Mitsubishi Evo DEAD! Holy Crap!

[exitspeed]

This is crazy and sad. Sucks.

Report: Mitsubishi official says Evo franchise is dead — Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/02/report-mitsubishi-official-says-evo-franchise-is-dead/)

According to Gayu Eusegi, head of global product development for Mitsubishi, the Lancer Evolution X will be the last Evo the Japanese automaker ever builds. Eusegi says the move is part of a shift in strategy to put the company's product focus and ethos on leadership in EV technology.

To that end, Autocar indicates that Mitsubishi will release eight fully-electric or hybrid-electric cars by the time 2015 rolls around, and make a grab for a big portion of the CO2-reduction market share. It goes without saying that the fun-yet-fuel-swilling Evo just doesn't fit that mindset, particularly since it apes a rally car that no longer exists.

Despite the Evo's huge popularity, Mitsubishi apparently isn't scared of the step and says it's confident that consumers will glom on to the idea and rally behind the brand. By killing the Evo, they're making their intentions plain to an increasingly environmentally-conscious car-buying public.

Eusegi killed dead any notion that the brand would roll out a performance-oriented hybrid as well. "Maybe the world can change, and maybe someday we can do a motor race by electric vehicles. Maybe then we can enter the market agian," he said.

This report of the Evo's death would seem to stand in contrast to multiple reports that an Evo XI is in the works with a hybrid drivetrain. We're taking this latest Autocar missive with a few grains of salt, as we can see how Eusegi may have simply meant that an Evo that relies exclusively on internal combustion is dead – a hybrid Evo would seem to offer a nice technological bridge to Mitsubishi's more electrically minded future. Hat tip to Dennis!

[jesse_s13]

now we must cry...

[Edwin562]

wow thats a big step for them

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

so does this mean a ralliart lancer only? or are they giving up the fight against WRX? in either case, this is lame.

[exitspeed]

I'm not sure. last report I read said they were going to do a bunch of vehicles off of the Lancer platform. I just think it's odd to completely abandon an entire built in customer base. I mean, I understand them axing the Eclipse, Galant, and Endevor (which was also announced previously), but the Evo is a halo car. I'm curious to see where they go from here because their concepts have been lackluster .

[VROOOM]

this sucks. i was thinking of getting a Boss 302 and getting rid fo the Evo but now im not sure.

[Pure_JDM]

ha, that's hilarious.

[jdm2191]

love Evo's but everything has to come to an end i guess?

[Gnnr]

I see the future. It is sad. We will have only electric green vehicles. Gone will be the days of redlining a combustion engine. :(

[ronmcdon]

That's horrible, but not really surprisingly given the dismal sales figures for the evo (or just mitsu in general).

I do think it's lame, however, to blame it on fuel consumption.
Is there no way at all they can even make the car more fuel efficient?!
Maybe give the car (in gsr trim) a proper 6-speed for cruising?
IIRC, the X has fuel consumption figures not too far off or worse, than cars with a lot more power & weight like the Mustang GT.

I probably get an average of 19 mpg on my 08 evo.
Mitsu advertises something like 16/24 mpg.
When you consider, it's a 4 cyc turbo with 'only' 295 hp, that's none too impressive.

[drift freaq]

While the EVO customer base was pretty loyal and bought repeatedly i.e. each new model. A car company the size of Mitsubushi cannot base their success solely on one vehicle. I will go as far as to say its possible the EVO kept Mitsubushi from disappearing all together. lol
At least on American shores.

Again though much like the whole 240 thing, I do not think the EVO sold enough or was a big enough draw for Mitsu to focus on. It was a niche car.

It was caught between not truly being a Sports car in a Sports car form and not being your family sedan either. In other words it would appeal only to a certain market segment.
I am guessing in Mitsu's eyes that market segment could not be counted on for success of the company.

Given global warming and the green movement in automobiles Mitsu figured because of all this the car just did not present the right picture.
Oh and sales while good for the car were probably not large enough to warrant the manufacturing and marketing costs.

Hmmm does this sound all to familiar? LOL At the fact that they guys on the 240 board are lamenting this. Who are a lot of the same people that wanted Nissan to manufacturer a car Nissan seemed to feel the same way about.
Only real difference is Nissan already makes a few Sports segments vehicles and Sporty cars is Nissan's heritage.

Oh and all of Mitsu's competitors are jumping on the whole Green/ clean bandwagon as well With Toyota and Nissan charging ahead. With Honda closely pursuit. Not surprising at all.

Sorry guys this was just to Ironic not to point out. Yes its probably cynical as well. LOL

[fearlessKouki]

wats wrong with these car manufacturers..mitsubishi got one good car that is very popular and then they decide to end production of it....kinda lame..but lets see what they bring out....it would be cool if they bring in a desiel along with electrics.

