Mitsubishi Evolution 8

 

It’s a new day, so obviously we have a new version of Mitsubishi’s turbocharged road rocket to slobber over. This one’s the Lancer Evo VIII MR FQ-340, and don’t worry, my dog hasn’t just walked across the computer’s keyboard. That really is its name.
Let me try to decipher it for you. Evo VIII means this is the eighth evolution on an original theme. Comparing this, then, to the first high-performance Lancer is a bit like comparing Stephen Fry to Judy, the chimp in Daktari. It’s much, much cleverer.
MR stands for Mitsubishi Racing, which signifies that it’s had a hand in its development, and FQ for f****** quick. But then it would be because 340 is how many horse powers the 2 litre engine develops.
This is remarkable. Not even 15 years has elapsed since Daihatsu put a turbocharged 1 litre engine in its little Charade and in so doing created the first road car to offer up 100bhp per litre. Today the Ferrari 360 CS produces 116bhp per litre and that’s staggering. So what’s to be made of the Evo, which churns out a mind-boggling 170bhp per litre?
Of course, you may ask why they’ve gone to so much trouble. Why not simply fit a bigger engine?
Well, the problem is that the Evo is built primarily as a machine to compete in international rallying, and the rules of the sport stipulate that 2000cc is the max. The big worry I have is that while a 2 litre engine could be coaxed into handing over a thousand horsepower if that’s what you wanted, it would do 0 to 60 . . . once. Then it would explode.

