The baddest Lancers you can ask for

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI

The hottest production car in Japan today is not a sports car, it's not even a 2-door. It's a boxy sedan with muscular bulges, an incredibly potent turbocharged engine and performance to rival the likes of Porsche 911s. The Lancer Evolution VI is a high-strung all-wheel-drive apex-clipper that's based on Mitsubishi's 4 time world championship winning rally car. It isn't a particularly large car with an overall length about the same as a Toyota Corolla at 171.3 in. Its 140hp/litre, 1997cc engine is coupled to a titanium alloy turbine turbocharger that delivers 17 psi of boost, which enables the 3000lb sedan to scorch the pavement to 60mph in 4.3 seconds and to reach the 1/4 mile mark in 13. A large air intercooler in the bumper coupled with a manually engaged water spray cooler help the Evo, well, stay cool. Even without the spray, Car and Driver managed a 5.1 second time to 60 mph while in a similar test Motor Trend produced a time of 4.3 seconds.

Power is divided among all for wheels with a Torsen diff on the front axle and a planetary center diff with viscous coupling and a mechanical limited-slip on the rear. And with the 225/45ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza S0-2 tires all around, the Evo VI is good for .90g on the skidpad, almost equaling the 0.93 that a Corvette can manage. The Evo VI is not marketed in North America and that probably won't change in the future due to its front bumpers which would not meet North American crash standards. Specifications are also listed for the rally version of the Evo VI.





Base Price, 30,995
Engine Type turbocharged dohc I4
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected]*
Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Curb Weight, lb 2998
0-60 mph 4.3
1/4 mile, [email protected] mph
Top Speed, mph 148

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen

On twisting country lanes, keeping up with Tommi Makinen (both the man and the car), in any situation, is outright impossible. The Tommi Makinen edition Lancer Evo VI adds (to the standard Evo) a larger intercooler, new bumper with redesigned airdam, new high performance muffler, specially tuned suspension, new Recaro front seats, redesigned wheels and a smaller-diameter compressor wheel and redesigned propeller blades for the turbo in order to deliver improved low and mid-range torque and response. The resulting acceleration capability is even more impressive than on the lesser, but still incredibly potent (normal) Evo. The handling is rasor sharp and neutral (but with oversteer available on demand), nevertheless at the expense of an uncompomisingly harsh ride. To acheive the complete Makinen experience, plan on spending a bit more on the special WRC-red livery. Like the standard Evo, the TM edition is available as the cheaper RS version or the slightly lower, wider and heavier GSR which also includes larger Brembo brakes and 225/45ZR17 tires (but not in North America).

Base Price, (Pounds) 32,995/33,695 (in red)
Engine Type turbocharged dohc I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected] Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Weight (RS/GSR), lb 2778/2822
0-60 mph, sec 4.3
1/4 mile, [email protected] ??
Top Speed, mph 148

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI eXtreme

This is the (almost) ultimate Evo 6. One of, if not quite the wildest sedan in the world. The stock Evo is extreme-ified by Ralliart UK with the use of their Sports Engine Control Unit that provides higher turbo boost and titanium and aluminum turbo components. Monster 18in wheels on 235/40ZR18 tires, a lowered suspension (by 28mm in the front and 14mm in the back) that includes new bushings and top mounts, a high-ratio steering rack (2.1 turns lock-to-lock), Recaro front seats and a wealth of interior carbon fibre come standard. A carbon wing, helix single-plate paddle clutch and 320mm racing front disc brakes can also be ordered. A Sports Limited Slip Differential is fitted, but ABS and Active Yaw Control are not, so the only thing I can say is watch out! Also standard is a bizzare white with red decals livery, but it can be traded in for more sane silver paint as seen above.

