the low end torque. The Lancer Evolution is the personification of reliability. It’s simple to handle, flashy and fast in all ways.”

Most memorable Lancer Evolution moment?“During a gravel test in the south of France in the spring of 1996, it was my job to test the Lancer Evolution under the hardest conditions close

“It’s simple to handle, flashy and fast in all ways”

to and over the limit. I tested the car for 3 days as a preparation for the world championship rally season of 1996. To me it was unbelievable how stable and robust it could be. This experience was the foundation for my lasting trust in the Lancer Evolution.”

Extra remarks:“With the new dual clutch transmission in the new Lancer Evolution, Mitsubishi takes a trend setting step into the future and sets high standards for the competition.”

Name: Rachel ChandlerAge: 38Place of residence: Gloucestershire, EnglandOccupation: Traffic Police Officer

Biggest passions and/or favourite free time activities: “My biggest passion is driving. I relish the challenge of driving different sorts of vehicles on different sorts of terrains. My most unusual vehicle driven was a fully tracked Snowcat in the Gloucestershire floods of 2007.” Most memorable Lancer Evolution moment: “I have had many memorable Lancer Evolution moments. Most

of these are when members of the public drive stupidly and erratically and I know that the next thing they see when they look in their rear view mirror is me right up behind them. They do not escape from being prosecuted.” What I did or would do to personalize my Lancer Evolution: “I would like full harnesses in the car. Often our pursuits are on the back roads and we get thrown around a lot. I also feel that a lighting pod would be good because at night often my speed is faster than the headlights can illuminate the road.”

Name: Gavin CrozierAge: 46Place of residence: Gloucestershire, EnglandOccupation: Traffic Police Officer

Favourite place for driving:“Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire England. It has many good, open and demanding roads as well as hazards to negotiate.”

Best thing about the Lancer Evolution:“ Its amazing acceleration and handling: It’s the closest you can get to driving a motorcycle.”

Extra remark:“This was the Gloucestershire Police’s best ever investment in a vehicle and has been able to send a message to the criminal fraternity that they will not be able to evade capture and prosecution”

“The criminal fraternity

will not be able to evade

capture and prosecution”

Name: Steve WoodwardAge: 43Place of residence: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, EnglandOccupation: IT Assistant

My Lancer Evolutions:“Lancer Evolution VIII (FQ300), an Evolution VIII (MR FQ340) and now a Evo IX (MR FQ 360). Needless to say bring on the new Lancer Evolution, I can’t wait to see what it has to offer.” Biggest passions and/or favourite pastime activities: “A large part of my life is taken up with my primary passion of Wing Chun Kung Fu, a Chinese martial art famously trained by Bruce Lee.”

Best thing about the Lancer Evolution:“The Lancer Evolution fulfils all of my needs and it does everything that I want it to do extremely well. Lancer Evolution ownership is like being part of an elite club which means you have friends everywhere that have a common passion. I feel privileged to be able to drive a Lancer Evolution whenever I want.”

What I did to personalize my Lancer Evolution:“My current car is still very new and has a lot of items that I would have bought if keeping my previous

“Lancer Evolution ownership is like being part of an elite club”

model. However I can see in the future that I may wish to enhance it more and on the list would predominantly be performance parts like new wheels and tyres, an induction kit, ECU upgrade, turbo boost controller and upgraded suspension and brake calipers / discs.”

Most memorable Evo moment? “My first ever test drive of an Evolution because that is what started my passion!”

Name: Helmut WendelAge: 41Place of residence: Darmstadt, GermanyOccupation: Assistant Manager, Overall Vehicle Testing, Mitsubishi Motor R&D Europe

Favourite place for driving:“Small handling tracks with rally characteristics, most preferably covered with gravel or snow.”

Most memorable Lancer Evolution moment:“So many moments with the car, but most memorable were the two years working together with Mr. Evolution, Hiroshi Fujii.”

What I did to personalize my Lancer Evolution:“If I would own a Lancer Evolution, I would try to get signatures on the bonnet from all my colleagues involved in the development of this car.”

Extra remarks: “Now, after the development of the new Lancer Evolution is done, I am looking forward to start up the development for the next generation. Trying my best to bring even bigger Evo-smiles on our customers’ faces.”

Name: Ralph HoffmannAge: 58Place of residence: Wiesbaden, GermanyOccupation: Manager Function Testing, Mitsubishi Motor R&D Europe

My Lancer Evolution:“During my activities for MRDE it was my task to evaluate and tune the driving performance of many Lancer Evolution generations. That gives me the opportunity to observe every new development.”

What I did or would do to personalize my Lancer Evolution:“I believe the new Lancer Evolution is an allround highly-developed and sporty sedan. Therefore I would not make any modifications. Only an engine with an even higher performance would be suitable.”

Extra remark:“Looking ahead I see a challenge to develop the new Lancer Evolution generation to the next level with new technologies and with the goal to reach continuous technical innovations for the generations to come.”

