LA Auto Show Report: Smokin' Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
With Subaru taking the WRX down to Camry-like levels of boring, potential buyers of cheap performance from the Land of the Rising Sun now have reason to rejoice: Mitsubishi released the Lancer Evo X at the LA Auto show today. With 291 hp and a road-warping 300 ft-lbs of torque from its 2.0L four-banger, this baby is set to scoot. Transferring that torque to the pavement is a reworked version of Mitsubishi's fantastic AWD system, now coupled with a VW-style double clutch robotic manual. When asked about performance, Michael Evanoff of Mitsubishi told me "0-60 times are expected to closely follow the Japanese official times of low 5 seconds." If fit and finish in the production models are this good, the plain-Jane WRX STi doesn't stand a chance.
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The STi costs $35k+. Good crap. I remember back in the day when the WRX was a hot little machine that regular people could afford when they needed an adrenaline injection. Now the 'rex runs $25k bare-bones and the hopped up STi is sitting squarely in luxury sport-sedan range. I'm interested to see what the Evo X ends up costing, and I can't wait for the detuned 'rex-killer... I like a little competition, keeps everybody on their toes.
The Old EVO 9 was faster than the STI in a straight line (in fact, it was rated lower but dynoed higher) AND around any track you can name. The new EVO's system is incredible - active yaw control with AWD . . . . . supposedly this new car is a tad slower in a straight line but several seconds faster around most tracks. It will be an autocross monster with the new yaw control system (accelerating the outside rear wheel to whip the car around turns) not to mention, its still ugly, but nowhere near as much of a sin-against-god as the new STI Sorry Subaru, consider your butts whipped.
The new WRX in hatchback form looks pretty good to me. Definitely not as bland as the sedan. I wonder if the next-gen STi will be sedan-only?