2008-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Pros :-
Aggressive styling.- Excellent handling.- Powerful turbo engine.- Solid braking performance.- Seating for five.Cons :- Looks too much like base Lancer.- Getting heavier every generation.- Somewhat firm ride.- Cheap interior plastics.- Not much else wrong with it.
Press Coverage :For 16 years and nine generations Lancer Evolutions have been a perpetual thorn in a supercar manufacturer's side because they offer out-of-the-ordinary performance at ordinary-man prices.On paper any Evolution is almost Ferrari-quick, while on the road, in real-world conditions, it will take some beating. A ballistic turbocharged engine and computer-controlled four-wheel drive puts performance in supercar territory - all from a car that underneath the wings, spoilers and gaping air vents is a sensible four-door family saloon.For the tenth generation there's little change in the ethos, but there are substantial changes to the car. Instead of refining and honing the existing car and rebadging it 'X', the Lancer Evolution is a completely new model. This is not just, er, an evolution.Built on the co-developed DaimlerChrysler 'Project Global' platform that underpins the Outlander 4x4, the Evolution X boasts increased torsional rigidity by more than 50% compared with the old Evo IX - and that bodes well for crash safety and handling.The Evo X comes with three power outputs - 291bhp, 325bhp and the range-topping 354bhp - named FQ-300, 330 and 360 respectively. Channel 4Surprisingly, despite trudging the additional weight, the X stopped better than the IX, was quicker through the figure eight, and displayed superior grip on the skidpad, grasping for an Audi R8-tying 0.99 g compared with the IX's 0.95. The X's slightly larger Yokohamas (245/40R18 versus 235/45R17) deserve credit, but it's the stouter brakes and new AYC that merit much of the glory.In many ways, the X feels entirely dissimilar to the IX on the track (as well as on the road). Whereas the IX is frenetic, raw, and noisy, the X is calm, cool, and collected. The steering, still with a quick ratio, feels responsive and linear, yet no longer transmits harshness or bump steer through the helm as does the IX. Further, the X's five-speed offers an easier action and better shift quality; its larger Brembos, which allowed for braking much deeper into turns, feel stronger and easier to modulate than before; its ride no longer prompts a visit to the dentist. In light of the IX, the X is more refined than a packet of white sugar. Perhaps the best way to put the X into context is to say that it feels akin to a lighter, cruder Audi S4, whereas the IX will always seem like the closest thing to a four-door Lotus Elise. That said, the fundamental Evo traits-turbo engine, sublime chassis, and all-wheel-drive grip-remain in the X and are more capable than ever. Motor TrendAt the heart of AYC is a trick rear differential that combines a traditional limited slip with two clutches that correspond to the right and left wheels. The result is that torque can be routed to either side under any conditions. For instance, the right wheel could have a braking force on it while the left wheel still receives power.Stability control and ABS are nothing new, but the key to S-AWC is that it uses all four systems together to maximize the grip from the wheels and keep the car going where the driver points it. Combine that with the superaggressive S-Sport mode of the Twin Clutch-SST, in which gears are held right up to the redline and downshifts are timed better than if you use the paddle shifters, and the Evo X is the real-world version of a video-game simulator. The way the Evo X goes around corners is nothing short of incredible. You steer into the turn, and well, that's about it. There's no sawing at the wheel and no midcorner correction, unless you intentionally pitch the car into a turn to rotate the back, which the Evo X can still do. Car And Driver