Name User

iTrader: (1)

An AWD turbo subcompact car that is successfully competing in the WRC. Unfortunately in 2016 that means hatch and no trunk.

There's an alternate universe where something like this is sitting in dealership showrooms, while I'm frantically contacting banks and credit unions.

http://www.speedhunters.com/2015/12/...arks-like-evo/

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

They could have it done with no effort even privateers like your article mentioned the Polish Dytko etc showed the right way to continue, but the Corporation shut it down any efforts and ideas.

Here is the other but better option in my opinion then the VW hybrid


http://www.mitsubishir5.com/

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

WRC will continue with or without Mitsubishi and there will be some exciting new homologation cars coming after the rules changes take effect in 2017. The best is yet to come as far as light weight awd turbo cars go.

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

hopefully they will force the manufacturers to do what they had to do before the late 90's and we will see again cars we like in the showrooms. There is a huge chance for that. You see the ford toyota hyunadi etc already making moves, i heard Lancia etc start getting around the drawing tables... cant wait!!!!

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

I think Toyota is going to surprise everyone. They have more money than God and the 1.6 they built for the WRC Yaris is impressive. I think the engine will carry over with a complete redesign of the chassis to meet 2017 regulations.

Brest Phan

I think what the Evo XI shouldve been was what the X was supposed to be: a turbogas electric hybrid with 400hp and 375lb.

I don't see the Evo as a WRC anymore as most people track them or drag race them. The R5 does that nicely as the Evo had really "evolved" into a road car that was giving BMWs, Mustangs, and other cars a hard time.

I think if Mitsu wouldve gone with an AWD turbo-hybrid road car above 400hp, 0.98+ on the skidpad, and 0-60 under 5 seconds or faster, they wouldve had their eco friendly, beast that would defy the odds as Evos have already done, but even better.

Not to be sadly. Unless they're killing the car for a couple years only to bring it back with fanfare and celebration to rock the car world and make a huge splash-

Sil'vr-Boi6

iTrader: (26)

I agree with everything said, ...just take a look at what the industry is doing these days adopting turbochargers to their lineup. You have some major manufactures GM, VW, Toyotas and even higher exotics (Ferrari, Mclarens, Porsches, Koenigseggs, etc.) fitting turbochargers to comply the emission requirements. Than you have Mitsubishi who has done and has vehicles outfitted with turbochargers for YEARS, decide to pull out of the game and turn its back on turbo AWD cars. EV are not the only way to achieve realistic sale goals and meeting emission requirements in the future.

Brest Phan

Ok well lets assume that EV and hydrogen powered EV are in fact the future.

That being said, a hybrid Evo that met all the requirements of the Evo identity ie AWD, fast, powerful, sedan, affordable, with insurgent attitude as in take on much more expensive cars and not only keep up with them but beat them, would still be an Evo.

Then, in the future if the world is really going to be an EV world there could in fact be an Evo EV if it kept the qualities necessary to be an Evo: AWD, fast, powerful, sedan, street and track fighter that challenges cars much more expensive than it-

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

The problem with hybrid systems is the extra weight they add. The new NSX weighs in at 3803 lbs. A hybrid Evo would likely have been north of 4000 lbs.

Brest Phan

You are totally correct hybrid is heavy. But given we would lose the center and rear diff there is weight to "exchange" sort of speak. The electric motor and corresponding diff or transaxle would replace the weight of the existing center diff and rearend. Possibly carbon fiber or aluminum could save weight in the monocoque RISE chassis as well as carbon fiber used in more body panels.

Yes, this could be expensive right now but I'd think if anyone could mass produce a hi tech high performance car affordably it would be the Japanese.

Or maybe not, which is why its the end of the road

DeeezNuuuts83

All of that is easy to talk about, but hard for them to execute. Today's base Evo is $35k... whether it's the byproduct of more boost or a hybrid powertrain, a factory 400 hp Evo isn't going to be cheap. And to be a realistic option that will sell, it's going to have to have an exterior that is somewhat worthy of the pricetag... but Mitsubishi hasn't quite shown us that they can pen jaw-dropping sheetmetal. We can deal with that in the $30k range, but Mitsubishi was pushing it with the $40k range, and beyond that is going to really shrink the quantity of potential buyers ready to fork over the money.

In my world (with it being one that takes into account being realistic and not my dreams come true), the Evo XI would require the base Lancer to at least look kind of sleek (since it'll share exterior/interior DNA with it to make it cost effective), lose some weight somehow (probably by doing what some other companies do by the frame having certain sections of it made of aluminum rather than it being made purely of steel, specifically in the front to help trim weight there and possibly allowing the battery to go back up front again so its trunk isn't only big enough for a couple of golf bags), have Recaros (or at least bolstered seats) that comply with today's standards.

