Lancer EVO - live webcast unveiling today!

[DSM Power]

Tune in and start drooling!

http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMSA/jsp/evo/index.jsp

Webcast begins from the LA Auto Show at 12:55pm MST today (Jan. 3rd).

[350hp_or_Bust]

hell yeah! I'm watching it for sure!

[DSM Power]

WTF!! The webcast doesn't launch past the preview window... arghghgh!!

[350hp_or_Bust]

really!? ha ha .. I watched it. The even mentioned Canada a few times. They said the archived one will be available soon.

They announced the Evo: $28987 USD ... so it'll be somewhere around $43k CDN if/when it gets here.

They also announced they'll enter two US teams into rally (I forgot if it was WRC or what) this year. Also, collectible Evo models, and Ralli performance parts will also be coming to north america.

Also showed a clip out of the fast and the furious 2 with the Evo and the Spyder as the lead cars.

Very VERY strong and obvious aim at the younger market.

They didn't give any details about what the US spec Evo had to offer (eg the AYC or ACD etc).

they did say it has the intercooler cooling mist, and the turbo is run at 19psi ... mmmmmm .. Evolution. It will be mine .. oh yes, it will be.

[Superesc]

I don't think Mit. is entering the WRC this year, probably the N.America ralley?

[DSM Power]

Well thanks for posting the summary.... mmmm 19 PSI.

You can click on the link in my sig. for details of the U.S. EVO...

[Zephyr]

I'M GOING TO THE SHOW TOMMRROW WOOOOT!

I GOT TWO 128 FLASH CARDS AND A DIGI CAM WAITING TO FILL IT ALL UP WITH PICS!!!

[350hp_or_Bust]

Originally posted by Superesc
I don't think Mit. is entering the WRC this year, probably the N.America ralley?

yeah that's probably what it was.

Originally posted by DSM Power
You can click on the link in my sig. for details of the U.S. EVO...

been there ... done that

Originally posted by Zephyr
I'M GOING TO THE SHOW TOMMRROW WOOOOT!

I GOT TWO 128 FLASH CARDS AND A DIGI CAM WAITING TO FILL IT ALL UP WITH PICS!!!

woohoo! let us know how it is ... and post lots of pics .. especially of the Evo!

[DSM Power]

Originally posted by Zephyr
I'M GOING TO THE SHOW TOMMRROW WOOOOT!

EVO pics EVO pics!!

Originally posted by 350hp_or_Bust

been there ... done that

[SilverRex]

hmm did they say how much the evo will cost? I hope they sell them here in Canada

[Mikko]

From the PDF file, it says it has "Full time AWD With a rear 1.5 way LSD". The Evo 7 has a hydro-electric computer controlled rear diff, so it looks like that computerized part didn't make it. Probably due to costs and possibly because it didn't perform as well as they hoped. The WRC version kept having problems with it's AWD system too.

Ugh, it's going to cost less in USA than a WRX costs here.

Edit: LOL rear center armrest with cupholders. I'm pretty sure that was NOT there in the previous versions. Americanized

The 'warnings' at the end are hillarious!

* Riding comfort is slightly harder than ordinary passenger cars due to performance nature of the vehicle.

* It is necessary to keep holding steering wheel tightly with both hands while driving due to high-performance tire and quick steering gear ratio.

American market..

[4wheeldrift]

The Evo that is coming to the USA is the equivalent of the GSR trim cars in Japan, minus the computer controlled all wheel drive system. They are going to be running the cars for the North American Rally Cup and SCCA Prorally championship. Mistubishi is taking a year off from the WRC to try and make the Lancer not suck ass when they finally return to the fray (or develope a new car, depending on who you ask, many rumors).

[DSM Power]

For anybody that missed it, the Webcast is now online for viewing at your pleasure.

I liked what I saw, it's priced to compete with the 350Z and should come in cheaper than the eventual WRX STi. Still, when/if the thing comes to Canada it'll probably still be $50K.

[Zephyr]

GO HERE! NOOOOOOOOOW! I COMMAND YOU!

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8289

[SilverRex]

it says on the website the evo 8 will be 271 hp and 0-60 less than 5 sec. so does that mean the evo will be faster than the SLK 32 AMG?
if so im getting it .. wait only if they sell in Canada doh

[Mikko]

Ewwww, it weighs 1480kg now, with no options. That's 81kg more than a WRX with AC. I don't even know if AC is included in that. It's terrible. No mention of AYC or even a front LSD now. It looks like it has practically the WRX drivetrain (cheapened to get the price down or profits up, same thing) now. It also has ABS, which it never had before.

It appears to be the worst evo built so far. The Evo 7 was regarded by many as a step backwards from the Evo 6, too.

On the Swedish Mitsubishi site, it says:

"The new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII USA version/edition is based on the current Evo VII model being sold in Japan. Evo VIII has been developed especially for USA with crash and emission laws in mind.

Consideration has also been taken with the special customer desires in USA and to the roads and traffic present. With a price of less than 30,000 dollars, the new Lancer Evo VIII will offer uneprecedented driving pleasure."

Well they got the cup holders nailed down. Did they also engineer in some more under steer and softer springs? Maybe some sound deadening material? My guess is "Yes". USA market + cars = bad.

[three.eighteen.]

mitsu doesnt need to build a full race evo anymore, cus theyre not rallying it anymore, so they can soft it up all they like, its just a name to sell, people wanting hardcore mitsu rally driving gotta wait for the homogolation mirage i guess...

[Mikko]

The WRC rules allow for massive changes in the cars. There's practically no need for homologation anymore. That's not the reason at all (peugeot doesn't even sell any AWD versions of their peugeot 206). It's more just to make a more 'civilized' car that might sell more from image and such. Americans are sensitive to comfort.

Oh, and it's also 8cm longer than the Evo VII. Just more and more crap.

Edit: Just remembered, I think that how the production car is like DOES make a difference still though - Group A and Group B. But they would never use this new POS Evo to enter a Euro/Asian rally with anyway, they have the Evo 7 for that.

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by Mikko
The WRC rules allow for massive changes in the cars. There's practically no need for homologation anymore. That's not the reason at all (peugeot doesn't even sell any AWD versions of their peugeot 206). It's more just to make a more 'civilized' car that might sell more from image and such. Americans are sensitive to comfort.

Oh, and it's also 8cm longer than the Evo VII. Just more and more crap.

Edit: Just remembered, I think that how the production car is like DOES make a difference still though - Group A and Group B. But they would never use this new POS Evo to enter a Euro/Asian rally with anyway, they have the Evo 7 for that.

For WRC spec cars, there is NO homologation requirement. They are still building STi's and Evo's because they sell well, not becuase they have to. Group A is dead (replaced by WRC spec machines), Group B is banned. The only reason to produce a homologation spec type car is group N now (which allows absolutely minimal changes from the road going versions).

[Mikko]

Actually, they have to build like 20 vehicles of every WRC car, don't they? They sell excess ones and older models off to privateer teams for a good buck.

There are Group A and WRC class cars participating in local Swedish rallies. hmm, odd. Do you know if Anti-lag is allowed in Group N? And what's this 400hp open class Impreza they use in the north american rallies?