“I try my best to bring even bigger Evo-smiles on our

customers’ faces.”

Name: Jackie ChanAge: 53Place of residence: Hong KongOccupation: Actor, director, producer, singer, businessman, philanthropist

My Lancer Evolution:“I’ve owned three or four generations of the Lancer Evolution. The one that I own now is a special Jackie Chan Edition which I helped design.” Biggest passions and/or favourite pastime activities: “I love making films, spending time with friends, and of course driving!

When I’m not working, my biggest passion is my charity work. My Dragon’s Heart Foundation builds schools in remote areas of China and I travel to these locations when I’m not filming. For me, charity work is the best way to spend my free time.”

Best thing about the Lancer Evolution:“The Lancer Evolution can either be a gentleman or a devil. It’s classy looking but it’s also powerful like a sports car. It’s a Mitsubishi and it’s the fulfilment of all the things I like most in a car.”

“It’s a Mitsubishi and it’s the fulfilment of all the things I like most in a car”

What I did to personalize my Lancer Evolution:“My Special Edition Jackie Chan Lancer Evolution IX has a customized bonnet, side doors, engine accents, seat covers, wheels, etc. My ‘Dragon logo’ is used to make the car uniquely ‘Jackie’.”

Extra remarks: “I’ve been working with Mitsubishi for over 30 years and the reason for this is that I believe in their product. They have supported me with vehicles for my movies and I have given them my loyalty.”

Power of movement

Lancer Evolution. The perfect name for a car that morphed from a

mainstream mass production sedan when first launched in Japan in 1992,

into a fierce, purpose-built rally weapon and has relentlessly become faster

and more focussed with every passing year. Indeed in its tenth iteration,

the Lancer Evolution has taken another momentous step, transcending

its role as Mitsubishi’s rallying warrior and maturing into a sophisticated

high-performance sedan, as capable of tackling everyday life as it is

attacking the Col du Turini.

CHAPTER SIX

55

Our Lancer Evolutions are making quite

a spectacle as we power through the

gloom

At the heart of our route is Black Mountain. It sounds like a foreboding place straight out of Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ and looks like it when there’s a bank of brooding rain clouds fast approaching the crags and jagged pine-topped ridges of this remote area of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Yet it’s also a place of rare colour and beauty: a palette of greens, blacks, greys dappled with flashes of burnt browns and rich yellows, that stretch to the sky. It’s a scene punctuated by

It’s to another location steeped in rallying history that we’ve come to test the new Lancer Evolution. As the modern home of Great Britain’s World Rally Championship round, Wales boasts the fast forest tracks that provide the world’s best rally drivers with a unique and unforgiving challenge, while the endlessly varied and often deserted public roads that criss-cross the rugged region are something mere mortals can enjoy.

broad blocks of dark, impen-etrable pine forests, the oc-casional shimmering stream and, most excitingly, solitary and seemingly endless rib-bons of tarmac that wind and jump tantalisingly in and out of view on their course to the horizon. If you’re lucky enough to be in a Lancer Evolution, it’s a driver’s paradise.

Actually we have two new Lancer Evolutions: one equipped with Mitsubishi’s new six speed Twin Clutch

56

It’s in these situations that S-AWC comes into

its own

various dynamic components – Active Yaw Control (AYC), Ac-tive Centre Differential (ACD), Active Stability Control (ASC) and Sports Anti-lock Braking System (S-ABS) – and builds a precise picture of how close you are to reaching the limits of cornering and braking, or by how far you have overstepped the mark. Then, and all within tiny, imperceptible fractions of a second, it will divert torque or apply braking to individual wheels to tidy your trajectory or help you regain control.

Sport Shift Transmission (TC-SST) with shift paddles, the other with a five speed manual gearbox. It’s going to be fasci-nating to see how they tackle Black Mountain, and how the new Lancer Evolution’s totally redesigned all-wheel drive chassis copes with the challenges ahead. This also applies to the new Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) sys-tem. This complex integrated control system continuously takes information from the new Lancer Evolution’s

It is this unique synthesis of mechanical and electronic driving aids that gives the new Lancer Evolution a feel unlike any other car on sale.

For now though it’s time to enjoy more simple pleasures. Our pair of Lancer Evolutions make quite a spectacle as we power through the gloom. Their bright headlights reflecting in the road’s wet sheen, plumes of spray lifting as we cut through deep puddles of standing water.

59

60

Lancer Evolution’s progress. It’s also a strange sensation to be enjoying the tactility and feedback from the powerful Brembo brakes and precise, responsive steering first hand, yet also seeing the experience played out before you (or be-hind you) like a movie. Broad and muscular, yet compact enough to make sense on tight, twisty roads, the new Lancer Evolution is supremely suited to the conditions. With plenty of smooth, progressive power on-tap from the lighter,

Out here in the wilds of Wales there’s gravel too, which gives us the perfect excuse to switch the all-wheel drive system’s differential settings from ‘Tarmac’ to ‘Gravel’ mode via a switch on the centre console (MR version) or mounted on the steering wheel (GSR version), underlining the feeling that whatever you throw at it, the new Lancer Evolution has the answer.