Anywas, enough with trivial details. The output figures don't do the car justice, and even the unbelievable 4.0-second 0-60mph time is only the begging to the eXtreme. No matter how fast you drive it on a road, no matter how twisty, or wet, or rutted, you will still be far short of what it can do, well within its bounds. Road regulations, your own ability, and the fact that you’re driving it on a road at all, are against you. As for the driving experience, the steering is tight, the brakes effective, the chassis balanced and the suspension uncompromisingly harsh. Just like any good rally car. The 5-speed gearbox is geared long and the engine keeps pulling until 7000rpm, with a top speed in the vicinity of 160mph. The eXtreme is truly a car for real enthusiasts, too bad only 50 were built.

Base Price, GBP 41,995
Engine Type 16-valve turbo dohc I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected] (est) Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Weight, lb 2833
0-60 mph, sec 4.0
0-100 mph, sec 10.6
60-0 mph, sec 2.5
Top Speed, mph 155

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Zero Fighter

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter was the finest shipboard fighter plane during the first year of the Pacific War - a fine plane that took part in every Japanese navy operation, including Pearl Harbour. Paying homage to it seems like a very odd thing to do, even if the Lancer Evo Zero Fighter is also a very capable machine. The modifications to the standard Evo (Zeros are supposed to be based on RS but many later cars are based on the GSR, and are still genuine, so watch out for that) start with the chassis, which runs lower on stiffer springs and dampers. The anti-roll bars are thicker, the mounts firmer and there's a shiny strut brace to increase stiffness. Those wheels are an inch bigger in diameter than the standard Evo VI’s, and shod with 225/40ZR18 Bridgestone S-02 tyres. The engine also receives some nice goodies: a smarter ECU has been fitted, along with aluminium intercooler piping, a new induction system complete with mushroom-shaped air filter, a stainless Sports exhaust system and catalyst, plus lighter titanium turbo internals for improved response. The result is 340 horsepower, identical to the Evo eXtreme, which is also built by Ralliart UK and based on the Zero Fighter (confused yet?).

On slick roads, Zero becomes a handfull. It’s not as comfortable as the standard Evo VI, or as crazed as the RS Sprint. Hard acceleration in second gear is a vivid experience, but throw in a rippled, bumpy surface, cruelly combined with an uphill corner, and the Zero struggles to find traction and composure. It skitters across the bumps where the softer (and admittedly less powerful) Evo VI GSR would simply rocket away. That said, once the Zero hits its stride, the bumps become less of a hindrance to traction. The steering is delicate and pinpoint accurate. It’s nicely throttle-adjustable as well, and the active yaw control isn’t as detectable as it is on the standard car. The gear throws are longer, but second gear is rarely needed in any corner, with power and torque flowing from 3000rpm all the way to the 7000rpm redline. As a complete all-rounder, perhaps the Zero Fighter is a bit too hard and low to attack difficult, unforgiving roads, but park it next to a standard Evo and you'll know it's the Zero you really want.

Base Price, (pounds) 41,995
Engine Type turbo 16v dohc I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected] Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Curb Weight, lb -
0-60 mph, sec 4.0
Top Speed, mph 145

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI RS450

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI RS450 is an animal. If any one of the World's Fastest Sedans can be called an animal, it is this car. The RS450 isn't just fast. At least not in the "hey, that car's pretty fast" sense of the word. It's fast in a sort of "hey, where's did that Porsche 911 GT2 that was here just a second ago go?" way. The engine is still a turbocharged 4-cyclinder 2-litre unit, but in this guise it produces more power than a WRC car. The modifications are performed by Ralliart and consist of a strenghtened block, new competition spec crank, conrods, pistons and cams, lightened valves, a new head, lighter timing gear and some pretty insane turbo boost pressures (up to 33 PSI if you dare). The lack of the air restrictors fitted to the rally cars also helps. A full roll cage and OMP bucket seats decorate the interior, but air conditioning doesn't.

