Road Test: Mitsubishi Evolution VIII

By Feann Torr - 1/11/04

The amount of interest that a car such as the Evolution (Evo) generates is at first quite astonishing then, after driving it, completely and utterly justified.

There's no denying the rally-bred Japanese car's popularity, and we've seen this in evidence for the last few years as some of our highest ranking pages have the been Evo pages, whether the Evo VI TME (Tommi Mäkinen Edition) road test, or the Evo VII cover story.

There's something about the car that is just so undeniably desirable that it makes grown men weak at the knees - particularly after putting 600 kays on the clock in one outing, I can tell you...

And while Australian drivers missed out on the angular Evo VII, we've been gifted with the curvy Evo VIII, and with it comes a new look, an easier-to-live-with disposition and a few new go-fast goodies, best of which is that maniacal 2.0-litre turbo engine that dials in so much boost it's amazing the motor doesn't just spontaneously combust, raining carbon fibre and aluminium on all and sundry.

But somehow it doesn't. It just goes, turns and stops like nothing you've ever driven before. It throws decorum and civility out the window, with its harsh ride and twitchy throttle, and shows not one bit of remorse for being so totally dedicated to the pursuit of performance.

The Mitsubishi Evolution journey continues

Driving the fuelled-up Evo from Mitsubishi's top secret underground headquarters through the fair city of Melbourne, one thing becomes abundantly obvious - this is no luxury tourer.

Far less about pampering the occupants than scaring them witless with vicious levels of performance, the Evo VIII rides roughshod over bumps and lumps, letting the driver feel every little crack and pock mark in the blacktop.

The steering is immediately direct, the throttle touchy and brakes strong, all of which don't exactly suit the CBD.

Furthermore, the car didn't seem to want to perform in the sweltering heat of the city.

Shocked and understandably dismayed, at first I put it down to the 14,000km on the odometer (and we're talking journo kays, not owner kms), where the turbo wasn't at all keen on kicking in early. It'd simply rev out agonisingly slowly to 5000rpm.

I was really pining for that addictive punch in the guts that only a lightweight turbocharged AWD Nihon machine can bring, but once out of the congested and oppressive heat of the city and off into the forests where the cooler air below the tree-tops could flow into the engine, the Evo had a chance to stretch its legs and with touch of water spray on the intercooler, the Mitsu started to sing.

Getting used to the way the Evo VIII drives took a little longer than most other cars I've driven, as the power delivery is best described as brutal.

It's an easy car to drive slowly - it's based on a Mitsubishi Lancer after all. But at full throttle it takes plenty of gumption to keep everything neat and tidy.

Though it's not as quite as hard-edged as the Evo VI TME, the Evo VIII is still a dangerously rapid vehicle, capable of putting much more powerful vehicles to shame. While getting standing starts fast and furious is no easy task due to the dearth of power low in the rev range, Mitsubishi's hero car offers up stratospheric performance when kept on the boil.

The Evo VIII produces 355Nm of torque, and when this hits, the car accelerates like stink

The party starts as soon as first gear hits about 2800rpm, where the turbo kicks in and occupants begin to feel the forces of gravity steadily increasing on their bodies.

As the tacho needle hurtles towards 5000, 6000, then past 7000 revolutions per minute, it's times to change gears, and the short-throw 5-speed manual is a delight to use, it must be said.

Second gear snicks into place smoothly and without protest after a deft prod on the lightly-sprung clutch, and -bang- the turbo's still on song and the Evo's pace quickens further, eyeballs opening wider as the landscape rushes by.

And even after much repetition, this procedure never fails to excite, such is the Evo's forcefully addictive power delivery. The only problem is that it drinks fuel rather quickly when pushed, but if you're willing to spend $62k on such a vehicle, you probably won't be worrying too much about fuel efficiency.

The way the Evolution VIII drives is both involving and rewarding. Enthusiasts will be overjoyed with it's cat-like grip, manic acceleration and brilliant feedback through the steering wheel, while everyone will be scared witless - Peter Maniatis summed it up as "dangerously quick".

Besides the turbocharged nature of the car giving you incredible straight line speed, it's the way the car punches through corners that really stirs the soul.

With scads of grip from the 17-inch Enkei alloy wheels shod with 235/45 rubber all round - which is pretty beefy rolling stock for such a small car - the Evolution VIII feels glued to the road in most conditions.

The big Brembo brakes (320mm front, 300mm rear) allow you to dive deep into corners, biting hard every time with little fade, the close ratio gearbox works best when manhandled with urgency, and then it's back on the throttle as you see the corner's exit looming large. The car has a fairly neutral balance when cornering under hard acceleration, where the Evo VI TME would often break into power oversteer on full throttle.

There are few cars that can rival the exulted experience of tipping an Evo into a corner

As well as confidence-inspiring levels of grip and braking, the steering is very direct, and with a smaller-than-average steering wheel this means even the tiniest levels of input result in the car turning its nose in.