Whether leading or following, it’s huge fun to watch the other

cleaner, all-new, all-alloy 2.0-litre turbocharged MIVEC engine you can choose to enjoy the Lancer Evolution’s broad spread of torque, or drop a gear or two and unleash all 295hp.

Unsurprisingly we’re having a fantastic time, but on these difficult and unforgiving roads it pays to remember that there’s always the possibility of an unseen crest, standing water or a tricky, tightening corner. It’s in these situations

Time and technology

have certainly broadened the Lancer Evolution’s

everyday suitability

60 61

62 63

that is exactly how the Lancer Evolution encourages you to drive on the road. Driven thus there can surely be no swifter or safer way to slice along such a demanding stretch of road. Yet were you to take it to a track and really throw it around, you know the Lancer Evolution would indulge its driver, respond like a true thoroughbred while always keeping a watchful eye open for that moment when the driver’s enthusiasm extends further than his talent.

that S-AWC comes into its own. It’s like having an invisible expert riding alongside you, a confidence-inspiring friend to smooth your inputs and hone your progress. Of course it’s not a licence to abandon com-mon sense – indeed if you get too ragged or overly ambitious S-AWC emphatically stamps its authority – and with time you realise that the most fun and the quickest, safest way from point to point is to drive smoothly and deftly, not by being overly aggressive. And

But back on the mountain, the Lancer Evolution is revealing more of its strengths. The all-new Twin Clutch SST delivers breathtakingly smooth and rapid shifts, not to mention uncannily intuitive progress when used in automatic mode. It uses two clutches, one to engage the gear in use, the other to pre-select the next gear to be required. S-AWC employs incredibly complex electronics to deliver a subtle, safe and supremely organic-feeling experience. Yet despite

Confidently battling

through fast terrains and foul weather

64 65

It’s the Lancer Evolution’s

sense of completeness that leaves the most enduring impression

rocket out of a tight corner, or feeling the S-AWC trim your line as the car flows across fast and flowing terrain, it always feels at home, in and under control. Time and technology have certainly broadened the new Lancer Evolution’s everyday versatil-ity, but still if you show this latest generation Lancer Evolution an amazing road, it will deliver you an amazing experience in return. Deliver-ing an experience few cars at any price can deliver, every

these exceptional elements it’s not one single facet that stands out, rather it’s the Lancer Evolution’s sense of cohesion and completeness – not to mention its towering point-to-point performance - that leaves the most enduring impression.

Perhaps the best way of conveying the feeling is to say that the new Lancer Evolution always feels in its element. It doesn’t matter if you’re using the all-wheel drive system to

time you climb aboard the Lancer Evolution and head off down a favourite road, it creates the impression that Mitsubishi’s engineers have been down the same stretch of tarmac and tailored the car precisely to its requirements. They didn’t of course, but that all-round ability is the magic that has defined the Lancer Evolution breed since its incep-tion 16 years ago. And now it has been reborn on a new plane: faster, more enjoyable and safer than ever before.

www.lancer-evolution.eu

65

66

CHAPTER SEVEN

Evolutionarypsychology

The Lancer Evolution’s interior is characterized by clean and crisp surfaces,

it’s free of superfluous gimmicks, only using high-quality materials and is

marked by careful attention to detail. Some of these details merit special

attention. Not only because of the innovations in the areas of safety,

comfort and technology but also because they just look beautiful.

Split second shifting

The Twin Clutch Sport Shift Transmission (TC-SST) can be operated

manually using the lightweight magnesium shift paddles mounted on

the steering column. The paddles allow the driver to shift between gears

without taking his hands off the steering wheel. Changing gears manually

using the shift paddles is possible even when the TC-SST is switched to

automatic mode.

68 69

Concert hall on wheels

Fitted as standard to all Lancer Evolution MR models is the Rockford

Fosgate premium sound system, capable of reproducing music at

outstanding quality that has rightly won universal praise. The system

uses a 650-Watt 8-channel power amplifier and nine speakers including a

subwoofer in the rear to deliver awesome high-fidelity sound. It’s assisted

by the use of acoustic and damping material to seal off openings inside the

doors and turn them into speaker boxes. The layout for the premium sound

system was carefully planned at the start of the car’s development and

design process. Thanks to the DSP (Digital Signal Processor) the system

delivers crystal-clear clarity, concert hall-like sound and awesome deep

bass notes.

Gigabytes of functions and fun

The Lancer Evolution MR models also feature the Mitsubishi Multi

Communication System with HDD navigation and music server with a 30Gb

hard disk. The 7-inch LCD screen offers excellent clarity and touchscreen

convenience while the controls of the unit are readily accessible for

optimum ease of use. The system’s large capacity hard drive offers ultra-

fast search and route-finding capabilities. It also provides a wide range of

entertainment sources: FM/AM radio, DVD drive (CD/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD

video compatible) and a music server with a capacity to store up to 2,000

tracks. The latter also boasts a CD database music recognition service that

supports MP3/WMA players, which can be directly connected to the system

via an auxiliary input port in the front centre console. The steering wheel

features remote controls for the audio system and Bluetooth hands-free

telephone operation.

