/shrug
It's a niche car, for the volume their making there are enough people in America who WILL pay $30k for a four door Rally bred car (that out handles, out brakes, and nearly out accelerates SVT's precious blown Cobra for more money). If you take away the Recaro's, the Momo, the Enkei's, the Brembo's or even the AWD - you're taking away the desireable aspects the market segment this niche vehicle is attracted to.

already makes the car you're looking for in the price range you describe - the Eclipse GT with the 205hp engine.

Mitsu's only concern with the Evo is bringing a sporty image back to their nameplate - they'll make their bread and butter money off their mainstream product line, and get bragging rights with the Evo's performance.

 

Yah, and hopefully they put a big sticker on it reminding you to close the hood so it doesn't blow open when you're driving down the road.

Or maybe they'll make the FDE, Francois Delecour Edition, and it'll come with your own french co-driver that you can scream at when you make a mistake and toss your car off the road.

I hope gets some better drivers for their return to WRC next year. Maybe Burns will come over.

 

The Eclipse GT is a touring vehicle and nowhere near as sporty as the original Diamond Star derived turbo GST's or GSX's. I agree the EVO is about image...but beilieve me, Mitsu needs alot more than image right now. They need sales and in a BIG WAY and an Image/Niche car isn't gonna do it. Would I want a stripped down EVO, not a chance... but would 50% of the Kids who come in here and can't afford an EVO settle for a front wheel drive version, still turbo charged with around 210 hp or so, absolutely. The same reason the GST's out sold the GSX's around 10-15 to 1.

 

If that is what Mitsu wants then they should just turbo the Ralli art Lancer. I understand they need more sales, but watering down the EVO would not be the way to go.

 

They dont need to make the vehicle affordable to the 'masses' (30k is NOT that expensive for a performance car), because its not marketed to the masses. Its supposed to be a limited production rally-homologation type sports car. The appeal is in all the bits and pieces you are suggesting they take off. If you want something like you described buy a neon.

 

The EVO VII GT-A is not the EVO 7.5 as many of you think...


Its actually the Automatic version of the EVO VII, with smaller spoiler, less horsepower (250 I believe), and comes with the ACD, but not the AYC....


It still goes around the track alright, but it has a lot of understeers....


I don't think that sold very well though, although I have seen a couple of them around before in Hong Kong and Japan - imagine driving an automatic with a big **** front mounted cooler on the front!!

 

If you have nothing new to contribute, then don't go resurrecting 4 month old threads.

Closed.