You have to trade power for longevity and I suspect that 340bhp is right on the edge of everyday practicality. I note with some surprise that the engine still comes with Mitsubishi’s three-year warranty, but then I see also that it must be serviced once every 10 minutes or so.
I’m tempted therefore to steer you away from this top-of-the-range machine and into something a little more sensible. Obviously we can ignore the 260 version, because while it’s just £24,000 it takes about two years to get from 0 to 60. But can we ignore the FQ-300 for £28,000 or the £30,000 FQ-320? These are very nearly as fast as the £33,000, full-blooded 340 but are almost certain to last a little longer.
The simple answer, after no thought at all, is yes, of course we can ignore the less powerful options. Going for a 320 is like going all the way to Paris and staying in the outskirts. It’s like getting into bed with Uma Thurman and falling asleep. Buying a 320 is a sign that you’re sensible and grown up and worried about practicalities, in which case why don’t you buy a canal boat and go away.
If you’re going to buy a roadgoing rally car, you have to have the best, you have to have the fastest. And that’s the 340.
It’s not just faster than the other Evos, either. It’s also faster than its Subaru rival.
In fact I’m struggling to think of anything that could keep up.
Off the line, even the best four-wheel-drive cars bog down as the wheels refuse to spin, but not the VIII. You give it a bellyful of revs, dump the clutch, and there’s no lag, no chasm. You’re off like you’ve been fired at the horizon by one of Dick Dastardly’s cartoon catapults.
A mere 4.4sec later you’re past 60mph and that means all but the most exotic rivals are left far behind. This car — and remember, it only costs £33,000 — can be mentioned in the same breath as the Porsche Carrera GT and the McLaren Mercedes.
Mitsubishi says it’s limited the top speed to 157mph, but why? I can hardly see Officer Brunstrom or Jonathon Porritt nodding sagely at their public spiritedness. I suspect the real reason is that at 158 the sit-up-and-beg front-end styling would lose its war with the air and the car would run out of puff anyway.
So, yes, the world’s supercars would take it on a long straight, but come on. What long straight? Are you going to take your Ferrari up to 180 on the M27 to make a point? I don’t think so.
And anyway, eventually you’d get off the motorway and the Evo would catch you up again. This is because, when it comes to the business of going round corners the Evo is quite simply in a class of its own.
You turn in and immediately a bewildering array of acronyms awake from their electronic slumber to get you round the bend at a pace that will leave you reeling.
On the previous generation of Evo VIII the all-wheel control (AWC) gave priority at all times to the antilock braking system (super-ABS) which meant that under heavy braking the active centre differential (ACD) and the active yaw control (AYC) were disengaged.
Not any more. Now you can set the attitude of the car under braking and still the yaw moment will be controlled.
Mumbo-jumbo? Not from behind the wheel it isn’t. You fly through corners thinking how in God’s name is this possible. You’re being flung out of the supremely supportive seat, everything that isn’t bolted down is being thrown round the interior, and yet the tyres, which are still just rubber, are hanging on.
All Evos are good at this but the MR FQ-340, perhaps because of the reprogramming or perhaps because it has an aluminium roof to lower the centre of gravity, can make you seriously cross-eyed.
I urge you with all my heart to beg, steal or borrow one of these things and take it to a quiet road you know well. It will completely redefine your concept of what driving’s all about.
In the hands of a Formula One racing driver, a Porsche Carrera GT would be faster. But if the world’s future depended on me getting from here to Stow-on-the-Wold in less than 10 minutes I’d take the Mitsubishi every time. It inspires such an extraordinary confidence and there’s always the sense that no matter how fast you ask it to go round a corner it has plenty of grip left in reserve. It is magical.
What I really love, and I do hope the people who edit this page have shown this in the pictures, is the way its muscles seem to be growing out of all those ducts in the front. You get the impression that the machinery is barely contained within the body and that it’s torn great holes in the metal, in the same way that the Incredible Hulk messed up his shirt whenever he became angry.
That said, however, this is far from a good-looking car. Underneath all the visual froth, it really is a cup of instant coffee, an extremely dull four-door Japanese saloon car. And that spoiler doesn’t help. Imagine Huw Edwards with a big bling signet ring and you get the idea.
You curl up like a foetus with embarrassment every time you park it in a built-up area, because you know everyone’s looking and everyone’s thinking, “What a prat”.
Still, because it is a four-door saloon it is reasonably practical. I mean, it has a boot and so on, and it does come with such niceties as air-conditioning and electric windows. It also has one of those stereos that slide out of the dash and beep a lot. However, not being 12, I couldn’t make it work.
It wasn’t the end of the world, though, because once I was up past, ooh about three, the din coming out of the Matrix-Churchill supergun at the back would have drowned out even Danny Baker. It’s a rich, deep baritone that rattled every single window in my house whenever it started.
What I liked even more, though, was the ride. Yes, the body is as stiff as a teenager but unlike previous Evos this one can actually run over manhole covers without snapping the people inside.
It isn’t even on nodding terms with “comfortable” but it’s not bad. And I like to think that by giving the suspension more bounce, the new lightweight wheels are in contact with the road more often, giving even more grip.
This, I know, has been a furiously technical and deeply insightful look at a car and if you were hoping for a thousand words on satsumas, followed by 30 on the car, I apologise. Normal service will be resumed next week.
In the meantime, those of you who love cars, and love driving. Go and try the Evo. After a mile you’ll be vomiting superlatives too.
VITAL STATISTICS
Model: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-340
Engine type: Four-cylinder, 1997cc
Power: 345bhp @ 6750rpm
Torque: 320 lb ft @ 4985rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Tyres: 235/45 ZR17
Fuel: 21mpg (estimated)
CO2: 334g/km
Acceleration: 0-62mph: 4.4sec
Top speed: 157mph
Price: £32,999
Verdict: Redefines the concept of driving

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I know its not any close to its lancer evolution siblings, but hey its a very attractive yet versatile car!

Mitsubishi — the company that brought us the fire-breathing Lancer Evolution — to do better. Today, it announced a healthy 18 percent sales increase; that’s a start. Another is the Outlander Sport, a well-proportioned sibling to the Outlander. Though based on its larger sibling, the Sport has much shorter front and rear overhangs; it looks all the better for it. I still think the Outlander’s Lancer-inspired facelift paid dubious styling results, but the Outlander Sport wears the same face better, and the rear looks like any mini-SUV’s, which is far better than the Outlander’s still-bizarre tail.

