Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 2004 Review

OVERVIEW
Yet frustratingly, it's a race-bred pedigree Mitsubishi Australia doesn't adequately leverage. Sure, we now have rally-ish Magnas, and bewinged Lancers, but Mitsubishi dealers are woefully short of desirable, high performance vehicles with which to lure shoppers.

It makes no sense when you look at Mitsubishi's home market in Japan, where they've been enjoying ultra-high performance variants of the mundane Lancer sedan since October 1992. The formula is simple: take one Lancer, drop it on an all-wheel drive chassis, add turbocharger and rock-hard sports suspension, and hold on!

Some may remember that Mitsubishi owned this market in the early 1990s, before the WRX even existed. The Lancer GSR turbo 4WD was a steal and with V8-beating quarter mile performance and a price in the early $30,000s, it had an ability to deliver smiles on both tarmac and dirt. For reasons known only to Mitsubishi, the model was withdrawn from the Aussie market, leaving a gaping hole gratefully filled by Subaru shortly after.

In 2001, Mitsubishi teased Australian fast-four fans with the Lancer Evolution VI Makinnen edition, but it was imported under a low-volume scheme, which limited the numbers brought to Australia. We're sad to say that the Evolution VIII is no different, with just 100 examples coming Down Under in 2004, and perhaps another hundred when the 12-month limit rolls around in February 2005.

The good news is Evolution IX (yup, number 9) will be imported as a full-time member of the Mitsubishi Australia line-up. And for the first time since it deserted the segment popularised by the GSR, Mitsubishi will have a real competitor for the seemingly unbeatable Subaru Impreza WRX and STi models.

FEATURES
For now, be grateful that Mitsubishi saw fit to bring the EVO VIII Down Under -- we are. It's effectively a very special Lancer sedan built for rallying -- World Rally Championship rules require that cars are loosely based on actual production vehicles. Which in this case means Lancer sedan's practical four-door layout, but with a lot of go faster goodies.

Most obvious is the sportier exterior design, including deep front and rear bumpers, scooped bonnet and massive rear wing. The look is complimented by low profile Bridgestone tyres, which dress lightweight six-spoke Enkei 17inch alloy wheels and sit beautifully with the car's lower ride height.

And now, the price. Sit down because performance of this calibre is not cheap. We're talking $61,990 for a Lancer EVO VIII plus on road costs and insurance -- which will cost a pretty penny thanks to the exclusivity and performance of the EVO, and also its appeal to thieves. Still, when you look at the alternatives, the price quickly becomes palatable. (See Competitors for more).

COMFORT
The EVO VIII wants for little on the inside, but the emphasis is always on sporting prowess, not cruising comfort. That means lightweight Recaro sports seats, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, air conditioning and a CD/MP3 stereo. There's no cruise control, nor any switches on the three-spoke sports steering wheel.

The interior manages at once to look modern and dated -- no mean feat -- because of the clash between Lancer's old-style dashboard and centre console tarted up with titanium coloured surrounds and the modern-looking dials and seat trim.

That said, it's a comfy office from which to conduct the serious business of going fast. The steering wheel adjusts only for tilt, but with help from the driver's seat adjustment, it is possible to reach a suitable driving position.

The back seat is at best adequate for two adults or three kids because legroom depends largely on front seat compromises. Headroom is fine in both rows, and there's adequate stowage compartments in the cabin and doors. For bigger items, try the ample boot.

SAFETY
Very important in a high-performance sedan, and Mitsubishi's made some effort in this department. The body is strengthened significantly over the standard Lancer, which also benefits the vehicle's dynamic performance. There's a driver and passenger front airbag, though no side airbags in either row. All seatbelts have pretensioners, and there's reinforcement in the doors to reduce side impact intrusion.

Undeniably, the Lancer's best safety feature is its ability to avoid a crash through superior dynamics. Its lithe, responsive chassis and lightning fast steering endow the car with cat-like reactions, and the four-wheel drive system reduces the potential of a slide in high-speed manoeuvres.

Big antilock brakes and grippy tyres haul the EVO up frighteningly quick when emergency stopping is needed. (See Mechanical for more.)

MECHANICAL
The heart of EVO VIII's appeal is its monstrously-potent engine; a normally sedate 2.0-litre, four-cylinder block liberated by a twin-scroll turbocharger and twin intercoolers. Other major modifications include stronger, lighter pistons and conrods, a lighter exhaust manifold and redesigned springs in the valve train.

