Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Through the Years

According to Darwinist theory, evolution is the process by which a living organism has developed from earlier forms. In the broader sense of the word, evolution is the gradual development of something or someone. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution series of rally-bred sedans (and wagons) abides by both rules.

Since October 1992 to March 2016, Mitsubishi has manufactured no less than ten iterations of the Lancer EVO. As you may have also heard, there will be no Lancer Evolution XI because, as fate would have it, the Japanese manufacturer is more interested in crossovers and PHEVs as of late. Hence, the Subaru WRX STI will soldier on alone as if it were the last tree standing after a tornado tore through the city.

There’s another reason why we should remember the Lancer Evolution. That reason is the so-called MPGgate, the humongous scandal that could see Mitsubishi bite the dust. In less than a week since the media found out that 625,000 kei cars had their fuel economy data manipulated, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has lost more than 40 percent of its market value or $3.2 billion. Lest we forget, Mitsubishi is a smaller carmaker than Volkswagen, which is why this unwieldy scandal can prove fatal for the company.

These said, Mitsubishi is more than the Lancer Evolution. Over the years, it gave us instant classics such as the Montero (Pajero), Starion, Eclipse, Galant VR-4, and 3000GT VR-4, just to name a few. But then again, Lancer EVO is a nameplate that stirs petrolhead blood more than other Mitsubishi high points do.

Without further beating around the bush, let’s pay our respects to the EVO:

1992 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution I (CD9A)

Before the Evolution became a thing, Mitsubishi established itself off the beaten path with the 500 Super Deluxe of the 1960s, Lancer 1600 GSR of the 1970s, and a Pajero that won the Paris-Dakar rally in 1985. The predecessor to the first-gen Evolution is the Galant VR-4 mentioned a paragraph beforehand, which featured the same 2.0-liter turbo inline-four and AWD system that would come to be employed by the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution I between ’91 and ’94.

Believe it or not, the 4G63T engine would be used by all EVOs bar the 10th incarnation. From 247 PS (244 horsepower) and 309 Nm (228 lb-ft) of torque in the Evolution I, the four-cylinder turbo went on to develop 291 PS (287 horsepower) and a bucketload of torque in the ninth generation of the Evolution.

The most focused variant of the first-gen EVO, except for the rally car, is the Evolution I RS. Compared to the creature comfort-laden GSR, the RS dieted to such an extent that it lost 154 pounds (70 kilograms) over the model it is based on. Oh, and another notable thing: the RS came with steelies and a mechanical plate type limited-slip diff, not the viscous limited-slip rear differential of the GSR.

1994 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II (CE9A)

The second Evolution started production in December 1993 and was killed off in February 1995. Compared to the CD9A platform of the first EVO, the CE9A-based Evolution II brought handling improvements and a little more muscle.

Some of the chassis adjustments include the longer wheelbase (2,510 mm or 98.8 inches compared to 2,500 mm or 98.4 inches), 10 mm (0.4 inches) wider tires, wider tracks, lighter swaybar, and larger spoiler. Regarding motivation, the engineers increased output to 256 PS (252 hp) and torque remained unchanged.

On the aesthetic front, there’s little in the way of differences between the EVO II and the EVO I. The Evolution has always been about small adjustments and the metamorphosis from first to second demonstrates this practice best of all.

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