Goodbye Evo, It’s Been Fun

You know those times where you begin to realize something bad is going to happen but you try to convince yourself it’s not? Well, I guess you can say that’s what’s been happening with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It’s been nearly seven years since the Evo X debuted, and given the lack of any news about a new model, many of us began to quietly consider the fact that the rally-bred icon might be dead. Sure, there was always that little hope that Mitsubishi might surprise us with a cool new Evo concept at an auto show sometime, but alas nothing ever showed up.

According to a report from The Automotive News, Mitsubishi will soon be officially ending Evo production to focus its efforts on SUVs and electric cars. Although we can’t say this news is surprising, it’s always sad to see models like this disappearing from show rooms.

Before that happens though, British Lancer Evolution fans have at least one reason to still smile – the new limited-edition Evo X FQ-440 MR. Built to celebrate the automaker’s 40th anniversary in the UK, the FQ-440 comes out swinging with 440hp and 412lb/ft; all thanks to an HKS turbo upgrade, high-flow injectors, ECU re-map, and a tubular exhaust manifold, exhaust system, intake and intercooler piping from Janspeed. The special model also receives Alcon brakes (6-pot mono-block callipers at the front) and Eibach lowered suspension.

Goodbye Evo, here’s to a couple great decades of AWD, turbocharged thrills.

Mike Garrett
Instagram: speedhunters_mike
mike@speedhunters.com

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1

RIP Evo.
RIP to Mitsubishi's only interesting model.

2

To hell with SUVs (and el-cars)! I want my AWD sportscars. EVO was my favorite on the modding scene and I was hoping to save up for buying one, but not used. 
Sad to see it go. Although looking at the new Impreza it seems like EVO just reincarnated.

3
Gianluca FairladyZ

So sad.. Just sad..!

4
5

A decision they'll soon regret

6

Will the regular Lancer still be produced, or is that whole strand of dna dead?

7

Sad for EVO lovers. I'm not one of them though. I don't like AWD at all. Unless it's for offroading.

8

So sad.

9

They'll be collectors items soon. Buy yours ;-)

10

....april fools

11

£50,000 for a seven year old Mitsubishi. Yeah, a big reason to smile

12

Vittorio Jano  lol ikr. Especially when it's just a power upgrade that you can get yourself for a fraction of that price :/

13

It's so easy for the carmakers to throw their heritage out the window. Mitsubishi with their EVO lineup, BMW with M3 coupe. I cannot complain about BMW because they are well established in the market and, well, the new M3 & M4 has a killer engine and killer looks. I'm not sad in the end, just dissapointed.

14

PaulSh certainly hope so...

15

It seems a bit daft really. All manufacturers are switching to turbos these days, it makes you wonder why Mitsubishi are going to bin the Evo when in reality it's exactly what the rest of the world is doing and needs. Admittedly the niche they were in has gone from being a niche to being normal, but that shouldn't matter - if anything, one would think sales would increase.

16

SeBaBunea Well, Nissan threw away Silvia and Mazda their RX lineup. We don't have much to look forward to with this trend.

17

Vittorio Jano It's definitely not cheap, but the less of them Mitsubishi UK sell, the more collectable the very last and most powerful Evo might just become..

18

It looks like Suzy can feel guilt free trading in the "demon" for the "ultimate" Evo. Or maybe Mitsubishi will come back to its senses like Honda did with bringing the Type R and NSX back :)

19

憧れだったエボも生産終了か。中学生の頃エボ4に憧れ三菱が好きになり車に詳しくなって今では車体設計の仕事に就くことができた。結局所有することができなかったが人生に大きな影響を与えたこの車は私は一生忘れないだろう。そして頑張れ三菱自動車!!

20
Bekkengen Photo

Mitsubishi is the new Toyota.

21

1st of April anyone? I hope this is a joke...

22

R.I.P

23

April 1st anyone?

24

No joke guys. This news was already around since last week.

25

jay8393  Yah I am surprised at how many people obviously haven't kept up with the news and are relying on Speedhunters. I mean, SH is great, obviously. But it isn't exactly the place to go for up to the minute automotive industry news. Most of the FB car blogs or whatever have been showing this news for a week. 

It's funny too because there was rumors of a new EVO earlier this year. Even some of the Japanese cars mags were showing "leaked" concept art. 

Oh well. Maybe we will see a new one in several years.

26

why mitsubishi?!?!? WHY!!!!!!??????

27

HachiRocker  The Lancer remains, but even in the reports from January and February, there would be no connection between that Lancer and the EVO again. Picture a Renault Megan with the three point star on the front (if the Nissan -Renault partnership is to come true as well).

28

Vittorio Jano  the factory warranty's it's one of its selling points though :)

29

I've never been too thrilled about the evo, but it's going to suck to see it go. Many racing games i've always had an evo on hand to destroy the competition when my other cars couldn't.

30

only way mitsubishi's current focus with electrics and SUVs could make me happy is if they made another evo of the pajero.

31

aussieANON except the Gallant VR4. I know its old, and not particularity good looking, but definitely a bad ass car for sure.

