The Evolution Game: Mitsubishi Lancer

[Liquid]

The Evolution Game: Mitsubishi Lancer

1992-1994 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,205kg / 2,651lbs

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1994-1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,205kg / 2,651lbs

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1995-1996 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,205kg / 2,651lbs

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1996-1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,305kg / 2,871lbs

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1998-1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,310kg / 2,882lbs

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1999-2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,310kg / 2,882lbs

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2001-2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,355kg / 2,981lbs

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2003-2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,355kg / 2,981lbs

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2005-2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

Bodystyles: 4-door saloon, 5-door estate
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,355kg / 2,981lbs

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2007-2016 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

Bodystyle: 4-door saloon
Engine: 2.0 turbocharged I4
Drivetrain: 4WD
Weight: ~1,510kg / 3,322lbs

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Previous Results & Nominations Thread

 

[lilcat89]

You could almost separate the generations of Evo into 4 distinct groups. The first 3, then 4-6, then 7-9, and finally 10. I was never a fan of the Evos, I never really liked Makinen's domination of the 1996-1999 WRC. That was until 2001, when the new Evo WRC debuted in Corsica. I still have that event review program on VHS from the time. The Evo VII based WRC just looked the business on those tight tarmac roads. Makinen was on the decline and Mitsubishi had the same issue that Red Bull has in F1 now with Verstappen at that time. It helped too that the States had just started getting WRXs, and quite frankly, I have been over Subarus ever since.

 

[MagpieRacer]

I love the Evo 7, in rally form in particular it has a fantastic look to it. Even as a Subaru fanboy, the Evo 7 hit different.

However, if given the choice to acquire any of the above cars, it would be the Evo 3. The last one before they started putting on weight, the sleek, classic 90s look, the split spoiler, it just oozes cool and in the modern day, to me, it's the one that stands out of the crowd.

 

[MisterWaffles]

Personally I have to go with the Evo X myself. I'm speaking from a point of view of a somewhat younger member of the forum but the Evo X was around the longest by far, and I think it just has the most iconic look out of all of them. To the point Mitsubishi is still following that design language somewhat even today, or at least an evolution of it (pun intended).

The X just looks the nicest out of all of them IMO. The earlier models, especially in the second generation, had really large, weirdly shaped intakes, and they all kind of look blobby and incoherent as a result. I've never really been a fan of the older Evo models looks-wise. But the X is really well proportioned and looks aggressive, but much cleaner than the older gens.

Plus the X has my favourite version of the road-going Lancers, the X FQ400.

The FQ400 in blue is <3

 

[05XR8]

Every time this car come up. This is peak Evo for me.


Looks small. Small wheels. Just enough aero. Not flashy and has all the punch.

 

[Tornado]

V
V
V
V
V
V



I'll allows the III.

 

[1241Penguin]

Love the V. First to allow Nakaya of Best Motoring to perform his signature zero-countersteer.

 

[-Fred-]

VI TME for me. The Ralliart Stripes, the big **** you Mitsubishi logos on the sides of the rear wing, the red-laced Recaro seats. It's the last Group A car to win... anything, really, and it's the last Evo before it got fat and uncompetitive in rallying. Tommi Makinen was a god amongst rally drivers and having a car named after him is only the right choice. It'd be like having a poll for the best Impreza and not voting for the GC, you can't do that.

 

[Ali]

Evo V/VI, voted VI.

Love everything from Evo I to Evo 6. Evo 7-9 were cool too, but Evo 10 I've always hated. What a fugly pig.

 

[Liquid]

One of my first car loves ever was the Evo IV. The first time I watched rallying would have been around 1997 with Mäkinen in the Ralliart Evo IV and I was blown away from being able to drive it in GT1. I also had an odd fascination with the yellow Evo III that would appear as an opponent in arcade mode. But the older I get, the more I think the Evo V just has it. The way it looks with that huge wing is just superb. Even esoteric details like the rear lights being part of the boot lid.

From the VII onwards, I'm not really fussed and don't really like any of them apart from the VIII. The VII looks unfinished and the IX is too try hard. The X doesn't interest me at all.

 

[ScottPuss20]

I really like the Evo 5 and 6 but I'd honestly buy the 8 before any of those. The car appeared in GT4, NFSU2 and Midnight Club 3 so I was very familiar with it from a young age. I personally think the 8 is better than the 9 in terms of looks. It obviously didn't find the same level of success as a rally car compared to the 4/5/6 but I don't care because it's been a part of the tuning scene since the beginning of it's life. You cannot talk about JDM culture today without the Evo 8. It was probably the first Japanese car I ever had an affinity for and that can never be taken away from me.

 

[TheCracker]

Essentially they're all AWD 4cyl turbos with 247-291hp. It comes down to which one means the most to you. For me it's the Evo VI as it's the last real WRC homologation generation.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I like the V and VI the best, but I would probably own an VIII or IX. The interior of the cars prior to the VII scream rental car.

 

[Imbissbrunto]

My favorite will always be the Evo IX, it's the perfect package for me. Tbf I love all Evo's except for the X (the design isn't my cup of tea). It's a real shame to see what Mitsubishi has turned into nowadays when you consider they used to make amazing performance cars like these. Same with Lancia.

 

[MatskiMonk]

5 or 6 for me, by a mile.

 

[SPhilli911]

Has to be the VIII for me. Much like the "blobeye" era Subaru STI the Evo 8 was the first of it's kind to be available in the U.S. so it's the one that got my attention and the one I wanted. That and I always liked the look of the "split" front grille.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

My dad had an VIII for a while not long after it launched and was not the biggest fan; he felt it wasn’t as sharp or ‘chuckable’ as the many WRXs he owned before, which is odd considering most journalists of the time would say the opposite. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’ve never cared for that generation based solely
off of that, though I do have to give an honourable mention for the VII having one of my favourite stock wheel designs:

I’ve always liked the V for the rear lights and wing combo alone, and felt it looked more aggressive than the VI (TME excluded).

 

[Liquid]

Amazingly, we have our first draw. Unsurprisingly, the plurality of votes is shared between the ever-popular Evos V and VI. Both will be added to the results thread.

 

[Greycap]

I missed the poll but it wouldn't have changed the result, my pick has always been the IV and always will be. The classic 2nd generation looks as it was originally designed, the rear arches of the V and VI look like a tacked on afterthought - which they technically are to get a wider track in there.

 

[Tornado]

V
V
V
V
V
V



I'll allows the III.

Realistically after the II these are all fundamentally really similar cars, especially outside of Japan when they didn't necessarily always get the fancy active steering systems and the like. So the question then becomes one of presence. The 7 doesn't have it (Liquid earlier mentioned that it has a bit of an unfinished look to it, and I have to agree). The I, II and IV don't have it. The X doesn't really have it. The VIII does, the IX does, the V/VI/TME do. But which one has it the most?

The V does. The VI is close, but the shovel airdam and the tripod rear spoiler look kind of dorky in comparison. A little too Wangan Midnight. Yeah I'm sure it's actually objectively better, or whatever, and they did fix it up a bit for the TME (returning the trunk lights does a lot for the rear end). But this?

This looks like a Mirage that's going to 🤬 kill you. The huge box fenders with the wider wheels pushed out to the corners, going up in wheel and tire diameter giving it a huge increase in presence over the IV. This looks more like a 1980s rally car than it does one of the late 1990s. It's perfect.