It used to be that each new model of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution had its own number. So you had the Evo I, the Evo II, the Evo V… well, you get the general drift. And most of us lost count, and it even seems that Mitsubishi themselves have, because the latest Evo is just the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (with an MR variant), which comes with the tagline “Defy Physics”.

However, instead of defying physics, the latest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has harnessed the laws of physics to create one heck of a car. It all starts, of course, with the motor. The turbocharged MVEC unit under the ferocious-looking front end (which has a sort of feral beauty rather than being intimidating – unless you’re planning on racing against the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution). This engine is physically lighter than what’s found in earlier Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models – or, if you want the proper physics-speak, it has less mass – because it has been cast from aluminium (which is more ductile than steel, etc., etc.). But it’s not light on what really counts. At 6500 rpm, the top power of 217 kW gives you plenty of kinetic energy to play with. If rotational motion rather than linear speed is what you’re interested in, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution offers 366 Nm of torque to play with, which translates to an awful lot of acceleration, and you may wonder if you’re going to end up defying gravity and shooting for the moon. But, of course, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will stay firmly on the road, thanks to the force of friction coming via the big (as in 18 inch diameter) BBS wheels that are designed to make the car more stable on the road, plus the downward thrust applied by the impressive-looking rear spoiler.

Skipping the lecture on gear ratios (go look it up in a textbook), you can adjust how the torque and power of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is applied via the six-speed twin clutch sports shifting transmission (called the TCSSL for short). This transmission doesn’t just have the regular modes of most sport automatics – Normal and Sport – but adds in a third mode: the very fun Super Sports for the really keen. But who’d drive the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution if they weren’t keen? And to make sure the power goes exactly where you want it, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is set up with a Super All Wheel Control System that makes the handling absolutely superb.

There are times when the laws of physics are likely to work against us. You’re bowling along the open road and suddenly, something happens. You round a corner and discover that some nong has their car where it shouldn’t be or that some large animal has decided the road is nice warm place to relax. You’ve got the momentum and there’s likely to be not quite enough friction to get you out of trouble. Well, the Brembo disc brakes on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution do their job well. In the case of a crash, you’ll be kept safe with 7 SRS airbags, and Mitsubishi’s RISE bodyshell that gives rigidity where it’s needed most: around the cabin.

From safety to security is a short step, and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has quite a few security systems in place: the Tilt Sensor to detect whether the angle of your car (once parked) changes, thus indicating that you’re being towed; the Glass Break Sensor that spots when a window has been smashed; and the Shock Sensor that detects if the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is being shaken about. What I’m curious about is whether (and how) the Mitsubishi team tested if the Shock Sensor sets off the alarm if the driver and passenger decide to indulge in a little hanky-panky in the capacious back seat (hey, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is a sexy car, after all). Maybe keeping the keys in the ignition will prevent any embarrassing alarms going of, and let you take advantage of the audio system, even though you can’t reach the steering-wheel mounted audio controls from the rear seats.

As the name suggests, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution just keeps on getting better and better. Join the Evolution revolution today!

The current model series includes the:

• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

For any more information on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Mitsubishi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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