I drove it and it didnt seem as "Hardcore" as the IX RS and it has placed itself in a class with other cars in its price range. So the only advantage appears to be AYC?

Not worth the extra 10 Grand if you have a IX. Better to stay put and wait this one out. It is a nicer car, but who bought a EVO looking for a nice car? Send us a lightweight version. I wonder how many Hotlaps the new sealed tranny will take before you need to pull off and let it cool down? Goodbye Fast and Ugly!!!

But to those of you that took the plunge, congrats to your nice car!! A EVO that may actually impress your neighbor!!!

 

It has a lot more things better than just AYC did you read the review? Also, not sure where you're getting that a X costs 10k more. BTW, every magazine review has stated the X is a better looking car inside and out but your opinion is your opinion.

 

Just so you no I'm not biased I love my 03 8, it is a rock solid evo, 2.3l, ohlins, brakes kick a** stereo and 70k mileage. It had the street car track record at my local track (until the track closed) etc.. That car has been places and done things that would break a normal car in two! It's been up Pikes Peak at speed fully loaded (a few times), slide around ice tracks for hours, jumped, 30 plus track days etc.. I will probably keep it for a while longer since it's so decked out. However the X is just a giant tempting leap forward, most guys who prefer the 8/9s over the X claim it's not hardcore because it's quieter and smoother but it does not seem to enter the equation that runs rings around the previous generations? Just because it's quieter and more refined does not make it less hardcore because the performance took a great leap forward at the same time.

Easy answer for those guys...buy a X and rip out all the insulation and put a single exhaust on the car. Then it will loose the extra weight be noisy and perform better still. The point is the stiff chassis with better weight distribution and next generation AWD system easily make up for the extra weight. The engine seems super as well, what it took Shiv a weekend to get a 100whp out of it

As for the comparison between the AWD systems the X is unflappable and much more neutral than a stock ACD only car still more neutral than a viscous car. ACD cars always have understeered more than the viscous center diffed evos. With the X in every point of the corner in any type of corner you can kill any potential understeer with a simple technique adjustment. I had to spend months refining ohlins to get the similar performance out of an 8/9 but a X does a better job stock . It also is very forgiving, I give the solid chassis credit for that, as I mentioned the roll understeer that plagues an 8/9 stock is gone in the X due to the stiffer chassis that keeps the outside front contact patch more square with the road (better camber control). The car doesn't pay for it's neutrality in transitions either which is usually the case, when you make a car neutral they usually become spin prone in a slalom or lane change situation. The system is clever enough to read that and keep things in check so the driver can truly have a safe neutral car which is anything but typical.

By the way I have lots of pro road racing experience with aluminum blocked turbo cars. What you look for is blow by that indicates bore distortion under high boost/loads. Put a catch can on the car and keep an eye on it as you crank up the boost, as soon as you see blow by growing you know you reached the safe limit of the block and it's time for sleeves. I have heard the EVO is good for 500whp on the stock block, it is just conjecture at this point though. You don't have to grenade the motor to find this out in other words...

Better living through science...

 

Tell them that, they're the ones attacking a car, an EVO as well BTW that they haven't driven or driven hard

 

Thanks for the response, althought that doesn't really answer my question. I know that even my old '03 VIII is forgiving enough to build bad driving habits, and it took a few sessions in the rain to have the car show me the error of my ways (as in ending up coming out of a corner a$$ first). Thank God that I went through that, because I ended up lapping a few cars on the Nürburgring last year, including a gutted e36 M3 ... in the rain .

So, as an instructor, do you think the Evo X is a good car to learn on, or would an older VIII be better, or should I scrap all that and learn on something like an e36 M3?

l8r)

 

Ludi, physics are physics, the X doesn't require any odd technique that you would call a bad habit. It just doesn't have the usual compromises that we expect from even a good car such as an 8/9. So if you came out of a X and got in a normal car you'd just be disappointed at the amount of inherent relative understeer built into the chassis to keep the car safe. With all the torque vectoring going on you can have your cake and eat it to, neutral and vice free in a X. The brakes and chassis deserve props here too BTW.

The Ring is damn slippery in the wet especially with umpteen random repavings since the 1920's so the grip and corresponding line around the track is a bit complex to say the least (that's why it's so much fun). The X would be a rock star in those conditions.

 

10K is the difference I would need if I were to Trade-in my car. I was just saying that the X is different. The IX is fast and the X may be faster but the Robots (electronics) are doing more work!!

 

the fact is for an avarage driver or any weekend warrior will be much faster in the X vs any previus model. And this is what important. You can argue after some mods etc will equal out or will be close or the driver etc.
The main thing is the X help to make the corner straight, period.
So for those who are not pro drivers or track crazy with different set ups /coilovers swaybars etc/ the best choice the X.
This is what i see so far from the reviews...
But the X is finally here in N.J. so i will have an oppurtunity to test it out myself too... and as my bad habit i always bealive what i see and feel not what i hear...
I know i'm dummy...

 

did mitsu pay u for this articlelol

 

Yeah, this is what I'm trying to come to grips with. If the electronics end up bailing me out of a corner, it's not like I'm going to get a HUD message from the car saying "hey, dumba$$, that was waay too fast, don't do that again..." - or things like downshifting into a corner w/out revmatching, lifting off the throttle in mid-corner or post-apex ... all of these things, I'm sure an X will let me get away with to an even larger degree than the previous models ... none of which I could get away with in a RWD Porsche or BMW, hence my original question.

l8r)

 

We tested at streets and the cars owner ran a 1:30 with stock wheels brakes and tires KW variant 3 coilovers and a rearswaybar, untuned with only a catback. I agree this chassis is a much better platform than the CT9A.

 

10k is being optimistic.

I figured 20k at least and then another 2-3k for mods. I'm sure the tuning devices will be at least 1k and the exhaust, etc..

-M

 

Thanks Paul and Robi. I always appreciate your thoughtful insight.

 

Great write up chornohunter. Were the stock brakes really that good on the track (compared to the stock 8 and 9)?

 

they worked well especially from a release/feel standpoint. The pedal got a tiny bit log but quickly recovered. Put in some PFC pads and some SRX/Motul and hammer away!