Back again…kinda. I’ve kinda deviated away from my Shut Up and Take My Money posts, but I got a new one for ya. Of course, these won’t be weekly posts anymore, but whenever I come up with one, y’all will get a post. Now for the latest, Shut Up and Take My Money.
The main competition to the Impreza WRX STi, the mighty EVO. The Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, ten generations strong, was recently retired as the last one rolled off of the line. The legacy that leaves with it is it’s WRC prowess and it’s time as a star in 2 Fast 2 Furious and the preceding Tokyo Drift. It has been featured in numerous games and also landed a spot as the main rival’s car in Need for Speed: Pro-Street. It has been feature in numerous comparisons against its arch-nemesis Impreza and it’s small but powerful four cylinder engine, combined with AWD, advanced tuning, and a massive aftermarket has made the EVO a car, some will never forget.
Rumour has it that, the EVO is supposed to be getting replaced by high powered crossover. Why Mitsubishi? Didn’t y’all learn from GM when they sent the Firebird/Trans Am and Camaro to the guillotine? Not only has the EVO been the only car keeping Mitsubishi alive, but the car has plenty of potential to go towards the future. Now, the Impreza has the lane to be the most dominant rally car inspired vehicle, while it’s main competition is dead.
The formula for a EVO XI is simple, upgrade the styling as all ten generations of EVOs have been and add a few more horses. That should work for a few years, which would help determine where Japanese import tuners will be post-CAFE. By the time the EVO XIII or XIV should come around, hybrid drivetrains could be implemented into the EVO, which would be adopted by a revived 3000GT VR4, shoud Mitsubishi decide to bring a supercar to the table. The EVO has remained a solid offering from Mitsubishi and a XI could be what the IX was and the X wasn’t.
Why?
Because…EVO. Not to mention Mitsubishi lackluster, cheaply made lineup, has no bearing in the American market except for the EVO. The Mirage only sells because it’s monthly payment without a down payment, is $400, with poor credit. We don’t want Ralliart, we don’t want a high performance Outlander, we want EVO.
Engines?
A more powerful version of the 2.0L four cylinder, maybe increase the power over 300 for this run. After this generation or two, electric motors can be introduced.
What we really want…
The EVO. It would be nice.
You had one job…
And they already failed. The EVO should have never been axed. The EVO alone made people pay more attention to Mitsubishi and there is a lot more that can be done to bring the automaker to more relevance worldwide. The EVO should remain a staple in the lineup. All that remains in Mitsubishi’s ranks are cars that have better alternatives.
Case and Point.
The EVO has major potential and has established itself as a competitive car. I’d think that Mitsubishi has made a “career threatening” mistake. The EVO made Mitsubishi. Now there really aren’t any notable cars in the lineup. It’s kind of sad when, a Mitsubishi dealership has more of every other brand of car, than its title marquee brand.
The Lancer Evolution Final Edition
