Road Test
Long-Term Test: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR
Introduction
Introduction
It's got to be the stupidest invention of Caltrans, the state department that oversees highway construction in Los Angeles. We mean those traffic lights at the midway point of a freeway on-ramp. The signal flashes either red or green and it carefully meters cars into freeway traffic at commute hours. It's supposed to keep merging cars from clogging traffic, although of course it's pointless. And we're trapped at one right now in our new long-term test car, a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR.
But thanks for the lights, because this is the perfect spot for a drag race. Sitting next to us in the other on-ramp lane is a new Porsche 911 S. Like most Porsche drivers in L.A., he's probably got an automatic transmission in his 911. Turns out we have a kind of automatic, too, as the Evo X MR has TC-SST, Mitsubishi's new dual-clutch automated manual transmission. We both hit the red light at the traffic meter at the same time and he looks across at our newest long-term toy, then goes back to fiddling with his iPod.
But he doesn't rev and we don't either. A few short years ago, of course, this scene would have played out differently on the streets of Anytown USA. The Evo would have to prove its power, the Porsche wouldn't stand for such insolence and then tires, clutches and a half-shaft or two would be decimated in the conflict. Now, however, Evo is a household name for everyone with a mind for motors — not just those raised on Gran Turismo. So we don't have anything to prove on this freeway on-ramp. An Evo is just as hot as a Porsche 911 and everyone in L.A. knows it.
What We Bought
The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is available in two trims, the base GSR and the top-shelf MR. The racer in us screamed for the lighter, faster, cheaper GSR with its five-speed manual transmission. But valid reasons kept bringing the MR back into the picture.
To begin with, the Evo MR's base price is close to that of our long-term 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The MR also posted a faster lap time around the Streets of Willow than both the GSR and the STI during our recent comparison test, which the MR ultimately won. Most of all, a long-term, one-year, 20,000-mile relationship with the Evo X MR gives us an excellent opportunity to put some hard miles on Mitsubishi's newest technological gizmo, the TC-SST (Twin Clutch Sporttronic Shift Transmission). This introduction to the brave new world of dual-clutch automated manual transmissions also presents an opportunity to compare the performance of the dual-clutch automated manual transmission of the 2009 Nissan GT-R that will be joining our test fleet shortly.
Both the Evo GSR and Evo MR feature the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 291 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. Both have the same advanced all-wheel-drive system with active yaw control. The MR sets itself apart with convenience items like Bluetooth telephone access, keyless entry, audio controls on the steering wheel, and some added acoustic insulation. Most of these bits are available à la carte as options on the regular Evolution GSR, but not the MR's TC-SST six-speed gearbox. The MR is also equipped with lightweight brake rotors and Brembo calipers, Bilstein dampers and HID headlamps.
Our new long-termer's base price of $38,290 includes all of the above, plus a set of BBS wheels with super-sticky Yokohama Advan A13C tires. We opted for the $2,550 technology package that includes a 30-gig hard drive that not only runs the navigation system but also allows us to store our music, plus a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system. The Phantom Black paint lists for $250 on top of the base price. All told, our new Lancer Evolution stickers at $41,765, including destination — almost three times the price of a base Mitsubishi Lancer and at least four times better.
Why We Bought It
"In 1992 a rivalry began in Japan that has spread across the globe, one that has simultaneously created and bisected a new generation of automotive enthusiasts."
So we said as we began the introduction to our long-term test of the 2008 Subaru WRX STI. The Lancer Evolution and Impreza WRX STI were conceived in the same year and they have become the Mustang and Camaro of Japan. They even have the same legion of fanatical followers, only without the mullets and Lynyrd Skynyrd cassettes.
So once we acquired a 2008 Impreza STI as a long-term test car, how could we leave it at that? What claim to impartiality could we possibly make with only one turbocharged, all-wheel-drive rally-bred car? Hardly fair and balanced at all. So in the name of objective investigation, we put the gears in motion to acquire the all-new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR. While the new model is heavier and slower than the Evo IX it replaces, the Evo X MR is still meant to be a hard-core device with track-ready speed and the WRX STI has tried to become more accessible to a broader audience.
Game On
And so the battle of the newest generation of rally rockets has moved from the Touges in the shadow of Mt. Fuji to the congested streets and canyon roads of our Southern California. For the next 12 months and 20,000 miles, consider it game on: Evo vs. STI. Keep your eyes on our long-term blogs; it's going to be a fun year.