32

thisisbenji90  this is not a joke this was told last week and SH are just revealing it now

33

First inline sixes (supra, r34, silvia) and the FD, and now the two liter turbo's also go to waste? What'll remain, Prius for us and electric F1 for Hamilton?
I'm glad i live in an age when all of the goodness is till around!
btw. i'm the Impreza man all day everyday, but the Evo is a better car in overall. Or it was :(

34
Jason Burch Racing

And she will be loved

35
BradleyKendallMorgan

Silvias use sr20 4 cylinders and fd if you mean mazda rx7 FD they have rotary 2 engines

36

yeah, I really do not think this is April Fools fodder.  I agree with Mike that the long run of the EVO X seemed like a swan song, especially after 4 or so years.  Here is the discussion from SoCalEVO.net:
http://www.socalevo.net/threads/229539-Goodbye-Evo-Lancer-Evolution-production-ending


Anyone want to buy my CT9A for x2 KBB? haha...that is an April Fools joke.  x4 and I will think about it though.

37

Sorry, bad typo. ) should be BEFORE Silvia :)
You dont say FD isnt a straight6? :D i was meant to say all of these iconic cars are already gone, and now the rest are dying as well.

38

T-minus 9 months before they announce they're going to pull out of the US market altogether

39

AdamBezzegh  they are making a replacement supra, the skyline is made still (just not as a i6). The silvia is making a comeback after the nissan idx is released. And mazda is currently working on a replacement for the rx8; which they said will be a new rx7. Plus, lets not forget  the all too easy option of swapping in an i6 into any car you want. (example: Dai Yoshihara's new FRS... 2jz powered).

40

it will be back, in much the same way subaru have realised people don't want the boring cars from them.

41

which is why they put so much effort into next years wrx sti. A few years hiatus and the internet will be screaming for a new evo and low and behold tokyo 2017 there will be a new concept ;)

42

majik16106 jay8393  eh... not all of us pour over automotive publications. I have my own car to worry about, I really only pay attention to auto news if I'm on the search for a new car. In my opinion sites like SH are the only ones worth visiting because they showcase great builds with great photography, not just your run of the mill vehicle.

43

Cue prices of second hand Evos (especially the awesome ones) skyrocketing and my dream of owning one (an awesome one) biting the dust as hard as the Evo's competitors always used to... A sad, sad day

44

@looooooool
Nissan is planning 1.6 engine for the iDx and rx8 replacement will not have a turbo. Basically now you have expensive cars like R35 GTR and affordable but expensive to modify cars like GT86, 350z. Engine swap? $$$ + 20year old engine will need a rebuild soon
I hope iDx will have similar package to S15. On S15 you can make 190-210rwk without too much hassle and the car will feel very different to NA 370z.
Why do you think old RX7s, Silvias and others keeps their value for so long.

45

nugundam93 It is, but this bit in the official press release is kind of interesting... "All vehicles will be fitted with a data recorder which is connected through the On-board diagnostic (OBD) system. This will record details such as driving style, performance, vehicle diagnostics, and present location. Details of the data will be available to both CCC and the registered owner of the vehicle. The fitment of, and reporting of data from this device is a condition of the vehicle warranty."

46

Owning an EVO, from what I've read from those who do, is a bit like dating a supermodel; high maintenance and upkeep. Stories of constant oil changes, self-destructing LSDs, transmission issues, cooling problems, electrical issues, mixed with minimal noisy interiors, makes one wonder why they put up with it. Sure, driving an EVO is an experience reserved for the exotic car set, and understandably so. Of course, this may all come full circle; a new beefier platform, a different aesthetic, could bring it back in the future.

47

kamenkachev  Nope. This is really happening.

48

MattAtDoyle Can you prolong the car's life by using quality mods? I know that the default parts aren't made to last long but if you treat the car well it can go a long way if you are careful about what you put in.

49

Was sooo hoping for an Evolution 11 to come out.  But I guess those dreams has been killed off :(

50

Was trying to find info on the new evo the other day. There were whispers in 2012-2013 that it was going to go hybrid. I guess those plans were shelved. Mitsubishi doesn't offer anything that interests me now....so sad.

51

Dai? Not frs, not 2jz unless he drives one I don't know of. His new falken car is a BRZ V8 with a giant twinscroll turbo on the front...
But Yeah the EVO will go down in history as a real everyday hereo..

52

Godspeed Mitsubishi

53

Hey Mike, are you sure you didn`t get trolled... today is the first but depends where this news is coming from, Asia or NA.

54

@looooooool AdamBezzeghDude that's all just speculation, I would love to see a revival of the Silvias and RX-7, but a rumor is just a rumor. Don't get your hopes up.

55

As a mitsu owner myself its very sad. However the writing was on the walls years ago when they killed off the rally art division and stopped support for the race products. Perhaps this is just the beginning of the end for the three diamond brand all together. Or maybe they'll be purchased by Chrysler Benz (joking.). It was a wonderful ride. Thanks.

56

They said it years ago they were killing it off. Though an interesting strategy going with big suv's and small cheap (dont confuse with inexpensive) electric econo boxes. The wrx/sti would probably be dead too if it not for Ken Block. They just needed to reach the right customers. (wheres Jackie Chan when you need him) If toyota can resurrect the 86 I think 24 years later with success (though its days are numbered) why not the EVO. Anyway time to go watch thunderbolt and some old rally vids.