[240sxcure]

I see the future. It is sad. We will have only electric green vehicles. Gone will be the days of redlining a combustion engine. :(

I think combustion engine will still be around, but we probably won't be driving them on a daily basis.

There will always be a place for them, hell you still see steam engines as collector items.

[DS562]

eh. i was more of a subaru fan anyway. not to say it wasnt a nice car.

[ronmcdon]

wats wrong with these car manufacturers..mitsubishi got one good car that is very popular and then they decide to end production of it....kinda lame..but lets see what they bring out....it would be cool if they bring in a desiel along with electrics.

Well, I wish I could share your optimism.
A Colt Evolution may offer a more realistic compromise between performance and fuel consumption.
If the company does well, it's not impossible they'll bring the car back or other fun trims.
I just don't have a whole lot of faith in Mitsubishi's commercial success as an auto manufacturer.

If you look at some of the sales figures, IIRC, it's only ahead of Suzuki and not by much either.

[WanganRunner]

Take this with a grain of salt.


Other articles swear that the Evo XI is under development with a hybrid powertrain, and I'd bet that is 100% true. Might be called the "Evo" though, who knows.

This wasn't an official announcement by Mitsubishi, just something Eusegi said.

I'm sure they will have another "performance car", and it may well be based off the Lancer just because it's the cheapest option for them, but it will almost certainly be a hybrid and will probably not be called "Evo". I bet it'll still be the same general approach to performance though, AWD, etc, just because that's what they know best.

[BustedS13]

I see the future. It is sad. We will have only electric green vehicles. Gone will be the days of redlining a combustion engine. :(

high output electric motors
going to tosche station to pick up some power converters

i think the future is going to be way cooler than our bullshit, so i'm excited

[Daniel.]

Gonna wait 20 years and sell you guys my car for 100k.

[HyperTek]

maybe they will bring up the standard lancer to awd.

I honestly am all for the whole electric car greener air thing, gas prices are ridiculous. Us americans just have to get used to it and stop being greedy desiring high performance cars we dont even buy. lol

[BustedS13]

this sucks. i was thinking of getting a Boss 302 and getting rid fo the Evo but now im not sure.

do it, mustangs are the best.

my next daily is going to be a new edge Bullitt. so cheap so cool.

[ronmcdon]

fuck that, im paying off my evo AND get a Boss!

cant afford a house in socal anyways.

[whitepony22]

I just hope Subaru doesn't go in this direction with the STi. It's kind of sad to see a lot of the Japanese manufacturers going into all green while the American companies are starting to make performance cars again. Oh well. I guess everything is a cycle.

[ESmorz]

Good riddance, ugly little things.

[Om1kron]

Mitsubishi itself has almost gone out of business a few times, so I'm amazed that the EVO platform has even lasted as long as it has.

[simmode1]

Us americans just have to get used to it and stop being greedy desiring high performance cars we dont even buy. lol
This comment is so shitty cuz its soooo true... lol:cry:

[BURSTspeed]

So they have just lost the very slim possibility of me being a customer of theirs.

[word sux]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaha

[VROOOM]

do it, mustangs are the best.

my next daily is going to be a new edge Bullitt. so cheap so cool.

my dad had a 1970 Boss 302 when he was younger. i can only imagine the look on his face if i pulled up in a new one. that and the new Boss seems to be simply amazing.


i've secretly loved mustangs since the 93 Cobra came out. i was in HS and i wanted a red one so bad.

[jacobs13]

I cant drive an electric car, i will feel so stupid and they will never sound "cool", although gas is gonna be $10 a gallon when everyone else is driving EV's

[drift freaq]

fuck that, im paying off my evo AND get a Boss!

cant afford a house in socal anyways.

Do it the Boss 302 is the first of the new Mustangs that has really sparked my interest as well as others. Ford has something with this baby.

[Omarius Maximus]

To the average joe, these cars were relevant when they were cheap and one of the few cars running around with forced induction.

But nowadays, you can get a 335i that makes more power, is far more luxurious, and has more badge appeal for a negligible premium over the Evo.

Should have kept it unrefined, and cheap rather than move it into the entry level luxo car price bracket.

[VROOOM]

To the average joe, these cars were relevant when they were cheap and one of the few cars running around with forced induction.

But nowadays, you can get a 335i that makes more power, is far more luxurious, and has more badge appeal for a negligible premium over the Evo.

Should have kept it unrefined, and cheap rather than move it into the entry level luxo car price bracket.

a base AWD 335 is still 10k more than a base Evo X.

[driftsilvias13]

^ True but what he is saying is kind of true. People would drop 40k on the EVO X which to me is way too much money for the car.