                            

Cabin quality is a step in the right direction, with higher-rent padded surfaces across all the important areas. That’s not the norm among sub-$20,000 crossovers. The glove compartment has an interesting metallic finish, and the leather-wrapped steering wheel has a satisfying, meaty grip. Not all is consistently good — the air-conditioning controls are straight out of the Outlander, and they need an overhaul — but the sum of it all is respectable.

The Outlander Sport is roomy in a way the Nissan Juke is not; I compared the larger Outlander’s second row, and the Sport’s seats sit higher off the ground for better overall comfort. (Mitsubishi spokesman Maurice Durand confirmed this: The Outlander’s seats tumble forward for more cargo capacity, and they sacrifice a bit of roominess for the sake of it.) Mitsubishi didn’t have cargo specs immediately available, but the space behind the second row looks roomier than the Juke’s or Mini Cooper Countryman’s. The backseat folds down easily, with no gap in the cargo floor; there’s no third row available like in the Outlander.
In the mini-crossover field, it’s good to see Mitsubishi added sport without losing utility. This is a good step for the brand. I’m waiting for a few more .      

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Evo 8 goes drag with 855whp

2003 Mitsubishi Evolution VIII - Searching For Sevens
DSM's American Granddaddy Goes Drag Racing
January, 2008 issue of Turbo & High-Tech Performance
By Bradford Elsinore
Photography by Henry Z. Dekuyper
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Viii Left Front View

You have your favorites. We all do. But there's no question that, in the world of Mitsubishi performance, David Buschur's name is one of the most memorable. We're talking about a guy who was modifying Eclipses when you were drawing them on notebook edges in social studies. More importantly, David is a guy who thrives on competition and lives for a challenge.

In 2003, Buschur Racing bought a new EVO VIII and developed a line of parts for the car. But it wasn't until 2004 that tuners everywhere began realizing just how fast and tunable Mitsubishi's rally car was. Sure enough, there was a contingent that proved the rally car as capable in the quarter-mile as it was elsewhere. Nine-second quarter-mile times were proving more possible than ever and Buschur wanted in.

Summoning the help of brother Daniel Buschur, the two soon chose a car-a totaled '03 Evolution VIII. The mangled car immediately went over to Ron Luman at Rapid Auto Body in Lorain, Ohio, to return to factory specification. Despite plans to gut the EVO for racing, the Buschur brothers couldn't hack the car up when they saw the finished product from Rapid Auto Body.
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Viii Engine

With a full interior and minor lightening, the EVO on its second life ran a 10.1-second quarter-mile right out of the box with Buschur's version of the GT35R kit in place. Seeing how quickly they'd become number two or three in the nation, the brothers upped the ante, in an attempt to steal first place. A GT42R replaced the GT35R, along with an HKS Kansai manifold with an 85mm Infiniti throttle body and a custom header. In 2006, the car ran consistent 9.6-second quarter-miles at about 150 mph. The guys at their competitor AMS were quicker.

Buschur's blood boiled and the heat of competition drove the team to pile in and build a car that could beat AMS at eight-second quarter-mile times. Finally, the preciously rebuilt interior saw its demise and was completely gutted (minus the driver's door, of course-Daniel has to stay cool when he's piloting the car himself). In addition, the car got lexan windows, a RobiSpec carbon-fiber hood and trunk, some A'PEXi N1 suspension and a lightweight brake kit developed by Wilwood and competitor AMS.