 Also, Im pretty sure I saw an official person say they were developing the next one specifically for tarmac not so many months ago so, im sure there will be more announcements. Plus, I dont think many of mitsubishis mid range cars have been built on un shared platforms so their loose association with other companies might be made less loose in the coming years. All the other car companies already jumped off that cliff so why not? It looked like a soft landing for most so far.(aston-mercedes, toyota-BMW, toyota-subaru......bla bla bla.

57

It's not the manufacturer's fault per se. The economy in once developed countries is crumbling down so they are all cutting expenses wherever possible. It's all in the politics, people. We need to get more engaged to get things working. I'm running a web in my country to spread political enlightment and work hard to set things right. It will only get worse if we lie down.

58

Mitsubishi announced this news shortly after the Evo X was released to the public around 2008/9. This is just old news that's being brought back into the light for the people who didn't read about it a few years back.

59

MattAtDoyle  wrong car, its the BNR3* gtr is the model line up you are looking for. 
^_^

60

JakWhite  hope its not like a fat pig , need evo 3 lightness.

61

prazzi cant support race products when the company doesn't race.   Ralliart lasted longer than it should have truthfully, there weren't enough cars out (street nor customer race cars) there to justify it's existance

62

Jaemcius doesn't mean you won't see one in the future, just means that for right now, the doors are closed

63

FunctionFirst they aren't going anywhere

64

mrwicksy because it's far too expensive - it needs to be retooled.  Sales have decreased, not increased, and the cars they brought out at a lower price point (Lancer Ralliart), flopped

65

The Evo was and will always remain one of the best AWD cars to ever hit US Soil. It will be missed for sure. The amount of people modifying it and the kind of power that can be pulled out of the 4G6 and 4B11T is what truly sets it apart. This Evo X is making near 1000awhp. That's just insane.
http://www.maperformance.com/blog/fastest-evo-x-record-evo-10/


I'm fearful Mitsu will be dead in 10 years. Electric cars aren't popular in the US and SUV's are great but have a limited market.

66

Really don't see the appeal of SUVs...

Glad to see this isn't the end of SuzyWallace Evo though, which is what I feared when I saw the Title!

67

akatmap  yeah... umm... World's fastest EvoX is Colo Performance's street EVO X running 9.4s on the 1/4mile, from Puerto Rico. Rest assured they'll keep modding the car.

68

There's still a 2015 model year coming out...

69

So that explains the horrendous pricing of the new FQ-440. They're hoping they'll sell at extortionate prices to collectors who will wrap them up and hope they keep their value. 

Such a shame to see another Icon leaving the market, at least we might get the new Imprezza/WRX in the UK again.

70

Kinda late....everyone found out there wouldnt be an evo 11 years ago....

71

maybe they'll bring it back in a number of years....kinda like the GT86...?!

72

jbvvt that maybe so, but how much HP was it making? not saying the HP is what makes the car fast, but I bet if the Evo X in that link would win on the 1/4"

73

aussieANON Never forget the mighty FTO!

74

1st April 2014 - it explains everything)))

75

IanMacdonald1 aussieANON  I meant out of the current lineup.
They used to have some pretty cool cars. The old Galants, the GTOs, that sort of thing are good.
But currently?
They've got almost nothing.

76

is this an April fools slapstick?

77

Unfortunately Mitsubishi is a huge global company and its underperforming car division is not important enough for them to care what happens to it... Mitsubishi now basically makes cars so its (large number of) execs can drive around in Mitsubishi branded metal...

78

This is an interesting comment, as I don't disagree that Mitsu makes a much larger profit margin on their heavy equipment and diesel power plants for ships, etc., the scale of their automotive division is one that their either go all in, or get out completely. It's not the type of business that you can just ship low budget cars, and stay in the business (there is just too much competition to remain profitable at that level).

Daimler Benz is competing in manu of those same diverse markets (along with Toyota and Volvo), but none of them sacrificed the automotive divisions for the heavy equipment.

I'm not against greener vehicles (which is what the press release made it sound as the new direction for Mitsubishi's automotive division), but it does limit your ability to hit as big of a market share. I for example drive 500 - 600 km (300-350 miles) in a single 5 hour trip. I couldn't do this in an miEV , as it will never have the range I need.

79

Me too! ;)

80

Not all Evos are as unreliable as mine has been! ;) I know many guys that have run theirs for years without any issues...

81

Aw, my baby/demon's going nowhere! ;)

82

this.guy.said  Mistubishi - Nissan would be F'in great !

83

Well thanks Mike,

For two months, I've been thinking about the farewell to the brand icon, and I wasn't crying, but I was disappointed with my favorite AWD car going away. 

So today, I decided to just pop into my local dealer, and see what my current Mitsu (2009 GTS Sportsback) child would be worth, and what else is in the line up that I could see driving.

I'm picking up a 2014 EVO X next week.

So do you have a couch I can crash on when my better half kicks me out? :)

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