Mitsubishi Killing Off The Evo?

[FrangaR33]

Link to original article.

I truly wonder if they would kill off a profitable car, provided of course the Evo is actually profitable, considering the massive amount of money must go into R&D for every model.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X could be the last Evo model from the Japanese brand, according to reports out of the Geneva Motor Show.

UK publication Autocar spoke with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) global product director, Gayu Eusegi, who revealed that there would be no ‘Evo XI’ successor.

“There is still a demand [for the car] … but we must stop,” Mr Eusegi said. “Our influence is now EV technology.”

At the beginning of this year, Mitsubishi announced it would launch eight new hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles by 2015, as the brand moves towards a new alternative energy future.

Mr Eusegi said the rally-bred Evolution franchise did not fit with the “policy change” at MMC.

“Maybe the world can change, and maybe someday we can do a motor race by electric vehicles. Maybe then we can enter the market again,” he said.

Mitsubishi Australia’s Lenore Fletcher said she personally had not heard any news about the end of the Evo from MMC head office, but said she had a call in to try to get to get the official word.

Ms Fletcher admitted the brand was heavily focused on hybrid and electric vehicles in the short term.

With the 6000^th i-MiEV delivered recently, she said Mitsubishi was determined to further diversify its alternative energy offerings, with plans to introduce a hybrid or EV variant into every model line in the range.

“That will be a huge platform for us going forward,” Ms Fletcher said.

Despite this, she said hybrids and EVs did not necessarily mean the end of performance vehicles from Mitsubishi, with the potential for sports models to be based on the new efficient vehicle architectures.

The Mitsubishi Evolution is one of the most legendary nameplates in recent automotive history, particularly in rally, street and tuning circles.

The original Lancer Evolution I was launched in October 1992, designed to compete in the World Rally Championship. It produced 182kW of power and 309Nm of torque, and had a top speed of 228km/h.

The current-generation Lancer Evolution X follows the trend of all Evos before it, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and an all-wheel drive system. It produces 217kW of power and 366Nm of torque, and in top-spec MR TC-SST form, accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds.

CarAdvice will bring you more news on the future of the Evolution franchise when we hear more.

[VNS 24]

I think it will hurt the sale factor for Mitsubishi. After all, Evo is the last existing performance car for Mitsubishi.

Not good for them, but great news for Subaru.

[BoyWhoCriedWolf]

EV is the future, they are just one-upping the competition.

[Nee-san]

They should have stopped making them when the pulled out of world rally.

[Birds]

Should have stopped making them after realising most of their design team suffered from macular degeneration.

[mad082]

who cares if they scrap the evo badge, that's not to say that they won't replace it with some other sports car or simply a different badge

[KezR33]

Evo X goes from 0-100 in 5.8seconds? Surely that's an error. I thought they were way quicker.

[Birds]

Probably conservative estimate...I always thought the real old evos of the early 90s were the quickest?

[Mayuri Krab]

So basically they are following Toyota in making only white good A-B eco boxes & going into this all "green" crap...

[FineLine]

Probably more to do with the economic down turn than anything else.

Holden dropped the monaro, Nissan dropped the gtr. Plenty of examples of this kind of thing happenning before.

No doubt it will make a rerun some time in the future with much ado and fan fare.

[adamskill]

meh t was sure to come to an end at some point. there is no real rally market for the evo any more, so im surprised it didnt happen earlier

[mad082]

Evo X goes from 0-100 in 5.8seconds? Surely that's an error. I thought they were way quicker.

nah, in a straight line the evo 9 is quicker than a evo 10 (and all the stats on paper make it look faster than the newer version), however around a track the evo 10 is usually quicker.

[CONRAD]

Sorry boys but I have to pop in and say that buying an evo was the best purchase I've ever made.

Starting with an R33 gtst in the 90's (when they were relatively rare) worked in the usual mods including suspension, an FC RX-7 with a brand new rebuilt engine (paid by me) with a bridge port exhaust boost etc, a GTiR with mods, then a gc8 in wrx in blue, a mitsubishi Legnum (which shat on the wrx - if you couldnt stretch to a 30k evo 8.5/9 then it would be my car of choice, just awesome), an R32 GTR with N1 turbos SARD 700 injectors aftermarket ECU Tune by a really reputable shop fuel pump ohlins suspension and the rest of the works (a tune mid modification made 260kw at all 4).

And then a gun metal grey Evo 8MR with zorst, cams ecu and few bolt ons (the best bit is that you don't have to build the engine chasing that power and shit - they dont go pop, like my GTR after after a year (spun bottom end bearing)...... which in my mind tears the other competition apart through the adelaide hills.

Sorry.. but those thinking that all evos are 0-100 in 5.6 are in denial. Try mid low 4 seconds (8.5/9 model evo with the usual mods) - seriously. Also there are dudes using E85 with lesser engine mods than mine and making more power than my GTR! Sure you could also just as eay use that fuel to spark the r32, but as a package that GOs, stops and handles... the Evo has it at that price tag. Oh, and the all the carbon pieces from factory, aluminium roof etc never get old.

Look the gtr would probably pull infront on a drag strip, but in the real world the evo would chop it off the lights more regularly - unless I was in the gtr and dumping it at 7K and using the last two weeks pay to keep rebuilding clutches. But its in the hills that the BRAKES and HANDLING just absolutly out shine the the other cars I've driven.

This is my experience and I'm sure there are R34's out there (built like the Mines car) that would say hang on I'm the faster biaaatch.

But for dollar measure and as a long standing and still Nissan fan - I recommend peeps branch out and try and Evo 8MR through the twisties or on the track. I think you may be somewhat surprised.

Heres a small snap of mine:

Edited March 6, 2011 by CONRAD

[R31Nismoid]

So basically they are following Toyota in making only white good A-B eco boxes & going into this all "green" crap...

Given the way emission rules are going just for cars - let alone the whole "carbon" bullshit around the world

They are being forced too as at the end of the day they want profit, not please people.

[Mayuri Krab]

If I was rich (with extra $$$ to burn) I want to do what Clarkson did in one of his DVDs, go & buy some crap A-B eco box (I'll choose a Prius) & then smash it with a sludge hammer in front of the dealer.

[Birds]

If I was rich I'd put a dirty old V8 into a prius, bribe some engineer to pass it, and drive around with bumper stickers all over the thing bragging about how green I am.

[Nee-san]

Flathead or atleast nothing smaller then 7 Litres preferably.

[Yo-Yo]

couldn't see many cubic inches fitting into this

you'd have to rip out the backseats & mid engine that sucker

[Nee-san]

Give me a 9" grinder and 45 minutes.

[Silvia GTR]

I'm getting sick of companies killing off iconic cars... Carbon tax Bullshit

If I was rich I'd put a dirty old V8 into a prius, bribe some engineer to pass it, and drive around with bumper stickers all over the thing bragging about how green I am.

lmfao