Thanks to the crash diet, the EVO was now running 9.1- and 9.2-second quarter-mile times. So was AMS. The race was on and the heat hotter than ever. The two met head-to-head at the 14th annual DSM/EVO Shootout, where most of the day both teams saw runs in the nines. Finally, Daniel slammed through the gears to cross the finish line with a run of 8.95 seconds at 164 mph. You're looking at the world's first eight-second EVO.
2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Viii Right Front View

We know you want us to tell you what it takes to get an EVO into the eights. We'll do you one better and share Buschur's plan to make it into the sevens. It starts with a comprehensive workover, courtesy of Gary Reese. Front and rear driveshaft loops were built and a Stroud parachute was installed in conjunction with a flat floor in the rear of the car. The factory core was replaced with a lightweight chromoly unit. A 2-gallon fuel cell was installed in the front of the car, so the pump moved up front as well.

On top of that, Gary designed a new center member for the front of the car that runs longitudinally and incorporates an engine and transmission mount as well as a rear differential support bar. Both pieces bolt in and can be used on any EVO, a modification that Buschur says knocks 25 pounds off the car. In this black EVO, the brace helps stabilize the violent action of a Bushwhacker transmission, which is fed power by an Exedy triple-plate clutch.

By now you've seen enough high-horsepower EVO engines to know roughly what it takes to crank out the numbers without going boom. The guys at Buschur used their drop-in JE Pistons/Crower Rods kit in conjunction with their Racing Spec cams, valve springs and retainers inside the engine, along with ARP head studs to hold it all together.

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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8 -The Overall Review-
by Feann Torr

Road Test

Driving the fuelled-up Evo from Mitsubishi's top secret underground headquarters through the fair city of Melbourne, one thing becomes abundantly obvious - this is no luxury tourer.Far less about pampering the occupants than scaring them witless with vicious levels of performance, the Evo VIII rides roughshod over bumps and lumps, letting the driver feel every little crack and pock mark in the blacktop.The steering is immediately direct, the throttle touchy and brakes strong, all of which don't exactly suit the CBD.Furthermore, the car didn't seem to want to perform in the sweltering heat of the city.

Shocked and understandably dismayed, at first I put it down to the 14,000km on the odometer (and we're talking journo kays, not owner kms), where the turbo wasn't at all keen on kicking in early. It'd simply rev out agonisingly slowly to 5000rpm.

I was really pining for that addictive punch in the guts that only a lightweight turbocharged AWD Nihon machine can bring, but once out of the congested and oppressive heat of the city and off into the forests where the cooler air below the tree-tops could flow into the engine, the Evo had a chance to stretch its legs and with touch of water spray on the intercooler, the Mitsu started to sing.

Getting used to the way the Evo VIII drives took a little longer than most other cars I've driven, as the power delivery is best described as brutal.

It's an easy car to drive slowly - it's based on a Mitsubishi Lancer after all. But at full throttle it takes plenty of gumption to keep everything neat and tidy.

Though it's not as quite as hard-edged as the Evo VI TME, the Evo VIII is still a dangerously rapid vehicle, capable of putting much more powerful vehicles to shame. While getting standing starts fast and furious is no easy task due to the dearth of power low in the rev range, Mitsubishi's hero car offers up stratospheric performance when kept on the boil.

The party starts as soon as first gear hits about 2800rpm, where the turbo kicks in and occupants begin to feel the forces of gravity steadily increasing on their bodies.As the tacho needle hurtles towards 5000, 6000, then past 7000 revolutions per minute, it's times to change gears, and the short-throw 5-speed manual is a delight to use, it must be said.

Second gear snicks into place smoothly and without protest after a deft prod on the lightly-sprung clutch, and -bang- the turbo's still on song and the Evo's pace quickens further, eyeballs opening wider as the landscape rushes by.

And even after much repetition, this procedure never fails to excite, such is the Evo's forcefully addictive power delivery. The only problem is that it drinks fuel rather quickly when pushed, but if you're willing to spend $62k on such a vehicle, you probably won't be worrying too much about fuel efficiency.

The way the Evolution VIII drives is both involving and rewarding. Enthusiasts will be overjoyed with it's cat-like grip, manic acceleration and brilliant feedback through the steering wheel, while everyone will be scared witless - Peter Maniatis summed it up as "dangerously quick".