70

The perfect seats

The front seats in the new Lancer Evolution have once again been

developed by Recaro — a company with a legendary reputation for making

seats that provide excellent body location and support. The new Recaro

seats guarantee to keep your body safely and comfortably positioned in all

circumstances – even when you’re driving on a race track. Yet they are also

extremely safety conscious offering robust construction and side airbag

compatibility. But these seats are not just designed to keep you firmly in

place during extreme cornering – they are also unfailingly comfortable

over long journeys. When you arrive at your destination still feeling fresh

and without any aches or pain, you’ll know these seats don’t just look good

– in all respects they are among the best in the business.

72 73

CHAPTER EIGHT

REVIEWSIn a constant stream of new cars introduced yearly, the Lancer Evolution

has always been one of the most eagerly awaited. With the arrival of

the new Lancer Evolution, the hearts of motoring journalists

around the world are starting to beat faster and faster. Everyone’s waiting

to test drive the most anticipated car of 2008. A happy few already have.

Here’s a compilation of their reactions.

“EXPLOSIVE - Mitsubishi has retained the explosive performance while adding a new-found level of refinement.”

Source: evo (UK)

“FINE-TUNED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE - Almost without any understeer the Mitsubishi cuts through every corner.”

Source: Autobild (Germany)

“WORLD-BEATER - The Evo’s looks, performance and high-tech chassis should deliver the most sensational Evo yet.”

Source: Car Magazine (UK)

“IMPRESSIVE - Scalpel-sharp handling, astonishing grip, strong linear performance and a twin-clutch gearbox that shifts amazingly quickly. A more accessible, user-friendly Evo, and all the more rapid as a result.”

Source: Autocar (UK)

“EVO REVOLUTION - The wildest, grippiest, most awesome Evo they’ve ever made.”

Source: Front (UK)

“DIAMOND FEVER - Mitsubishi, the brand with the logo sporting three diamonds, has introduced a new edition of the Lancer Evolution. The four-wheel-drive sports sedan should make the hearts of fans beat faster, starting this spring.”

Source: Autozeitung (Germany)

“GOING FAST - The new Evo spills not even a single brake horsepower. The entire power span is translated effectively into speed – whether it’s in a straight line or through a corner. This car has only one goal: going fast. With the new Evo, Mitsubishi once again shows the world what it’s capable of.”

Source: Autovisie (The Netherlands)

EVO

AuTObild

CAr

AuTOCAr

frOnT

AuTOzEiTunG

AuTOViSiE

74 75

CHAPTER NINE

Varieties ofspecies

The tenth iteration of the Lancer Evolution is more versatile and

more complete than ever before. The eight chapters prior to this one

focused on almost all aspects. But still not everything has been covered.

There is more to tell. Trim levels, equipment, colours, accessories, technical

specifications, dimensions... In Varieties of Species you’ll find an overview of

everything that goes into the new Lancer Evolution.

GSR

Key features

• Frontgrillewithsilvermeshandchromeframe

• Colour-keyedairinletandoutletsonbonnetandcolour-keyedairoutletsonfenders

• 18”BBSforgedalloywheels• Brembodiscbrakes350mm4-pot

(2-piece,front)and330mm2-pot(rear)• Upgradedhighperformancesuspension -Eibachupgradedsprings(front&rear) -Bilsteinupgradedshockabsorbers

(front&rear)• Twin-ClutchSportShiftTransmission

(TC-SST)• Leatherwrappedsteeringwheelwith -Bluetoothhands-freecontrols -Audioremotecontrols -Cruisecontrol• ActiveCentreDifferential(ACD)switchon

centreconsole• Recarobucketseats,leather/alcantara

type,withfrontseatheating• MitsubishiMultiCommunicationSystem

withHDDnavigationwithmusicserver,AM/FMradioandCD/DVD/MP3player(30GB,touchscreen,TMC)

• RockfordFosgatepremiumaudiosystemwith9speakersand650Wamplifier

• KeylessOperationSystem(KOS)• Silencerupgrade

Key features

• Frontgrillewithblackmeshandblackframe

• Blackairinletandoutletsonbonnetandblackairoutletsonfenders

• 18”ENKEIalloywheels• Brembodiscbrakes350mm4-pot(front)

and330mm2-pot(rear)• Aluminiumrearspoiler• Blackairdiffuserintherear• Chromeplatedlargedualexhaustpipes• Bi-xenonheadlampswithcorneringlamps

andheadlampwashers• SuperAll-WheelControl(S-AWC)• Twin-ClutchSportShiftTransmission

