Mitsubishi Evo X

Rally expertise for the road

Evo X The Evo name- short for ‘evolution’ is one that’s revered among sporting car enthusiasts. Coined for the initial derivatives of BMW’s hotshot M3 compact sedan in the 1980s; the models, originally conceived to race in the then-current production car race series, reached their climax in 1990 with the 240 bhp Sport Evolution.

Later the idea of massively powerful four wheel drive rally lookalikes caught on, and the Evolution series became a long line of ever faster and ever wilder-looking beasts. What all had in common was tremendous power – which could easily be augmented still further through bigger aftermarket turbos and re-chipped electronics – and the very latest in driveline technology.

Now we have reached the tenth Evo generation, based on the new-look Lancer first shown in 2005 as a concept but not put into series production until 2008. It’s a measure of the extent of the model’s evolution that the most basic version on sale boasts 300 horsepower; editions are available with 360 hp or more.

Our interest here, however, is principally in the Evo’s driveline: it is arguably the most sophisticated on the any car at any price, and has the ability to balance power and torque flow between all four wheels so as to minimize traction loss and maximize steering response. And part of the specification – at least as a customer-selected option – is the SST (for sequential shift) dual clutch transmission. Developed in-house by Mitsubishi with the co-operation of BorgWarner and Getrag, it is a wet-clutch six-speed and is offered – in Europe at least – with the so-called entry-level FQ300 version of the Evolution X.

Intimidating

Sitting low within the car and with the grippy steering wheel adjusted for a comfortable stretch, the feeling is that of being inside a competition car. The engine’s snappy response to the throttle and its slightly restless idle strengthen this impression, but there’s one detail that does just the opposite – a gear selector with positions such as Park and Drive that would normally be expected on an automatic.

This, of course, is a car that can be driven as an automatic – it shifts its gears smoothly enough, even if there’s a touch of snatch at parking speeds that one would not find on a conventional auto -- but there’s such an urgency to its manner that it begs to be driven with more verve. And that is when the Evo’s true character, and the nuances of the many permutations of its transmission settings, begin to become much clearer.

As well as choosing between automatic and sequential manual gearshifting, the driver can also select one of three modes governing the profile of each shift: normal, sport and supersport. The latter, intended only for competition use, can only be engaged at standstill and requires a long push on the selector button. In addition to these gearbox settings come three chassis modes, selected via a console-mounted button; these influence not just the gearbox but also the differentials, the torque management system and the engine’s power characteristics.

The fact that the chassis modes are labeled Tarmac, Gravel and Snow gives a further indication of the mission of this Mitsubishi. Even on the mildest of its settings – automatic, normal and Tarmac – performance is explosive, and the turbo can clearly be heard whirring away. Yet, such is the versatility of the dual clutch transmission that this 300 hp machine is easy to drive at low speed and around town: with a conventional manual gearbox and clutch it would have been rather trickier.

Custom settings

Pushing the transmission mode selector into Sport has an immediate effect: the gearshifts are snappier and more frequent, and the engine hangs on to the lower gears much longer under acceleration. The transmission also knows to downshift when approaching bends or descending a steep hill. Switch to sequential mode – either with the central lever or by pulling one of the column-mounted paddles – and the change in temperament is more obvious still: the Evo is now more urgent and even more responsive, and it gathers momentum with such force that it is essential to keep a constant eye on the speedometer.

The combination of sport and automatic is not a relaxing one – it blocks out sixth gear, so motorway travel sees high engine rpm – but this is not a car designed for relaxation. Yet there is still one more mode to go: requiring a long push on the mode switch with the car at standstill, supersport mode must be intended for amateur race or rally use, for it shifts gears constantly to keep the engine rpm close to the red line, just like rally drivers do. The shifts themselves, whether automatic or paddle-actuated, slam in much harder, but the throttle blip when downshifting adds to the competitive authenticity.

Sequential shifting using the column-mounted paddles (or the central selector) is quick and positive, with a longer pull on the right-hand (upshift) paddle serving to return the gearbox from override to automatic mode.

Precautions

There are some ways in which this dual clutch set-up will surprise users accustomed to conventional planetary automatics. The park position is not as positive as they might expect – the car rolls slightly on a slope before the lock engages—and the engine runs for several seconds after the key is removed. The handbook states that this is in order to allow the internal gears to disengage, thus making the subsequent restart smoother.

The handbook also contains numerous warnings, most of them directed at ensuring that the transmission fluid does not get too hot during track use. The unit contains a hefty 7.6 liters of SSTF-1 lubricant, the handbook advising that vibration from the transmission is an indication of overheating.

A further precaution, also shared with Volkswagen-group DCT models, is to engage neutral while waiting at lights or in a traffic queue, rather than holding the car on the footbrake – a practice which could lead to overheating of the clutches.

Paying the price

While the powertrain and chassis of the Evo are undeniably state of the art, there is a price to be paid for its remarkable performance: in terms of fuel consumption the Mitsubishi is out of step with the times. The tank – just 55 liters or 15 US gallons – drains at an alarming rate. Mitsubishi quotes a CO2 emissions figure of 256 g/km for the dual-clutch Evo SST, with the standard manual achieving 246: these figures correspond to 10.8 and 10.4 liters per 100 km (20.9 and 21.8 US mpg) respectively, but the test car never bettered 12.8 lit/100 km or 17.7 US mpg.

While these are perhaps unfair complaints to hold against such an avowedly sporty car, the standard of the Evo’s interior design and trim, though improved overt the previous generation, is still some way off the levels reached by European premium and near premium brands such as BMW and Volvo. Such factors matter when the sticker price is over the €46,000 (59,000 USD)mark, plus a further €2,000 (2,500 USD) for the SST transmission.

In conclusion, subtlety may not be the Evo’s strongest suit, but there is little else that will come close to its devastating performance or, especially, its exceptional composure on the road. This alone will make it a must-have for the hard-line sports fan, and the accomplished dual clutch transmission successfully makes this performance accessible to a much broader spectrum of drivers.

Specification: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ300
Vehicle type:	Four-door sports sedan
Engine:	2.0 liter turbo gasoline
Power:	295 bhp (300 PS) at 6500 rev/min
Torque:	416 Nm at 3500 rev/min
Transmission:	Six-speed wet-clutch DCT, all wheel drive
Max Speed:	250 km/h
0-100 km/h:	4.7 sec
Fuel Economy:	10.8 lit/100 km
CO2 Emissions:	256 g/km
Price on the Road:	€48,000 (60,000 USD)