What will help them is if they don't try to win the horsepower wars... just a marginal gain will be acceptable if they can tweak it to get better mpg. It doesn't have to be an insane jump, just something in the neighborhood of 20-21 city/29-30 highway which is doable with some better tuning and small updates here and there with 2016 know-how, especially if they can add stuff like start-stop. They might have to stick with a six-speed transmission at that point to get the taller top gearing that it would require. I'd say let it be at the cost of some top speed, if they can gear it right to make a 400-mile highway trip doable on a single tank.

Without needing to resort to adding new technology (which is going to cost them a bit with R&D, since it's not like they are a competitor with hybrid powertrains), if the weight savings can get the car to anything under 3,500 pounds and have the engine be similar to what the Final Edition has (so ~300 hp) but with some mpg consideration with its gearing (at least for sixth gear) to get a 29-30 highway mpg rating (which the Golf R can pull off, though I'll be realistic and assume that the city mpg can see a small increase but not quite catch up to the Golf R's 23). Obviously the 4B11 has a ton of potential even with just a tune, so I can assume that there could be a happy medium between having an output right around or better than what the current one has while going for fuel economy when needed by holding back from tuning it within an inch of its life. So the stock setup can have decent mpg, then let the track junkies let the horses loose in exchange for mpg. It's going to have to be this way, considering the STI will at some point get the 2.0T from the WRX but with STI-caliber numbers. Which is totally doable.

They'll have to go outside of their own talent pool to get a decent design, but looks are a big part of what helps sell cars, even if the motor sucks. It doesn't work the other way around when the car is nearing $40k, which this potential Evo would be. But decent looks would go a long way. Stock Evo will be wingless, but if the factory trunk has a Do-Luck style lip, then I think that would be a nice touch (and if it's the stock Lancer trunk as well, then that would be good too, provided that there is more of an exterior difference than vents and a widebody). And of course a wing can be an option.

It may not bring anything too new to the table and it definitely won't be as far ahead of the curve as it was 10+ years ago, but it's definitely not a slow car at all, and can still corner the way you would expect. So if they just make it more of a complete car that is a little more practical than before but not slower, I think people will forgive the fact that it isn't a 12-second car stock (provided that a flash will fix that). But if they can get a few more ponies and trim some weight, I think it would be a little quicker, just maybe not in the leapfrogging manner that we may have seen from other companies (like when Ford went from the 4.6 to the 5.0 in the Mustang GT). Do those little things but make the car look really nice and not too racer-ish, and they can move units.

Ditch navigation (unnecessary option these days and not really something that would upsell an Evo), don't bother with different throttle response modes (like how Subaru has that economy/sport/sport sharp selector), have Bluetooth that can stream music, don't worry about any upgraded audio packages, and we can have a car that is focused on the important stuff while doing everything pretty well, just maybe not class-leading.

Brest Phan

And......you're the only member on this thread that is living in reality? Or with an income of modest means?

I'll disagree with you regarding the looks of the Evo. I actually think the X was a trend settinf car that has been copied, or influenced other manufacturers. Just look at the new Fords. Lexus. BMW etc. Many cars have style cues now that were on the Evo 8 years ago and considered ugly. And I personally don't really care that much as I think function trumps, and often influences form. I think the Evo (as well VIII and IX) look like little beasts and I like them that way. Far too many cars LOOK fast but are toothless.

As far as tech, the X was supposed to be a hybrid as well as the Eclipse before that but didn't happen. Probably partly due to expense but rejection from the Evo community as well. People clearly stated in forums as well as research that they wouldn't buy a hybrid let alone EV Evo. Too bad too. Cars are clearly going to evolve (no pun intended) and hybrids, EV and hydrogen are the future. Toyota is staking its entire future on hydrogen.

Fact is, there are much bigger markets than America and Mitsubishi is going that route. Emerging and BRIC countries are far more lucrative than fickle Americans who are more concerned with looks than performance. Could be too that Americans cant afford midlevel performance cars anymore. People are buying econoboxes or increasingly expensive commuters that are loaded with options.

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

Actually, the US is the world's second largest auto market (and was 1st until being recently passed by China for the #1 spot). Plus, the sports car market is really heating up in the US. Or do you think its coincidence that we are getting models never before released on our shores (like the Focus RS and CTR).

Mitsubishi has once again misread the market and gone the "wrong direction" by killing their halo model in favor of making crossovers.