(TC-SST)orManualTransmission• Leatherwrappedsteeringwheelwith

ActiveCentreDifferential(ACD)switch• Aluminiumpedals• Recarobucketseats,fabrictype• Keylessentrysystem

MR

76 77

3

4

5

6

1

2

Model GSR MR

1 CoolSilver(M) A31 ● ●

2 LightningBlue(P) D06 ● ●

3 StoneGrey(P) A39 ● ●

4 PhantomBlack(P) U02 ● ●

5 FrostWhite(S) W37 ● ●

6 OrientRed(M) P26 ● ●

EXTERIOR COLOURS

● available(M) Metallic(S) Solid(P) Mica/Pearl

78 79

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Model GSR MR

Safety and Security

Driver’sandfrontpassenger’sSRSdualstagefrontairbags(withcut-offswitchforpassenger) ● ●

Driver’sandfrontpassenger’sSRSsideairbags ● ●

Curtainairbagsforfirstandsecondrow ● ●

Driver’skneeairbag ● ●

SportsABS(Anti-lockBrakingSystem)withElectronicBrake-forceDistribution(EBD)andBrakeAssist(BA) ● ●

ActiveStabilityandTractionControl(ASTC)withswitch-offfunction ● ●

Front3-pointELRseatbeltswithforce-limiterandpretensionerx2 ● ●

Secondrow3-pointELR/ALRseatbeltx3 ● ●

Seatbeltwarning(visuallyandacoustically) ● ●

TetheranchorforISO-FIXchildseatx2(forsecondrowseat) ● ●

ReinforcedImpactSafetyEvolution(RISE)body ● ●

Heightadjustableseatbeltanchorsforfrontseats ● ●

Frontstruttowerbar ● ●

Emergencydoorunlocksystem ● ●

Exterior

18”ENKEIalloywheelswith245/70R18tyres ● -

18”BBSforgedalloywheelswith245/70R18tyres - ●

Blackbeltlinemoulding ● -

Chromebeltlinemoulding - ●

Frontgrillewithblackmeshandblackframe ● -

Frontgrillewithsilvermeshandchromeframe - ●

Blackairinletandoutletsonbonnetandblackairoutletsonfenders ● -

Colour-keyedairinletandoutletsonbonnetandcolour-keyedairoutletsonfenders - ●

Colour-keyedelectronicallycontrolleddoormirrorswithdefoggers ● ●

Chromeplatedlargedualexhaustpipes ● ●

Blackairdiffuserintherear ● ●

Aluminiumrearspoiler ● ●

Interior

Leatherwrappedsteeringwheelandshiftknob ● ●

Leatherwrappedhandbrake - ●

Keycylinderillumination ● -

Highcontrastmeterpanel ● ●

MagnesiumshiftpaddlesforTwin-ClutchSportShiftTransmission(TC-SST) ● ●

Aluminiumsportpedals(throttle,brake,clutch) ● ●

Cooledglovebox ● ●

Floorconsoleboxwithcentrearmrest ● ●

Frontpassenger’svanitymirror ● ●

Frontcupholderswithlidx2 ● ●

12Vsocketincentreconsole ● ●

Metallicpatterninteriordecorationpanel ● ●

Airoutletpanelswithchromeaccent ● ●

Model GSR MR

Comfort

Cruisecontrol(includingsteeringwheelremotecontrolswitches) - ●

Multi-modekeylessentrysystemwithtwotransmitters ● -

KeylessOperationSystem(KOS)withtwotransmitters - ●

Indicatorwithcomfortmode ● ●

Heightadjustablesteeringwheel ● ●

Fullyautomaticair-conditioning ● ●

Auto-lightandrainsensorwithautovariableintermittentwipers ● ●

Frontandrearanti-trappingpowerwindows ● ●

Heatreflectinggreenglassforallwindows ● ●

Audio and Communication

AM/FMradio,CDplayer,MP3compatible,6speakers ● -

RockfordFosgatepremiumaudiosystemwith9speakers,650Wamplifier - ●

MitsubishiMultiCommunicationSystemwithHDDnavigationandmusicserver,AM/FMradio,CD/DVD/MP3player(30GB,touchscreen,TMC) - ●

Audioremotecontrolonsteeringwheel - ●

Bluetoothhands-freecarkit(includingvoicecontrolandsteeringwheelremotecontrolswitches) - ●