Current Odometer: 917
Best Fuel Economy: 18.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.6 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
It's got to be the stupidest invention of Caltrans, the state department that oversees highway construction in Los Angeles. We mean those traffic lights at the midway point of a freeway on-ramp. The signal flashes either red or green and it carefully meters cars into freeway traffic at commute hours. It's supposed to keep merging cars from clogging traffic, although of course it's pointless. And we're trapped at one right now in our new long-term test car, a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR.
But thanks for the lights, because this is the perfect spot for a drag race. Sitting next to us in the other on-ramp lane is a new Porsche 911 S. Like most Porsche drivers in L.A., he's probably got an automatic transmission in his 911. Turns out we have a kind of automatic, too, as the Evo X MR has TC-SST, Mitsubishi's new dual-clutch automated manual transmission. We both hit the red light at the traffic meter at the same time and he looks across at our newest long-term toy, then goes back to fiddling with his iPod.
But he doesn't rev and we don't either. A few short years ago, of course, this scene would have played out differently on the streets of Anytown USA. The Evo would have to prove its power, the Porsche wouldn't stand for such insolence and then tires, clutches and a half-shaft or two would be decimated in the conflict. Now, however, Evo is a household name for everyone with a mind for motors — not just those raised on Gran Turismo. So we don't have anything to prove on this freeway on-ramp. An Evo is just as hot as a Porsche 911 and everyone in L.A. knows it.
What We Bought
The 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is available in two trims, the base GSR and the top-shelf MR. The racer in us screamed for the lighter, faster, cheaper GSR with its five-speed manual transmission. But valid reasons kept bringing the MR back into the picture.
To begin with, the Evo MR's base price is close to that of our long-term 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The MR also posted a faster lap time around the Streets of Willow than both the GSR and the STI during our recent comparison test, which the MR ultimately won. Most of all, a long-term, one-year, 20,000-mile relationship with the Evo X MR gives us an excellent opportunity to put some hard miles on Mitsubishi's newest technological gizmo, the TC-SST (Twin Clutch Sporttronic Shift Transmission). This introduction to the brave new world of dual-clutch automated manual transmissions also presents an opportunity to compare the performance of the dual-clutch automated manual transmission of the 2009 Nissan GT-R that will be joining our test fleet shortly.
Both the Evo GSR and Evo MR feature the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 291 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. Both have the same advanced all-wheel-drive system with active yaw control. The MR sets itself apart with convenience items like Bluetooth telephone access, keyless entry, audio controls on the steering wheel, and some added acoustic insulation. Most of these bits are available à la carte as options on the regular Evolution GSR, but not the MR's TC-SST six-speed gearbox. The MR is also equipped with lightweight brake rotors and Brembo calipers, Bilstein dampers and HID headlamps.
Our new long-termer's base price of $38,290 includes all of the above, plus a set of BBS wheels with super-sticky Yokohama Advan A13C tires. We opted for the $2,550 technology package that includes a 30-gig hard drive that not only runs the navigation system but also allows us to store our music, plus a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system. The Phantom Black paint lists for $250 on top of the base price. All told, our new Lancer Evolution stickers at $41,765, including destination — almost three times the price of a base Mitsubishi Lancer and at least four times better.
Why We Bought It
"In 1992 a rivalry began in Japan that has spread across the globe, one that has simultaneously created and bisected a new generation of automotive enthusiasts."
So we said as we began the introduction to our long-term test of the 2008 Subaru WRX STI. The Lancer Evolution and Impreza WRX STI were conceived in the same year and they have become the Mustang and Camaro of Japan. They even have the same legion of fanatical followers, only without the mullets and Lynyrd Skynyrd cassettes.
So once we acquired a 2008 Impreza STI as a long-term test car, how could we leave it at that? What claim to impartiality could we possibly make with only one turbocharged, all-wheel-drive rally-bred car? Hardly fair and balanced at all. So in the name of objective investigation, we put the gears in motion to acquire the all-new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR. While the new model is heavier and slower than the Evo IX it replaces, the Evo X MR is still meant to be a hard-core device with track-ready speed and the WRX STI has tried to become more accessible to a broader audience.
Game On
And so the battle of the newest generation of rally rockets has moved from the Touges in the shadow of Mt. Fuji to the congested streets and canyon roads of our Southern California. For the next 12 months and 20,000 miles, consider it game on: Evo vs. STI. Keep your eyes on our long-term blogs; it's going to be a fun year.
Current Odometer: 917
Best Fuel Economy: 18.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.6 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 16.6 mpg
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
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