Taking over Galant VR-4 as the company's rally car, it got that car's 4-wheel drive system with viscous-coupling center differential and 4G63 turbocharged valve engine but enclosed in a smaller and lighter package.
The engine was improved to produce even more power at hp. In addition to an aluminum bonnet, close-ratio gearbox, uprated brakes, Recaro bucket seats and Momo steering wheel, the first generation was already a spectacular cannonball. Externally, it can be distinguished from the regular Lancer by its extra aero kit, a pronounced bonnet and larger air intakes. Compare with the contemporary Lancia Delta Integrale Evo, the Mitsubishi was kilograms lighter yet boosted 40 more horsepower.
It was believed to be capable of sprinting from mph in just over 5 seconds, which was nearly supercar performance in those days!
What a pity its sales was restricted to Japan. Evo II E vo II was launched in Jan Its production was again limited to cars. While it didn't look markedly different from the original, it adopted a number of modifications: the engine was tuned to hp without affecting torque delivery; the chassis was stiffened by 30 percent; the suspensions were retuned to improve handling; wider tires and larger inch wheels were adopted to enhance grip; an extra lip spoiler was added below the front bumper to improve aerodynamics.
Besides, the viscous-coupling rear LSD on the old car was replaced with a mechanical type. Evo III E vo III arrived in Feb Its engine was boosted to hp at slightly higher rev, thanks to a new turbine, higher compression ratio and reduced exhaust back pressure. Moreover, its intercooler got water spray to keep high output lasting longer. Outside, its aerodynamic kits were overhauled, with deeper air dam and skirts and larger rear spoiler to cut aerodynamic lift, enlarged intakes to feed the radiators and brake ducts.
These changes were proved effective in motor racing. More would come in the next few years Evo IV E vo IV from Aug was based on the body of new generation Lancer. Apart from the stronger chassis, a lot effort was made to the engine and drivetrain. Racing camshaft, lighter pistons, improved induction and exhaust yielded another 10 hp and more important, 33 lbft of torque.
A twin-scroll turbo reduced exhaust interferences, improving low-end response and cutting turbo lag. Larger brakes were adopted to match the increased performance. It was actually an active rear differential, helping the car to regulate understeer and oversteer.
Externally, this car looked almost a rally car with its monstrous-size intakes and large fog lamps, but people liked it! Evo V D ebuted in Jan , the Evo V was another big improvement. The suspension received optimized geometry, lightweight aluminum control arms and inverted dampers that lifted chassis rigidity. New brakes incorporated high-performance Brembo calipers. The AYC was further refined to reduce the understeer found on the previous generation. The new rear wing got an adjustable foil to alter downforce setting.
All these significantly improved its handling. Evo VI J anurary came Evo VI. In this generation the improvement concentrated on aerodynamics as a response to the changes made to WRC regulations. In particular, the rear wing became bi-plane. The badge may return, but the Evo as we know and love it is well and truly gone.
By then the company was clearly committed to pitching high technology and ruggedness as major selling points for its vehicles worldwide. Short of Formula 1, no racing series was more high tech than world rallying, and nothing came close to the ruggedness of rallying, either. But only somewhat. Introduced in , the Galant VR-4 featured the same turbocharged, 2. Shown here is the model. Americans eventually got a hp Galant VR-4 in and , but only a few thousand were sold here.
With its twin counter-rotating balance shafts and rugged iron block, the 4G63 could be modified to make big power reliably despite massive amounts of turbocharger boost. In the Eclipse, the engine was rated at horsepower. During the late s and early s, worldwide rally events were moving to tighter, tougher, and more demanding courses.
Cars like the Galant were simply too large to remain competitive. So the mechanical elements that made up the Galant VR-4 were crammed into the body shell of the smaller Lancer sedan to create the Lancer Evolution. The 4G63T engine was rated at horsepower in this application and fed a five-speed manual transmission; output was distributed to all four wheels. The first Evo was offered as either a GSR trimmed as a fully comfortable street car or as an RS stripped of luxuries like power windows and antilock brakes to save more than pounds of weight.
Mitsubishi built of these first Evos during and ; all were right-hand drive and all were sold in Japan. Late in , the Evolution evolved into the Evolution II with a slightly longer wheelbase by 10 mm , slightly wider front and rear tracks, and slightly larger tires on inch wheels.
Throw in tweaked suspension pieces and the result was a better handling, more stable car. Externally, however, the Evo II looked barely different from the first edition. The power of the 4G63T engine swelled to horsepower, even though the peak torque figure of lb-ft at rpm was unchanged.
The Evolution II gave way to the Evo III in early with new styling, improved aerodynamics with more downforce, and a new turbocharger that boosted engine output up to horses. The Evo IV, which debuted in , was based on a new-generation Lancer platform and the revised powertrain, which included a new twin-scroll turbocharger and gained an additional 10 horsepower. An active rear differential was included for the first time as part of a new Active Yaw Control AYC system; it used various sensors and a computer to redistribute torque to whichever of the four wheels could use it best.
And, of course, the body was completely new in appearance. Detail changes on the Evolution V included flared wheel arches, wider front and rear tracks, bigger inch wheels and tires, upgraded suspension geometry, and an adjustable rear wing. Japanese laws that restricted power output had Mitsubishi stating the 4G63T engine made horsepower in the Evo V, but most everyone assumed that output now stretched beyond horsepower.
The Evo was a legend in its own time. Closely related to the Evo V, the VI was built to be more durable than its predecessors with better cooling, a larger intercooler, and a revised front bumper that let more air through. Under difficult testing conditions, the German-market Evo VI ripped to 60 mph in 5.
Parallel bonnet air grills and several engine tweaks a The sixth generation of the Lancer Evolution was more of a leap than a step ahead of its predecessor.
A new drivetrain made a big difference. The World Rally Championship was at its heights in the late '90s. Seven official factory teams gathered points for the final chart. Mitsubishi introduced the new car and it ended in fourth place. But it was six times on the podium and had a victory Coerced by the newly introduced WRC regulations, Mitsubishi released the firth generation Evo in The car saw many changes from body styling to performance oriented under-bonnet adjustments.
While the engine was upgraded having been mated to a new turbocharger, power output was limited to the previously achieved hp as part of a "gentleman's agreement" that said power had It was launched in and it was the first to introduce the Active Yaw Control, which made the car faster on the bends.
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