While this may not suit commuter driving, it certainly suits fast switchbacks and smooth surfaces, where rapid changes of direction fail to fluster the flying four-banger.

The computer controlled 4WD setup ensures that power is always being transferred to where it's most needed, while the direct steering and kerb weight of 1470kg mean you can dart about without having to worry about losing traction or understeering.

The thing turns in with such alacrity it's quite mesmerising at times, and the amount of lateral grip it possesses is just awesome.

The steering is so good, in fact, that you can tackle the same corner time and again at a number of different approach and exit angles, bearing a massive grin each and every time.

The Evo VIII's on-road manners have been improved quite a bit when compared to the Evolution VI, and it's a much easier car to live with day in and day out, commuting reasonably well, and able to sit on 60km/h in 5th gear without too much trouble.

Revised suspension geometry helps in this 'everyday' respect, while Mitsubishi's upgraded active yaw control system - dubbed 'Super' AYC in this application - ensures the car can still hack round corners with precious little concern for the laws of physics (by way of apportioning torque between the two rear wheels on the run).

In combination with the AWD driveline, revised suspension geometry and re-tuned centre differential, the Evo VIII is much less scary to drive than the Evo VI TME, and though it rides and handles better than its ancestor, compared to most normal cars, it still comes with an incredibly rigid and unforgiving ride that is suited to the city about as much as polar bears are suited to the desert.

I could go on an on about how much fun, how enjoyable and how rewarding it is to drive the Evo VIII, but I think I've already rambled on quite enough. While the new Evo may have lost a bit of the edge that kept you eternally respectful and a little cautious when driving the Evo VI TME, the VIII goes almost as hard but can be thrown into corners with almost wild abandon, such is the vehicle's astonishing performance.

While some people may find the $62,000 asking price ludicrous for a Mitsubishi Lancer, I have no trouble in saying that for the enthusiast, it's brilliant value for money, making the similarly priced RX-8 and 350Z models look prosaic in comparison.

Engine

While the Evo's suspension, AYC and ACD systems may be the car's brains, helping to keep all four wheels gripping and driving with vigour, the car's engine is its heart and soul.

Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged, intercooled engine internally known as the 4G63, the DOHC 16-valve engine is a highly strung thumper of a donk whose extreme power belies its small 1997cc displacement.

Outputting 195kW @ 6500rpm, which is quite a tasty figure, the intense acceleration comes from a very flat torque curve. 355Nm of torque hits @ 3500rpm and is sustained until about 5000rpm, giving the car that brilliant mid-range punch that makes blasting out of corners so undeniably enjoyable.

More than just a turbo whacked on to the Lancer's 2.0-litre engine, the 4G63 mill has been evolving for more than 12 years, and incorporates upgraded and reinforced internal components to deal with the added heat and pressure levels of the turbocharger.

There's also a massive air-to-air intercooler mounted up front and in order to cope with the high torque levels, the Evo VIII's cooling performance has been improved by uprating the water pump capacity and by enlarging the water passages in the turbocharger.

Mitsubishi says that engine durability has also been improved by way of using higher quality aluminium pistons and forged steel conrods. "These detail improvements deliver an engine that combines competition-ready but street-friendly power with outstanding durability," reads the PR spiel.

The 4G63 engine makes 195kW @ 6500rpm

Even with such high levels of acceleration, I can't help but feel a little sour that the Evo VIII we get in Australia generates 355Nm of torque, while owners in the UK, the US and Japan get versions that output 370+ Newton metres.

In Britain they even have access to the Evo VIII MR FQ-340, which outputs 340hp, or about 250kW.

But I digress.

The Australian-spec Evo VIII is still a monster of a car. Mitsubishi Australia claims a 6.1 second 0-100km/h time, which is down on the Evo VI TME, but it certainly feels a faster than this. I'd be willing to bet that in ideal conditions it could squeeze out a sub 6.0 second 0-100km/h dash.

With fuel consumption figures of 10.9L/100km (city/highway cycles combined), the Evo VIII looks pretty good on paper, but if you drive it like it was intended to be driven - at 10/10ths - expect to see this figure increase substantially.

Quarter mile (0-400m) times are claimed at 14.5 seconds, which is pretty nifty, and top speed is limited to 245km/h, though we had trouble getting it over 200km/h at the Wombat testing grounds. Blame it on a head wind and a shagged clutch if you like.

In addition to the banzai turbo engine, the 5-speed gearbox is again a work of art. The shifts are short and precise and it slots in and out of the gates like a well oiled, err, gearbox. A sensitive throttle can make for some juddering, particularly at slower speeds or when bouncing over ruts, but when all things are considered it helps increase your velocity just a bit quicker. And the pointy end of the performance scale, every tenth of a second counts.

