Update!! No Ralliart in the US!!
Here is basically what I was told...and YES this is reliable:

"Ralliart here will likely be keychains, t-shirts, oil caps, hats and nifty, fleece pull-overs.
Hard parts? Doubt it. HKS can sell those.

Ralliart in Japan and UK and Germany, sell the stock MMC versions of the vehicle and also offer tuning expertise. In the states, MMNA will sell the vehicles and Ralliart can provide cool floor matts, maybe an air freshener, and cool "coffee-can" exhaust tip.

Don't hold your breath for Ralliart bringing anything meaningful to the US. There are liability issues and warranty issues that no one wants to hold the bill for on this side of the pond

Evo here will not be sold as a Ralliart vehicle as in the UK. It will be an MMNA (North America) deal all the way."

 

I've said this many times before, but I don't think Mitsu. is bringing this car over to make them $$$....

It's coming over because Mitsu's rep. is not exactly where it was a couple of years ago. They've SAID before that this car is going to be their Zeus car....a car to rule all others. The American market is a lot smarter than most people think. A lot of people around here seem to think that the only people that know a lot about this car are on this board. That's TOTALLY false. The people that have deposits down will know if their getting the **** end of the stick, and so will the majority of the people that buy this car down the road. If there's going to be anybody that won't know much about the car...it's going to be the people who buy it down the road, when the car's made a name for itself.

The first wave will be sold to the die hards....why in the hell would Mitsu. screw over the people that they brought the car over for?

Hooby

 

I have been involved with suspension tuning on AWD for about 6 years now, and after trying a lot of different things most of the options came short without some active diffs in there. Every single one has some compromises that slows you down one way or another. The only option that actually make sense in order to make an ultimate car is the one with active drivetrain.

This is mainly due to the nature of the AWD passive system (with LSD) to push and take a wider turns than RWD for example. If you fix it by making the car too loose, you can't use all the power as early as you AWD system allows you too. That brings you on the same page as the RWD feel, with the bad part that you have to drag an extra weight.

If you make it too tight, than you can use your throttle way earlier in the turn than any other non AWD cars, but you lines get wider and it is much harder to follow the apexes. In order to do so, you have to do something like extra rotation with the throttle lift (which makes you slower, since you are not at the full throttle any more), or take it easier with the throttle so you can follow the turn, which brings you back to the option one.

The only option that has it all is the one with the active diffs. With the rear end controlled with the steering wheel, you can stay on full throttle during the whole turn and still hit every single apex that you need!

So, yes we never had it here in US so far, but after you play with these things for a while, you get to the conclusion that you need to have something that does use all the benefits of the AWD system, without any bad ones!

This is, of course, something that will be visible for the racing conditions only. For the street and most of the people that will drive these cars, this will not be that important overall. So, if aims this new car for them mostly, than we are out of luck. Also, option that we could get some extra parts and just swap them to make the car more active, doesn't really work well for a lots of types of racing, mainly due to the strict rules that we need to follow in order to stay out of the unlimited (read dollars unlimited) classes.

Mr AWD

 

I've been looking at it from a business perspective since last December....when I put my deposit down.

A full - JDM spec car = lots of sales very quickly.....more $$$$ for Mitsu. as well as happy customers.

A watered down version = a lot of unhappy enthusiasts.....less sales over a longer period of time....less $$$ for Mitsu.

Hooby

 

This could be very well due to the lower weight that the RS has over the GSR. Also, AYC on the EVO VI is not as good as the AYC+ADC combo on the EVO VII in the stock trim!


Mr AWD

 

One more thing: It is likely the Evo won't come with ayc or acd from what I was told.

 

I hope that in dash switch is not why you are saying this. Car with only ACD will be a little bit edgy compare to the one with either AYC or both parts. With edgy, I am referring to the engagement of the oversteer mode, which is what this active drivetrain is all about. There would have to be a very fast actuation system in the center diff to follow (or I should better say actively compensate) actions of the car and its rear end in particular. Otherwise, car would have tendency to be loose if you push it too much and it would push if driven tenderly. Either one of those would not be that easy to adapt to. From the drivers perspective, fast acting AYC (like the tarmac unit from the Really Art) would be much better choice than just a fast acting ACD.

Mr AWD

 

Ok. I'm prety sure we are getting the viscous coupling and mechanical plate diff. as is on the RS. I was told:
"The setup will do the job nicely. It will be more of a driver's car for sure. Items like ACD/AYC not only add cost to the vehicle, but could also present potential warranty headaches under the severe abuse these vehicles will likely encounter at the hands of the owners"
There you have it...those are the reasons...cost and potential problems with extended use.

 

Not to mention the ultra close ratio 5-speeds that the RSes have.

Erik

 

If there's no 5-speed, then why is this website sure it's a 6-speed? Hrmmmm

http://www.litimports.co.uk/evo8.html

 

Has to Make $$$ For there Share Holders, This is its what its all about , Is in Bad shape, This car must make it big or thay could be in a Heap of Sh** very soon.

Sorry just the Facts.....

What counts(bottom line) here is not who has the Fastest or best car, Its about Who Makes the most $$$ Who has the last word in the long run.

RALLY ON ////////////

 

Ok, it will be sold by MMNA and not Ralliart but will the car be made/modified by Ralliart in Japan as opposed to being made by MMC (i.e. Cedia Evolution)?

 

that website is fer teh new Evo8 in Europe and Japan..... not the USDM.....

 

I couldn't agree more.... with your basic premise, just not with HOW their going to make that $$$.

Mitsu. has to make $$$, but they aren't going to do that by releasing a half assed version of the Evo over here. And they know that....or at least they should from checking out this board every once and awhile.

Once again, this car is supposed to vault their image a bit, which in turn will create a desire for other versions of their cars.

Turning out a lame version of the Evo won't do that....if anything, that'll send 'em under. They KNOW if they bring it over here in good shape, regardless of any loss that there would be on the vehicle (which will be non-existant, regardless of what form it comes in), it will boost their image back up to where it should be.

Hooby

 

A couple of quick questions. How much is this thing supposed to weigh? How much does the VII weigh? What kind of seats are we getting - recaro? What are the benefits of these seats? Lighter?

If we are getting a 5 speed - how is it? The one I've got is nothing to rave about. My talon tsi doesn't have acy or adc it seems decent enough in the snow though there is room for improvement INMHO.