2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8

We have Subaru to thank for this one. The undeniable success of the WRX has finally convinced Mitsubishi that there's a market in the United States for the Lancer Evolution. Like, duh.

The car was just officially introduced on January 2 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and should be going on sale in February, which is when you're probably reading this. If Mitsu has kept its word, the sticker price is less than $30,000. Still, we have not driven the latest iteration of the Evolution series, which everyone expected to be called the Evolution VIII, but has been dubbed the Evolution 8. Mitsu says the name change is nipping a problem in the bud because things might get difficult with the EVO XXIV.

Usually, we get a car to test well before it goes on sale, so our readers know if it's worth a dealer visit or not. This time around, however, Mitsubishi is dragging its feet in getting us a car to test. Usually this happens because the car is a pile of dog shit and the car company in question is afraid we'll say so. But we don't think that's the case this time. Instead, we think Mitsubishi Japan is just being hardheaded and not releasing any cars before the "worldwide" auto show introduction, and Mitsubishi U.S. can't do anything about it.

Whatever. We're pissed.

In next month's issue, we will have a drive report on the car from a racetrack in Thailand. Don't ask. And a few months after that we will finally, we're told, get one on U.S. soil and test it at the track and on the dyno. Until then all we can offer you are these photos and specs.

Calling this car the EVO 8 is a bit of a stretch. It's really an EVO 7.5. Basically, Mitsubishi took the EVO VII, like the Euro-spec car we tested last July, and tweaked it to fit the U.S. market.

First it changed the car's front styling. This was done for two reasons: first, to help the car meet U.S. crash standards, and second, so it more resembles the rest of the U.S. Mitsubishi lineup. We expected this to happen, but we feared the large front mount intercooler would have to be changed in the process. Turns out we were wrong. The big front mount is still there for all the world to see. In addition to the new nose, which has added 3.2 inches to the car's overall length, Mitsu added a new hood, Enkei wheels and a restyled rear bumper cover. We're told the rear wing on the Lancer OZ Rally Edition will be standard on the EVO 8 and the large rear wing in these pictures will be optional. Inside, they widened and softened the seats a bit for us fat Americans, but they're still Recaros, and they're still not that wide. We suspect the suspension has also been made more compliant, although the hard points remain unchanged.

Slight tweaks have also been made to the 2.0-liter 4G63 four-cylinder. Compression has been raised from 8.5:1 to 8.8:1, but the power rating has dropped from 276 hp at 6500 rpm to 271 hp at the same engine speed. The torque rating has also slipped from 282 lb-ft at 3500 rpm to 273 lb-ft at the same rpm. Redline remains at 7000 rpm.

According to Mitsubishi, the twin scroll turbo is making 19 psi of boost pressure at wide-open throttle at 3500 rpm and 16.2 psi of boost at WOT at 6500 rpm. We're also told the car will have both manual and automatic controls for the two-nozzle water cooling system for the intercooler.

The all-wheel-drive system uses a viscous-coupling center differential a 1.5-way clutch type rear diff, and an open front diff. The Active Center Differential and Active Yaw Control of the EVO VII won't be available in the U.S. The hydraulic controls to run those two systems occupy the same space as the U.S. evaporative emissions system.

The beefy five-speed manual transmission that has been refined with additional first and second gear synchros is the only trans offered. It's geared the same as the five-speed in the Euro-spec car we tested in July. The rest of the world gets a six-speed, but given the bulletproof reputation of the five-speed, we're not complaining.

Brakes are Brembo, 12.7-inch ventilated discs in front with four-piston calipers and 12.0-inch ventilated discs in back with two-piston calipers. ABS is standard. A power sunroof will be available, which Mitsu says increases the car's weight from 3,263 pounds to 3,298 pounds.

On paper, the EVO 8 appears to be even with the Euro-spec VII we tested in July. That car ran from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and ran through the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at 103 mph. It also ran our slalom at a very fast 72.6 mph, stopped from 60 mph in only 107 feet and made 247 hp on a Dynopack all-wheel-drive chassis dyno.

Will the EVO 8 better these numbers? We'll have to get back to you on that one. Tune in next month and we'll let you know how it feels from the driver's seat. n