TripcomputerLCDtype ● ●

Auxplugplusvideo - ●

Seats

Recarofullbucketseats ● ●

BlackFabricseatsandblackleatherdoortrim ● -

BlackLeather/Alcantaraseatswithfrontseatheatingandblackleatherdoortrim - ●

Second row seats

-Centrearmrestwithtwointegratedcupholders ● ●

-Heightadjustableheadrestx3(rear) ● ●

Light and Visibility

Bi-xenonheadlampswithcorneringlampsandheadlampwashers(pop-uptype) ● ●

Headlampauto-levelling ● ●

Frontfoglampsandrearfoglamp ● ●

Frontroomlampwithdelayfunctionandmaplamp ● ●

Rearroomlampandcargoroomlamp ● ●

Performance and Handling

Front350mmventilateddiscs,4-pot(Brembo) ● -

Front350mmventilateddiscs,4-pot,2-piece(Brembo) - ●

Rear330mmventilateddrum-in-discs,2-pot(Brembo) ● ●

Eibachhighperformancesprings(front&rear) - ●

Bilsteinhighperformancesuspensions(front&rear) - ●

Activedifferentialswitchonsteeringwheel ● -

Activedifferentialswitchincentreconsole - ●

SuperAll-WheelControl(S-AWC) ● ●

● Standard- Notavailable

80 81

4505

140

935920

1810

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

4505

140

935920

1810

EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

2 RockfordFosgatepremiumaudiosystemwith9speakersand650Wamplifier

3 Leatherwrappedsteeringwheelwithaudiore-motecontrolswitchesandBluetoothhands-freecarkitwithvoicecontrol

4 Aluminiumbonnetwithairinletandoutlets5 Aluminiumrearspoiler6 MitsubishiMultiCommunicationSystemwith

HDDnavigationandmusicserver,AM/FMradioandCD/DVD/MP3player(30GB,touchscreen,TMC)

7 Chromeplatedlargedualexhaustpipeswithblackairdiffuser

8 18”BBSforgedalloywheelswithairoutlets9 Chromeplatedentryguards

2

1

3 4

5 6 7

8 9

Model Lancer Evolution GSR MR 5 M/T TC-SST TC-SSTEngine Type 2.0litre16-valveDOHCMIVECwithIntercoolerandTurbocharger Totaldisplacement cc 1998 Emissionlevel Euro-4 Max.output(EECnet) kW(hp)/rpm 217(295)/6500 Max.torque(EECnet) Nm/rpm 366/3500Fuel system Fuelsupplyequipment Electronicallycontrolleddirectinjection Fueltype(octane) PremiumUnleaded/RON98 Fueltankcapacity lit 55Transmission Clutch 5-speedmanual 6-speedTwinClutchSST Gearratio 1st 2.857 3.655 2nd 1.950 2.368 3rd 1.444 1.754 4th 1.096 1.322 5th 0.761 1.008 6th - 0.775 Reverse 2.892 4.011 Final 4.687 4.062 Drivesystem Full-time4WDPerformance Acceleration(0-100km/h) sec 5.4 6.3 Max.speed* km/h 240 242 Minimumturningradius m 5.9 Fuelconsumption Urban lit/100km 13.6 13.9 Extraurban lit/100km 8.3 8.5 Combined lit/100km 10.2 10.5 CO2,combined g/km 243 250Suspensions Front McPhersonstrut-upsidedown Rear Multi-linkBrakes Front 350mmventilateddiscs,4-pot(Brembo) 350mmventilateddiscs,4-pot,2-piece(Brembo) Rear 330mmventilateddrum-in-discs,2-pot(Brembo)Steering Type Rack-and-pinion(electricpower-assisted)Loads Kerbweight kg 1560 1590 1600 Grossvehicleweight kg 2040 Seatingcapacity persons 5

4505

140

935920

1810

4505

140

935920

1810

* MeasuredbyMitsubishiMotorsCorporation

Allmeasurementsinmillimetres

1 Bi-xenonheadlampswithcorneringlampsandheadlampwashers(pop-uptype)

82 83

PIMP your rIde

1 Handbrake lever - Alloy/leather wrapped with Lancer

Evolution logo

2 rear corner extension kit - Reduces aerodynamic drag (CD)

by 0.3%

3 exhaust heat shield kit - Stainless steel decoration plates with

Ralliart logo

4 rear spoiler extension - 5kgf downforce (front - 1kgf) at

100 km/h and 16kgf downforce (front -4kgf) at 180 km/h

1

2 3

4 5 6 7

5 Brake air duct - For enhanced front brake cooling

6 Front airdam - 6kgf downforce (rear -2kgf) at 100 km/h

and 19kgf downforce (rear -7kgf) at 180 km/h

7 Gear shift knob - Alloy/leather wrapped with Lancer Evolution

logo

Side airdam shown in main image reduces aerodynamic drag (CD) by 0.8%. For more accessories available, please see the Accessories catalogue.

84 85

More than 2500 Mitsubishi Motors Authorised Service Points in Europe are committed to helping you wherever you are.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICING

Even new cars require regular maintenance and servicing. Not just to guarantee your mobility, but also for the safety of you and your passengers. Trained professionals using specialist diagnostic equipment and original parts at your Mitsubishi Authorised Service Point are ready to oblige. You’ll be advised about the cost beforehand, so there will be no unpleasant surprises when you return to pick up your vehicle.

MITSUBISHI MOTORS GENUINE PARTS

Even the smallest technical faults can lead to accidents. Therefore, all Mitsubishi Motors genuine parts have been developed and tested to stringent quality standards. It is recommended to use Mitsubishi Motors Genuine Parts in order to maintain the safety and integrity of your vehicle and that of your passengers. Mitsubishi Motors Genuine Parts are available at all Mitsubishi Authorized Service Points. We are proud to regularly score top in After Sales quality surveys.

COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY – OBVIOUSLY

All new Mitsubishi vehicles come standard with a com­prehensive 3­year warranty up to a maximum of 100,000 km (61,000 miles), whichever comes first. The anti­corrosion perforation warranty covers rusting through for the first 12 years, depending on the model you purchase. The reliability statistics for Mitsubishi vehicles are impeccable, but in the unlikely event that you do need help, we offer MAP.

MAP - FREE BREAKDOWN ASSISTANCE

In order to demonstrate our commit­ment to your mobility and the faith we have in the reliability of our vehicles, you will receive a free MAP card valid for three years with your new Mitsubishi. MAP stands for Mitsubishi Motors Assist­ance Package, and with the MAP card in your pocket, your mobility is guaranteed in more than 30 countries throughout Europe. Should you ever need assistance in the event of

breakdown, accident, theft or vandalism – wherever you are, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – just call the number on your card and the problem will be fixed on the spot. If it’s more serious, your car will be taken to the nearest Mitsubishi dealer and you’ll be offered services such as a hotel, continuation of journey, a replacement car and vehicle repatriation. And if you continue to have your vehicle serviced at a Mitsubishi Authorised Service Point after the first three years, your mobility will be guaranteed for an additional year or up to the next service interval (whichever comes first) until your vehicle is 10 years old.

DRIVESTYLE

Accessories by Mitsubishi Motors ­ everything’s got “Drivestyle”. They are the perfect products for your car’s individuality. It’s the style that goes with the sensation. Drivestyle is the individual enhancement of your Mitsubishi. It covers all your car care needs: from Wax Shampoo and Polish to Wheel Rim Gel, from Cockpit Lotion to Leather Treatment and from Insect Remover to Screen Wash ­ all have been produced using new ingredients designed specifically for your new Mitsubishi. They’ll ensure it looks, feels and smells brand new for years to come.

Please ask your Mitsubishi Authorised Sales/Service point for the Drivestyle Car Care brochure containing more detailed information.

AUTO-LIGHT AND RAIN SENSOR

The auto­light sensor au­

tomatically activates the

headlamps as soon as it gets

dark. The rain sensor activates

the windshield wipers auto­

matically when moisture is

detected on the windshield.

KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM

Makes it possible to lock and

unlock the doors and trunk,

and to close the windows with

the remote key.

KEYLESS OPERATION SYSTEM

The clever keyless entry

and start system allows you

to open the front doors and

trunk, and start the engine,

without the key leaving your

pocket.

INDICATOR WITH COMFORT

MODE

When the indicator lever is

tapped briefly, the indica­

tor will flash three times and

then stop ­ allowing you to

concentrate on manoeuvring

and therefore making driving

easier and safer.

OPEN DOOR ALARM

If any door is still open while

the car is moving, a buzzer will

alert you.

HEADLAMP AUTO-OFF FUNCTION

After you have turned off the

ignition and got out of the car,

the headlamps are automati­

cally switched off, prevent­

ing the battery from being

drained.

POWER WINDOW TIMER

After taking the key from the

ignition, the windows may still

be opened and closed from

inside for up to 30 seconds.

SPEED SENSITIVE WIPERS

When the front wiper is set to

intermittent, a speed sensor

changes the wiper interval to

suit the car’s speed for better

visibility.

Mitsubishi Motors’ customizable Electronic Total Automobile Control System (ETACS) allows you

to personalize the operation of a wide range of features for added safety, comfort and convenience.

Certain ETACS comfort functions can be customized either by yourself or by your Mitsubishi Motors dealer.

For a complete list of ETACS functions, please consult your Mitsubishi Motors dealer or refer to your owner’s manual.

RECYCLING OF OLD VEHICLESIt is our duty to protect the environment. Mitsubishi Motors designs and produces high quality vehicles and components aiming to provide its customers with durable motor vehicles, and excellent services to maintain your vehicle in an optimum running condition. We have the highest respect for the environment and use materials which may be recycled and re­used after your Mitsubishi Motors vehicle has come to the end of its economical life. After a long working life we will take your vehicle back and recycle it in an environ mentally friendly manner in accordance with the EU Directive on End­of­Life Vehicles and any applicable national statutory provisions.

All Mitsubishi Motors vehicles (up to 3.5t GVW) sold after 1st July 2002, will be taken back free of charge from the last owner, at one of the designated take back points, provided the vehicle contains all major components and is free of waste. From 1st January 2007, this applies to all Mitsubishi Motors vehicles irrespective of the sold date. A network of collection points is available to receive Mitsubishi Motors End­of­Life Vehicles, to ensure your vehicle will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner. At the same time, the possibilities for the recycling of vehicles and vehicle components are continually being evaluated and improved, aiming to the achievement of even higher recycling percentages in the future.