Besides the turbocharged nature of the car giving you incredible straight line speed, it's the way the car punches through corners that really stirs the soul.

With scads of grip from the 17-inch Enkei alloy wheels shod with 235/45 rubber all round - which is pretty beefy rolling stock for such a small car - the Evolution VIII feels glued to the road in most conditions.

The big Brembo brakes (320mm front, 300mm rear) allow you to dive deep into corners, biting hard every time with little fade, the close ratio gearbox works best when manhandled with urgency, and then it's back on the throttle as you see the corner's exit looming large. The car has a fairly neutral balance when cornering under hard acceleration, where the Evo VI TME would often break into power oversteer on full throttle.The party starts as soon as first gear hits about 2800rpm, where the turbo kicks in and occupants begin to feel the forces of gravity steadily increasing on their bodies.

Engine Specs:
Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0-litre Turbo L4

The inline 4-cylinder engine has a 1997cc (2.0-litre) capacity with aluminium alloy cylinder heads, and makes use of a turbocharger and intercooler for forced induction. Dual overhead camshafts actuate 16-valves (4-valves per cylinder) and low 8.8:1 compression ratio applies. The fuel tank will hold 55 litres of petrol.

Max Power: 195kW @ 6500rpm
Max Torque: 355Nm @ 3500rpm

While the Evo's suspension, AYC and ACD systems may be the car's brains, helping to keep all four wheels gripping and driving with vigour, the car's engine is its heart and soul.

Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged, intercooled engine internally known as the 4G63, the DOHC 16-valve engine is a highly strung thumper of a donk whose extreme power belies its small 1997cc displacement.

Outputting 195kW @ 6500rpm, which is quite a tasty figure, the intense acceleration comes from a very flat torque curve. 355Nm of torque hits @ 3500rpm and is sustained until about 5000rpm, giving the car that brilliant mid-range punch that makes blasting out of corners so undeniably enjoyable.

More than just a turbo whacked on to the Lancer's 2.0-litre engine, the 4G63 mill has been evolving for more than 12 years, and incorporates upgraded and reinforced internal components to deal with the added heat and pressure levels of the turbocharger.

There's also a massive air-to-air intercooler mounted up front and in order to cope with the high torque levels, the Evo VIII's cooling performance has been improved by uprating the water pump capacity and by enlarging the water passages in the turbocharger.

Mitsubishi says that engine durability has also been improved by way of using higher quality aluminium pistons and forged steel conrods. "These detail improvements deliver an engine that combines competition-ready but street-friendly power with outstanding durability," reads the PR spiel.


Overall: 4/5

For Mitsubishi, the Evolution is a crucial image vehicle. Not only does it represent all that's good in the company's motor racing exploits, but a cynic could argue that, apart from the Colt, it's the Japanese marque's only other exceptional car.

While the Evo VIII has lost none of its berserker attitude, with an explosive power delivery that's as intimidating as it is addictive, it's been carefully refined to offer even more mid-corner grip and there's a little more sophistication in its ride and handling too.

On choppy roads, the Evo is a real dog, but after you've laid it out on some smooth bitumen you'll be willing to overlook such compromises. It's a fiendishly quick car with intuitive handling and unbelievable grip levels, and best of all it's got all the coolest mods: Recaro, Momo, Brembo and even a turbo.

The 8th model in the Evolution's history is the best yet. It's easier to drive at the limit, and at the other end of the spectrum, in traffic or just heading down to the shop to pickup milk and octane booster, it behaves remarkably well.

The only sticking points I could come up with were the crappy turning circle (11.8 metres) and the lack of bottom end power, but the former won't bother core enthusiasts, and when such a fearsome mid range punch is on offer, you'll quickly forget about the latter as well.

The $62,000 asking price may come across as a little steep, but there are few cars out there can reward the driver as much as the rally-bred Evo, and in so many ways. Seeing as it's now only a few bob more than the $56,630 Subaru WRX STi, while offering better performance and a lot more exclusivity, I find it hard not to give the Evo VIII two big thumbs up.

