Mitsubishi Lancer, Evolution VIII, Mitsubishi Racing, ****ing Quick 340. Or FQ for short. To make the jump from standard Evo to potential Subaru-beater, the FQ must first go on a rapid weight-loss program. The FQ has been lightened, lowered, visually tweaked, and mechanically overhauled, even beyond the U.S.-spec MR Edition. To save weight and lower the center of gravity, the roof and side-impact bars are aluminum, and the wheels by Team Dynamics are revised heat-treated items that save a further seven pounds. Combined, Mitsubishi has shed 23.6 pounds from the standard Evo's curb weight.
Each corner houses new Bilstein suspension with altered damping rates and repackaged mounting points. Developed on the Nuerburgring, the tweaks are intended to sharpen up the handling and make the Evo easier to live with on a daily basis.
Up front, the high-strung 2.0-liter four has been given a warming over: new cam profiles, a reworked turbo, and a reprogrammed ECU. The result is 342 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque channeled through a six-speed box and Mitsubishi's trick all-wheel-drive system with Active Yaw Control and Active Center Differential.