The result is 195kW of power and 355Nm of torque (on 98 RON PULP). Couple this with a short-ratio five-speed manual gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive and acceleration is nothing short of blistering. Mitsubishi claims 0-100km/h in 6.1sec, and a standing quarter mile of 14.5sec, which sounds a little conservative after our test drive.

Unfortunately we didn't have the time to performance test the vehicle against the clock at launch. Next time.

The EVO VIII's all-wheel drive system carries quite a few electronic gizmos to extract maximum attack, including ACD Active Centre Differential, Super AYC Anti Yaw Control and Sports ABS. ACD controls the torque split between the front and rear axles, while Super AYC -- a step up on the last model's standard AYC -- uses a torque transfer differential in the rear axle to apportion drive left to right. This is said to reduce understeer in corners.

The all-wheel drive system can automatically choose from three programs -- Tarmac, Gravel, Snow -- to best suit the conditions underfoot, or the driver can choose via a dash-mounted rocker switch.

Four-wheel Brembo disc brakes are upgraded to cope with the EVO VIII's explosive performance, and now come with Sports ABS, an anti-lock braking system which takes steering angle into account when apportioning brake force between the wheels. This is said to reduce lockup on inside wheels and improve steering in corners while braking.

Fuel consumption will be an issue if you drive this car on boost, but with judicious throttle usage Mitsubishi's claimed 10.9l/100km should be achievable. If you are keen to exploit the performance potential of the EVO VIII, make sure there's plenty of petrol stations around, because it's only got Lancer's standard 55-litre fuel tank onboard.

Four-wheel independent suspension is essentially the same as the previous EVO, but with minor spring and damper modifications designed to improve ultimate performance, and aluminium links on all four wheels to reduce weight.

COMPETITORS
Despite the relatively small volume, the EVO VIII is an important image vehicle for Mitsubishi Australia. It'll battle head to head with the Subaru Impreza WRX STi, and also rear drive offerings like the Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8, Ford Falcon XR6T and Holden Monaro/Commodore SS.

But competition's not an issue for Mitsubishi because almost all of the first 100 shipment is sold. So those who missed out should get in quick and put their name against the second shipment due in February 2005. Or wait for the EVO IX.

ON THE ROAD
This dish is best enjoyed on the move. Standing-start acceleration will not blow your mind because, while it is quick, getting a highly strung, four-wheel-drive off the line is hard work for either the driver or the driveline, due to the car's prodigious grip. The quickest way is to dial up a king-size helping of revs and simply drop the clutch, though this is not very sympathetic to the mechanicals, which will retaliate by breaking if you persist with this method.

Far better to slip the clutch and feed the power, and you'll be wearing a sizeable grin. The EVO VIII is quick enough to shove you back in your seat under full throttle, but it's even more impressive in roll-on acceleration. This baby's on boost from as little as 3300rpm, and any hard jabs on the right pedal brings an instant -- and urgent -- response.

A snickety quick gearchange action does nothing to hamper the show, and the EVO reels in the roads with an enormous appetite. Even better, there's very little sign of the rate of acceleration slowing as you work through the gears, thanks mostly to the engine's sizeable torque deposits.

Corners, however, are what this car is all about, and there are few words to describe the levels of adhesion the EVO VIII delivers. Its tenacity would be hard for any two-wheel driver to comprehend, and feels better than any similarly priced vehicle we've driven. Well weighted steering plays an almost invisible role of translating hand shuffles into directional changes, so-much-so that the driver feels directly connected to the front wheels.

It really takes a Wally or a big helping of welly to get the EVO VIII out of shape. What's more, the bevy of driver aids does a mighty job of reigning the car back in, should things get ugly.

The EVO's ride actually feels better the faster you go. Around town the ride's very firm, possibly too firm and hard to live with. But that's the price you pay for the EVO's amazing performance. On poor quality country roads its worse, but up the pace and the EVO seems almost to skip every second bump, and cope better with the ones it does hit. Strange.

Overall, the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII is a car for the enthusiast. It may be harder than your average family sedan to live with around town, but when you find the right twisty country road, it's justifies every cent. Twice.

What we liked
>> Blistering acceleration
>> Ferocious cornering grip
>> Pinpoint accurate steering

Not so much
>> Very firm ride tiring in town
>> Rawness sacrificed for civility
>> Limited supply, hard to buy