The ACD, or active centre differential, has three settings as well - tarmac, gravel and snow. Normally working with 50:50 torque distribution front to rear, the tarmac and gravel settings worked well, but we didn't get to test the snow option.

The Evolution VIII's exterior is far from subtle, a bit like its power delivery really

On gravel it becomes apparent just how good the more rigid frame is, as you can feel exactly when it's going to slide, and make the appropriate recalibrations (stomp throttle, turn wheel, powerslide from hell).

If you were to throw on some more intermediate tyres than the road-biased Bridgestone RE050 A Potenza's, you'd be able to have a shite load more fun on unsealed surfaces to boot.

Exterior

Telling real Evolutions apart from the wannabe's isn't always easy, but one of the biggest give-aways that the Evo VIII is more than just a tarted-up Lancer is the big silver intercooler that dominates the lower air intake at the front - and the Evolution badging, I suppose...

Other notable features include the high rise rear wing with carbon fibre inserts, the large mesh-covered cutout in the bonnet, the aero bodykit (front and rear aprons, and side-skirts) and 17-inch Enkei alloy wheels.

Big red Brembo brake calipers are also prominent players in the eye candy department, but at the end of the day there will be those who like the bold and brash 'look-at-me' elements of the Evo's exterior, and those who think it looks ridiculous, tacky even.

Me, I like the extroverted look. It certainly gets lots of attention, and the new-look headlight clusters are very nice too. The overall lines are a lot smoother and a bit curvier than Evolutions of yore, but there's still enough menace in its design there to keep the real blokes happy.

At the rear the large spoiler dominates, and a rather chunky exhaust pipe also calls it home. The brake light clusters are quite pleasing, making use of smoked lenses behind which sit bright circular lamps with chrome bezels to help delineate their shape.

Interior

The $3000 leather pack gets you cowhide Recaro seats, rear bench and door inserts

The Evo VIII model supplied to us by Mitsubishi came equipped with the $3000 leather option, which really helps to give the current model a much nicer feel.

The deep Recaro bucket seats are still there, complete with cutouts to accommodate a four-point racing harness, only they're covered in supple black leather.

The Momo steering wheel is a delight to use and has good tactility. The gearstick is also of a high quality; every time you get into the pocket-rocket, put one hand on the wheel and the other on the shifter, it feels more than just a bit special.

Compared to the VI, the interior is much nicer, perhaps one of the car's biggest improvements.

The dash plastics are of a better quality this time around and even after giving the car a right-royal thrashing there were no rattles or squeaks to speak of, speaking volumes for the Japanese marque's build process. Even the rear bench is a little nicer this time around, but because the hi-po car is based on a small car (the Lancer) don't expect adults in the rear to be completely happy with the available leg room.

I thought the black-faced dials with red numerals were a bit lacklustre for a car with so much potential, but they get the job done regardless. All the switchgear worked well, but the indicator stalks are Euro style (on the left), so Australian drivers can expect to have a very clean windscreen.

An engine coolant temperature gauge and centre differential control indicator are nice additions, as is air conditioning and a powerful six-speaker Eclipse premium stereo with MP3 playback.

It would have been nice to have a programmable rev-limit light (like the 350Z) and other track-based features, such as a dedicated lap timer or a turbo boost gauge, but when all things are considered, the interior is a big improvement over the previous versions, leather or not.

Overall: 4/5

For Mitsubishi, the Evolution is a crucial image vehicle. Not only does it represent all that's good in the company's motor racing exploits, but a cynic could argue that, apart from the Colt, it's the Japanese marque's only other exceptional car.

While the Evo VIII has lost none of its berserker attitude, with an explosive power delivery that's as intimidating as it is addictive, it's been carefully refined to offer even more mid-corner grip and there's a little more sophistication in its ride and handling too.

On choppy roads, the Evo is a real dog, but after you've laid it out on some smooth bitumen you'll be willing to overlook such compromises. It's a fiendishly quick car with intuitive handling and unbelievable grip levels, and best of all it's got all the coolest mods: Recaro, Momo, Brembo and even a turbo.

The 8th model in the Evolution's history is the best yet. It's easier to drive at the limit, and at the other end of the spectrum, in traffic or just heading down to the shop to pickup milk and octane booster, it behaves remarkably well.

The only sticking points I could come up with were the crappy turning circle (11.8 metres) and the lack of bottom end power, but the former won't bother core enthusiasts, and when such a fearsome mid range punch is on offer, you'll quickly forget about the latter as well.

The $62,000 asking price may come across as a little steep, but there are few cars out there can reward the driver as much as the rally-bred Evo, and in so many ways. Seeing as it's now only a few bob more than the $56,630 Subaru WRX STi, while offering better performance and a lot more exclusivity, I find it hard not to give the Evo VIII two big thumbs up.