Spare-Flair

2002 Lancer Evolution VII GT-A

I've always been a diehard fan of the Evo VII's style and the VIII was very disappointing for me.
I love the clean lines and aggressive, faceted, visage of the Evo VII and it will always be my dream car (a close second to the Ferrari 355 F1 of course. Throw in a Spirit R FD3S RX-7 while you're at it ).

I find that in most auto magazines, circles of car enthusiasts, tuners, and simply general opinion, the most common argument against the Evo VIII (and rarely the VII) is that it's appearance is too outlandish, comical, immature, etc.

I've been to many car forums and generally, suitors of new sports cars have often chosen the 350Z, RX-8, etc. over the Evo because they want the element of class and they don't want to be laughed at by their peers who will only see the outside without understanding the true abilities of the Evo.

I think that's a shame and that it was great for to make the Lancer GT-A for a cleaner car that also has a more luxurious interior to settle the naysayers who hate the cheapness of the current Lancer's interior. Too bad it was only a 1-year production and never made it across the ocean.

This is Mitsubishi's PDF on the car: Read it, it's interesting. Hunt down their Evo VII and VIII PDF's also, great information.
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/PDF-E/evo7_gta.pdf

What do you guys think about this car? If you could replace it's auto with a mitsu five or six-speed Evo tranny, couldn't it be an awesome sleeper car as well as something that you can carry your friends and family around in with some class?

I know people in the show and shine forum absolutely hate the small Lancer wing (the GT-A also came the large VII's wing) but I think it really suits the GT-A VII's lines. For the Evo VIII, the smallish spoiler really looks gimped but on a VII, it fits right in with the sharp lines.

Also, with a smooth hood and maybe blacked out grill over the intercooler, people would never guess that you were driving a turbo 272hp+ beast. Checking with the technicals, it has the same power output and specifications. The only changes are cosmetic to the outside, the improved interior, and the automatic transmission (with upshift and downshift controls on the steering wheel).

If I was ever able to get my hands on 2 Evo's, I'd make one an extreme VII with rally equipment for performance and fun. The other would be a GT-A for everyday driving. I think Mitsu could've refined this one to put it into the IS300/BMW range of class to attract those buyers and yet retain the absolutely deadly performance of the Evolution.

It's a shame Mitsubishi's designers have turned the entire new line to crap with their new image and styling direction. The Evo VIII still looks great, but I fear it's evolution will eventually make it look like the current Lancer with a few fenders and knicknacks.


2004 Lancer - Pontiac anyone? Bleech


2004 Lancer Ralliart - Doesn't fare much better

And since it's now confirmed that Mitsubishi is going to stay with the LanEvo for WRC, I'm glad we won't ever see a Colt Evo. That thing is hideous.


2004 Colt - Suzuki anyone?

Damnit, I really want a GT-A VII. I love that GT-A logo right beside the . Besides heat and transmission issues (probably solvable), that thing would be awesome. Oh yeah, lose the Altezza's too. For those who thought the Evo VIII pioneered the Lancer Altezza's, I have to admit, it was the GT-A's fault for introducing them.

drmosh

nice rant, although a bit pointless, I don't think most people who buy EVOs are that concerned with it's styling... the bug eyed WRX shocked more people than the EVO 8 will ever do.

Spare-Flair

Yeah, you're right, sorry about the rant. I'm just drifting into fantasyland.

Well, lamenting that nobody will ever make a smooth CF VII hood. I'm sure Evo VII kits for the VIII will come out eventually. I like cars that have performance without the attention. Won't have stupid kids keying your car, cops eyeballing you, ****** ripping off your wing, and you could waste most of the cars out there and they would never know.

Then again, I'm in Canada and we won't be seeing the Evo until at least the next re-design (if even then) because doesn't want to spend the money to make it compatible with Canadian safety standards so any Evo is still fantasy. Guess I can look at a 99' Impreza RS (for looks). Don't like the STi.

SpikeLS1

I look at that pic of the GTA and I see an EVO8 without a hood vent and without the upsidedown "V" in the grill....

Tossing out the small wing (since you CAN get it on an EVO8), you are left with the hood and the grill to "fix".

The EVO8 hood has the black ventilation grill on it, paint the grill body color and it won't be so obvious to you if thats the issue. If its still a problem, swap it for a aftermarket or OEM EVO7 hood or something.

The grill could even be "fixed" back to EVO 7 specs with a hacksaw and some duct tape but seriously, a shop that can repair cracked and broken motorcycle fairings could easily remove that nasty "EVO8 inverted-V" in the grill in no time and fill the extra vent holes if thats your issue. And if you don't like that route, then check out the companies that sell body kits and replacement front ends, they probably can help you out with an entire aftermarket (or even OEM) EVO7 front.

You'll want some EVO7 taillights too.

Less whining, more action. Step 1) Move to the US of A. Step 2) Buy an EVO8 and Step 3) set it up to look like an EVO7.

Problem solved.

NEXT!!

TeamSlamDotCom

iTrader: (1)

iono... Evo 6.5 TME RS2 is awe inspiring. Anyone could own one.

Show me something from than even comes close.

I rest my case.

SpikeLS1

PS - I agree with you completely on most of what you said

1) the EVO7 is a better looking car - definitely!

2) average joes on the street are less likely to recognize it and screw with it or recognize its potential - agreed!

I'd also love to toss an EVO7 looking front fascia onto my EVO8 and loose the big wing, its in the plans - just not for this year.

Secret Chimp

iTrader: (2)

The GTA was built for 'older folks' and women who were worried about their image, or who couldn't (or didn't want to) shift a manual car.

The automatic tranny cost the car 30-40 hp over it's manually shifted stable-mate.

Most enthusiasts (by 'enthusiast' I mean people who like to take their cars to tracks and race, and not people who like to polish and drive up and down main street and be judged on the concourse) consider it the most watered down, slowest, most thematically compromised Evo ever produced.

And yes, it does look a bit more mundane and would certainly blend into the bland background of the US carscape much better than the Evo VIII.

But, the world is full of different colors and differing opinions. If Mitsu was (or will be) trying to make the Evo a money maker, then they probably would be wrong to not create a GTA version for the US market.


SC~

STC

I like the stying of the GTA, plain hood, just make it a manual and id buy one!

Mister2zx3

If you're buying the car for image or other people, the failed GTA experiment shows that that is not what the car is about in any way. Just a Lamborghini's are not meant fo rtaking kids to school in. The Evo is a performance car. The hood needs that opening to get heat out from drivnig the car, not just steering it around, or pushing it on carpet.

There are other cars for classy lines, good paint, and automatic transmissions.

Keep the Evo Pure, Mitsu made a mistake, hopefully they learned from it.

ImportPePe

iTrader: (4)

If that's so, then why did they opt to use Altezzas on the GT-A?

Revolutionary

altezzas were originally a classy look... they just have been exploited by APC and ricers and have become the very epitomy of rice... they werent originally.