The clutch is terrific, but a heavy pain around town while the ultra-short five-speed 'box of the RS450 helps it extract its massive acceleration numbers. With 450hp on tap, 60 mph arrives in less than 4 seconds, 100 mph in less than 9. The real fun takes place between 3000 and 8000 rpm, where the speeds pile on faster than pretty much anything else on the road. The downside to the short gear ratios is the unsuitability of this Evo for the highway: at 4000rpm in fifth it hasn't even reached 80mph. Around bends, the RS450 has no more grip than the standard car, but it is still well suited to the large increase in power. It is very hard to match the corner speeds of the RS450, and the car has enough grunt to lay a strips of rubber on exit from each individual tire. The brakes have been upgraded with four-piston AP calipers at the front, but retain the standard 332mm front / 306mm rear ventilated dics, and this greatly improves performance. As far as point-to-point 4-wheeled personal transportation goes, this is about as good as it gets.

Base Price, 44,000
Engine Type twin-turbo I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected] Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Curb Weight, lb 2767
0-60 mph, sec 3.8
0-100 mph, sec 8.8 -
Top Speed, mph 155

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII

The battlefield is set: Mitsubishi and Subaru wage an all out war on each other. The new Lancer Evo 7 sports a 2.0-litre turbocharged I4 producing 276 horsepower at 6500 rpm (really closer to 300) and 282 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm, the latter a slightly higher figure than the STi. The Lancer sits one gear short of the Impreza, using an updated version of the current 5-speed manual transmission. Besides an increase in power, the Lancer also gets a little chubbier, by about 90lb, but still little compared to the Impreza's 220lb weight gain. The lightweight RS model, which forfeits amenties such as a radio and A/C is also about $4000 cheaper than the GSR and 170 pounds lighter, although much more inhospitable for daily road use.

Various features on the Evo 7 include vented front and rear disc brakes with ABS, 235/45ZR17 tires and the unchanged suspension layout from previous model, although with revised geometry and an overall wider track and longer wheelbase. The big piece de resistance, however, is the new ACD (Active Center Differential) which uses an electronically controlled clutch that gives better grip compared to the standard VCU type to improve traction, as well as the AYC (Active Yaw Control) stystem, which gives better torque distribution between the rear wheels. The Lancer goes on sale in Ferbuary 2001, for the equivalent of about $25,500 USD for the GSR and $21K for the RS in Japan. Look for the Evo in North America as well, as a 2003 model possibly detuned to 230 horsepower.

Base Price, 29,995
Engine Type turbocharged dohc I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1997
[email protected] [email protected] Torque, [email protected] [email protected]
Curb Weight, lb 3086
0-60 mph, sec 4.7
0-100 mph, sec 12.
Top Speed - 158UK/112Japan

Mitsubishi Warrender Lancer Evo VII WRC-340

For those who crave more Evo performance, Warrender Sports Cars of Bolton, England has prepared the WRC-340, an shatteringly quick machine that gains roughly 70 horsepower (on paper) over the base model. The modifications start with the engine, where there is a remapped ECU, an HKS induction kit, a new fuel pump, a constant-diameter OTT exhaust systems from manifold to tail pipe and higher turbo boost pressure, up to 20.3 PSI. The front and rear ends have been lowered by 45 and 30mm, respectively, with stiffer setups; the footware is 18-inch BBS alloys with 235/40ZR Yokohama AVS tires and behind them are cross-drilled and grooved brake dics, identical in size to the standard version's, with new pads. Over rough patches the revised suspension geometry isn't too pleasant, but on smooth roads the Warrender 340 is unbeatable. It can drive sideways Makinen-style, or stick like glue and out-corner anything. It accelerates harder, brakes harder and looks better (as long as you don't opt for any decals - see second pic) than the standard article, all for about 6600 British Pounds. Pocket change!


Base Price, GBP 34,145
Engine Type turbocharged dohc I4
Powertrain Layout front engine/awd
Displacement, cc 1994
[email protected] [email protected] Torque [email protected] [email protected]
Curb Weight, lb 3086
0-60 mph, sec 4.3
0-100 mph, sec 11.7
1/4mile - ???