The European End­of­Life Vehicles Directive and the free take back of End­of­life Vehicles is applicable in all European Union member states. The transposition of the End­of­Life Vehicles Directive into National law in each member state might not have been completed at the time of putting this publication to print.

Please refer to www.mitsubishi­motors­europe.com and select the web site of the Mitsubishi Motors service network in your country of residence, or call the National Mitsubishi Motors Customer Assistance Center for further details.

OUTSTANDING AFTER SALES FOR CAREFREE MOTORINGETACS, YOUR PERSONALIZED ASSISTANT

86 87

Index

1/1 model .........................................................11

4B11 ........................................................... 38, 39

Accessories ................................................ 82, 83

Acropolis Rally ........................................... 19, 22

Active Centre Differential (ACD) ................ 42, 59

Active safety .....................................................46

Active Stability Control (ASC) ..........23, 42, 43, 59

Active Yaw Control (AYC) .................23, 42, 43, 59

Airbags .............................................................45

Air duct ....................................................... 12, 44

Airflow ............................................................. 47

Aluminium panels ...........................................44

BBS ............................................................ 41, 80

Bilstein dampers ..............................................41

Bi­xenon headlamps .................................. 46, 80

Body and chassis .............................................44

Brembo ........................................................... 46

Clay model ................................................. 10, 11

Colt 1000F .................................................. 18, 20

Colt Galant 1.6L GS ..........................................20

Cowan, Andrew ................................................20

Design proposal ........................................... 9, 10

Dimensional views ...........................................81

Differential settings .................................. 42, 60

Driving modes ............................................ 40, 41

East Africa Safari Rally .............................. 16, 20

Eibach...............................................................41

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) ... 43, 46

Electronic Total Automobile Control

System (ETACS) ................................................84

Engine performance curve ..............................36

Enkei ................................................................41

Equipment .................................................. 78, 79

Equipment highlights.......................................80

Exterior colours ......................................... 76, 77

Galant VR­4 ......................................................20

Glass fibre body ...............................................12

HDD navigation .................................... 68, 69, 80

Iwata, Hideyuki .................................................37

Imaizumi, Tsuyoshi ...................................... 9, 12

Iwasaki, Yataro .................................................18

Lancer 1600 GSR.................................. 16, 17, 20

Lancer Evolution I ­ IX................................ 22, 23

Lancer EX2000 Turbo ................................. 19, 20

Mäkinen, Tommi ........................................ 22, 23

Manual gearbox ...............................................41

MAP ..................................................................85

Matsuhara, Masaki ...................................... 8, 10

Mitsubishi A ............................................... 15, 18

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd ......................18

Mitsubishi Multi Communication System .... 68, 80

MIVEC ...............................................................39

Music server .............................................. 68, 80

Nakao, Norikazu ......................................... .9, 10

Nakao, Ryugo ............................................... 3, 37

Passive safety...................................................45

Press reviews ...................................................73

Recaro .................................................. 70, 71, 75

Recycling ..........................................................86

Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) ......45

Rockford Fosgate ................................. 68, 69, 80

Shift paddles ........................................ 40, 66, 67

Singh, Joginder ................................................20

Sports ABS ................................................. 43, 59

Super All Wheel Control (S­AWC) .....42, 43, 59, 63

Suspension .......................................................41

Synchromesh ...................................................41

Technical specifications ...................................81

Titanium turbine wheel ................................... 38

Trim levels ........................................................75

Tsukumo Shokai Shipping Company ...............18

Twin Clutch Sport Shift

Transmission (TC­SST) ...................40, 41, 63, 66

Yoshimine, Norihiko ..................................... 9, 11

09 eng­in 000000 Feb. 08 Printed in Germany

Drive alive is our motto

It’s the reason our designers and engineers go to work everyday.

Statistics show that you are going to spend ‘years of your life’ in your car.

We want those ‘years’ to be as pleasurable and as rewarding for you as

possible. We want to ensure that every time you’re driving and put your

foot down on the accelerator, or catch a glimpse of yourself reflected…

you will want to smile. Smile to really feel alive… to really drive alive.

Mitsubishi Motors Europe BV

www.mitsubishi­motors­europe.com

www.lancer-evolution.euColophon

Mitsubishi Motors Europe BVWillem VerschuurLiesbeth van der Woude

Editor in chiefRon de Bruijn

EditorJerina van Heck

ContributorsGeorges van WensveenDavid de JongMartin van der ZeeuwGiles NewtonJames Scott

Concept/realisationReadershouse/HearstAmsterdam, The Netherlandswww.readershouse­hearst.nl

Art DirectorJaap Sinke

Translation & PrepressGPB Leiderdorp ­ The Netherlands

Printed by Himmer AG DruckereiAugsburgGermany

Some equipment may vary according to market. Any reference to speed, performance or driving sensations has to be understood where legal and within official speed limits.

Please consult your local Mitsubishi Motors dealer/distributor for details. All rights reserved.