Pros: Cons:

* Banzai turbo engine * Bottom end power
* Knockout power delivery * Turning circles
* Huge levels of grip * Insurance costs
* Rewarding dynamics * Harsh ride

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The Heritage of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Lancer Evolution is a rally-inspired car and has been appearing in Asia and Europe for more than a decade, and the Evo VIII made her debut at LA auto show on Jan 3, 2003. In those years before her debut, Americans only saw Lancer Evolutions from the Speed Channel or on Sony Playstation's Grand Turismo.

Evolution I
In 1992, the Mitsubishi Ralliart works team decided to develop a car on the compact and lighter weighted Lancer sedan. It was the born of Lancer Evolution I.

Evolution I was powered by a 2-liter intercooler-turbocharged engine with a high-performance 4-wheel drive system and it weighted 1,170 kg/2,574 lb. With the 250 horsepower (hp).

Evolution II
In 1993, Evo II was launched with 260 hp and better handling. The modifications to the engine included an increase in turbo boost pressure, and increased valve life. The changes for better handling included larger wheels and tires, longer wheelbase, a wider track, longer struts and greater camber adjustment. Those changes made for a quicker steering response and a higher cornering limit.

Evolution III
Evo III was launched in 1995, with 270 hp@6250rpm. A new turbocharger compressor and a higher compression ratio from 8.5:1 to 9:1 were put into the new engine. Plus, a second intercooler was equipped for stabilizing power and torque at high engine speeds. In order to achieve better aerodynamic performance, the front bumper openings were enlarged, a larger airdam, and a larger rear wing (rear spoiler).

Evolution IV
In 1996, Lancer was redesigned, which gave Evolution a new look. The engine was the same 4G63. A twin-scroll turbocharger improved supercharging performance that generated more torque in the low and medium range. Also a secondary air induction system improved turbo on-off response by feeding pressurized air above the turbine and reducing negative pressure.

Active Yaw Control (AYC) was installed and allows the car to trace the line chosen by the driver more precisely through a high g-force corner. AYC is an electronically controlled system that control the movement of the car through a curve by regulating the torque split between the right and left rear wheels.

Evolution V
Evo V was launched in 1998. Evo V was equipped with wider tracked, 17-inch wheels with wide 225/45R17 tire as standard. Braking system was upgraded with Brembo 17-inch ventilated disc at the front and 16-inch at the rear. Cooling performance was enhanced with larger grille openings to match the uprated radiator. An aluminum wing (rear spoiler) with adjustable angle was used.

Evolution VI
Evo VI was introduced in 1999. A twinwing rear spoiler design made up for the reduction in downforce resulting its smaller size. Cooling performance was enhanced more by using smaller fog lamps to enlarge the bumper openings. A titanium-alloy turbocharger was used. The new oil cooler stabilized oil temperature at high engine loads. A special "Tommi Makinen" Edition of Evo VI was introduced in January, 2000.

Evolution VII
In 2001, Mitsubishi launched Evo VII. Evolution VII was especially designed for achieving weight savings. Aluminum was used instead of steel. Active Center Differential (ACD) took the 4WD drivetrain improvement even further. The ACD allows the driver to distribute the torque equally between the front and rear tires, improving both steering response and traction control.

Evolution VIII
Lancer Evolution VIII is based on the design of Evo VII to meet the collusion standard of the U.S. So Mitsubishi designs the Evo VIII with 178.5 inches in length, and that is 3.11 inches longer than the Evo VII. In the U.K., there are two version of Evolution: Base and FQ-300. The base model has the maximum output of 276hp@6500rpm and the maximum torque 289 lb-ft@3500rpm .The FQ-300 version even reaches to 301hp@6200rpm and 300 lb-ft@4500rpm. The Evolution VIII released in the U.S. has 271hp@6500rpm and 273lb-ft@3500rpm.

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