Evo MR write up in Road & Track
Evolved Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
From: New Bedford, MA
I was thinking more along of the average driver. Forgot that folks here aren't average drivers. 
I shift slow because I don't have manual trannies right now. I lived with my folks still when I got the Eclipse, and I was strictly prohibited from coming home with a manual. We played musical cars in the driveway a lot, and neither of them could manage a stick. My father cosigned my first car, and therefore had to sign off on it when I sold, and therefore refused to sign until I signed off financing for an Eclipse with an ST transmission. Fortunately I had enough credit history by then to finance the Eclipse myself.
So I got punished with 1 less gear, worse gear ratios, more weight, a shift delay, and another $1000 on the pricetag. That and all my experience rowing my own has been test drives and time in friends' cars. Nothing a week with my next car won't fix.
I shift slow because I don't have manual trannies right now. I lived with my folks still when I got the Eclipse, and I was strictly prohibited from coming home with a manual. We played musical cars in the driveway a lot, and neither of them could manage a stick. My father cosigned my first car, and therefore had to sign off on it when I sold, and therefore refused to sign until I signed off financing for an Eclipse with an ST transmission. Fortunately I had enough credit history by then to finance the Eclipse myself.
So I got punished with 1 less gear, worse gear ratios, more weight, a shift delay, and another $1000 on the pricetag. That and all my experience rowing my own has been test drives and time in friends' cars. Nothing a week with my next car won't fix.
as far as saying that the evo mr might not be a good daily driver, I remeber reading an article at pistonheads.com or autoexpress.co.uk that reviewed that car and said that the suspension was softer than the current gsr model but handled alot better. I will try and find that article again and post it
the most macho Mitsubishi ever has gone all soft! As with its predecessors, the Lancer Evo VIII has always been a razor-sharp, hard-edged beast that could shake your fillings loose on the wrong road.
It has taken Mitsubishi 10 years and eight generations of the Evo to temper this extreme machine's road manners, and the new Evo VIII MR (the initials stand for Mitsubishi Racing) proves the etiquette lessons have paid off.
Auto Express was the first British magazine to get behind the wheel to bring you this exclusive verdict on the newcomer. From the outside, the MR is virtually identical to the current Evo VIII, apart from a revised front spoiler and a set of lightweight BBS wheels.
Underneath that butch-looking body, however, the car has been modified to such an extent that it could almost be called the Evo IX! Engineers have given the Mitsubishi more torque, with rev-ised turbine and camshaft geometry increasing it from 392 to 400Nm at 3,500rpm. Maximum power output is 276bhp, which is slightly less than the UK-only FQ-300 and 330 models.
Other changes include fitting an aluminium roof and lighter BBS alloys, which together reduce the car's weight by more than 20kg and lower its centre of gravity. But by far the most significant revision is the use of Bilstein dampers on all four corners. This gives a far more civilised ride, without harming the Evo's legendary handling.
To further improve cornering, Mitsubishi has modified the 4WD system, active differential and yaw control to deliver even better grip. The result is a car that's massively impressive on a race track and, unlike other Evos, is just as much fun to drive to work.
Peter Lyon
It has taken Mitsubishi 10 years and eight generations of the Evo to temper this extreme machine's road manners, and the new Evo VIII MR (the initials stand for Mitsubishi Racing) proves the etiquette lessons have paid off.
Auto Express was the first British magazine to get behind the wheel to bring you this exclusive verdict on the newcomer. From the outside, the MR is virtually identical to the current Evo VIII, apart from a revised front spoiler and a set of lightweight BBS wheels.
Underneath that butch-looking body, however, the car has been modified to such an extent that it could almost be called the Evo IX! Engineers have given the Mitsubishi more torque, with rev-ised turbine and camshaft geometry increasing it from 392 to 400Nm at 3,500rpm. Maximum power output is 276bhp, which is slightly less than the UK-only FQ-300 and 330 models.
Other changes include fitting an aluminium roof and lighter BBS alloys, which together reduce the car's weight by more than 20kg and lower its centre of gravity. But by far the most significant revision is the use of Bilstein dampers on all four corners. This gives a far more civilised ride, without harming the Evo's legendary handling.
To further improve cornering, Mitsubishi has modified the 4WD system, active differential and yaw control to deliver even better grip. The result is a car that's massively impressive on a race track and, unlike other Evos, is just as much fun to drive to work.
Peter Lyon
Originally posted by EVO Neil
You guys are looking at this from one perspective the, "I already own an Evo" point of view and "it's not worth it to me". This car is not coming here to capture sales from current Evo owners, it's designed more as an answer to the Subaru STi. You are all saying it's not worth it, well, maybe it's not to a current owner, but a perspective one, maybe.
Keep in mind that the countries outside the U.S. look at our more basic, non-electronically enhanced Evo and want what we have. Seems like it's just human nature to want what you don't have. Also, the MR will require additional service due to the ACD. So, while I'm not going to be trading my U.S. GSR in on an MR anytime soon, I can appreciate the technology (er, evolution) of the car and that fact the they may be bringing it to the U.S.
You guys are looking at this from one perspective the, "I already own an Evo" point of view and "it's not worth it to me". This car is not coming here to capture sales from current Evo owners, it's designed more as an answer to the Subaru STi. You are all saying it's not worth it, well, maybe it's not to a current owner, but a perspective one, maybe.
Keep in mind that the countries outside the U.S. look at our more basic, non-electronically enhanced Evo and want what we have. Seems like it's just human nature to want what you don't have. Also, the MR will require additional service due to the ACD. So, while I'm not going to be trading my U.S. GSR in on an MR anytime soon, I can appreciate the technology (er, evolution) of the car and that fact the they may be bringing it to the U.S.
choad
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 0
From: Brew Town, Wisconsin
The MR has so many small changes it's more like the Evo 8.9. There must be atleast 50 changes. It is a significant improvement.
We "MR" lovers can think of 50 reasons..
Evolving Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Roseville CA
So what do you do when you trade in your Evo VIII for an MR, and a year or so later Mitsubishi releases the Evo IX?
http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...pad/index.html
http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...pad/index.html
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Queens, NY
Originally posted by garrick70
So what do you do when you trade in your Evo VIII for an MR, and a year or so later Mitsubishi releases the Evo IX?
http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...pad/index.html
So what do you do when you trade in your Evo VIII for an MR, and a year or so later Mitsubishi releases the Evo IX?
http://www.motortrend.com/future/spi...pad/index.html
I will be sooooooooooo satisfied with my MR
MR will last me a long long time
Unless the EVO 9 comes with say 600HP, Super Duper AYC, Super ACD etc...
Its kinda like EVo owners dont care about MRs LOL. IT will be a great car for so LONGGGG. Evos will last a long time.U nless the MR has AYC OR 600hp i dont care
Last edited by batty; Apr 14, 2004 at 03:09 PM.