I recently purchased an evo viii for a daily and I love the simplicity of it. I am sure once they get going again they will re-introduce it later down the line.

[raz0rbladez909]

To the average joe, these cars were relevant when they were cheap and one of the few cars running around with forced induction.

But nowadays, you can get a 335i that makes more power, is far more luxurious, and has more badge appeal for a negligible premium over the Evo.

Should have kept it unrefined, and cheap rather than move it into the entry level luxo car price bracket.

A base evo can be had for close to the same price as a base 370z, it's not like they're rediculously overpriced, you actually get quite a bit for the money, what does that extra 10-20k on the bmw get you? Average joe's don't usually consider buying an evo because it is a "Niche Car" I mean its pretty obvious with the giant wing, massive brakes and aggressive flares. I wouldn't call 10k over an evo a negligible premium unless you're comparing a fully loaded MR to a base 335(if that even exists) even then, upkeep on the BMW is going to cost substantially more.

^ True but what he is saying is kind of true. People would drop 40k on the EVO X which to me is way too much money for the car.

I recently purchased an evo viii for a daily and I love the simplicity of it. I am sure once they get going again they will re-introduce it later down the line.

40k on an evo gets you that awesome twin clutch trans that is a true manual with the convenience of an automatic,18" BBS wheels, 2piece rotors, recaro seating, and a rockford fosgate sound system. I don't believe the X is any more overpriced than the VIII's and IX's were when they were brand new, you honestly get more car for the money now.

[socal s13]

wow thats a big step. theyll probably have some back up plan

[Omarius Maximus]

a base AWD 335 is still 10k more than a base Evo X.

I'm comparing it with a 335i, not the xi.

[datsunnazi]

Good riddance!

[VROOOM]

I'm comparing it with a 335i, not the xi.

usually when i compare cars i try to keep them in the same class. AWD vs AWD, RWD vs RWD and so on.


a RWD 4door 335i is still 7k more while a RWD 2 door 335i is still 10k more.

an Evo X GSR with every option is still cheaper than a base 335i

[holemilk00]

Yeah but a base model 335i has every option but navi that a loaded EVO X has.

[VROOOM]

Yeah but a base model 335i has every option but navi that a loaded EVO X has.

does it? unless you want white, red or black you have to pay 550 for paint, you would want at least the sport package for 2k (which adds sports suspension, 18" wheels, sport seats all stuff the Evo X has) or the M package for 3750, navigation is 2k more.


no matter which way you put it the BMW is about 10k more.

i dont hate BMW's, they are nice cars, but they are more expensive

[an_orange_s2k]

wow that sucks. wish times were like the 90's....great cars being produced left and right

[ronmcdon]

The 3 series just has a entirely different driving feel compared to the evo.
Evo's a lot more responsive & raw.
3's a nice sporty car that's also a lot softer & more comfortable than the evo.

I don't think it's fair to compare either car unless you've test driven both.
The closest car you can fairly compare to the evo is the wrx & sti,
and even then the feel is quite different (sti has very light steering for instance).

wow that sucks. wish times were like the 90's....great cars being produced left and right

You know I find it hard it hard to agree with that, if you're talking about the U.S market.

Yeah, we had the wonderful FD & the Supra, but prices weren't cheap back even without adjusting for inflation.
A $40k FD in the early 90's, would be what, $50 in today's pricing?
What could you get for under $30k?
Maybe an Integra Type-R, nice, but it's no WRX/EVO.

We have things pretty good right now.
Yeah, Japanese cars are getting pricey,
but you have to figure the currency exchange rates aren't in our favor & aren't getting better.

[driftsilvias13]

Mitsubishi is such a conglomerate that sport driving is an unimportant subset of one industry in their umbrella of producing products and services.

[raz0rbladez909]

Yeah but a base model 335i has every option but navi that a loaded EVO X has.

Yeah but you don't buy the evo to stop at your favorite coffee shops and feel like you're superior to everyone that has a "lesser" car. I know it is a broad generalization, but most bmw owners are douche's, and buy their cars for status most people looking at bmw's aren't even looking at evo's as opposition and vise versa with the people looking at evos

[ronmcdon]

idk about 3-series being a status symbol.
here in los angeles, they are a dime a dozen & pretty much 99% are known to be leased, lol.
You are not impressing anyone here, as far as being a big spender, with a $40k bmw.

For the most part, the 3-series not such a bad car.
It drives sporty enough, reasonably comfortable, and doesn't break the bank.
It's a much more reasonable alternative to the evo for most ppl looking to buy a car.
They aren't going to take it to the track, and/or mod it for another 100-hp.
It does well because it's a very decent car that serves it's target demographic well.

[Daniel.]

idk about 3-series being a status symbol.
here in los angeles, they are a dime a dozen & pretty much 99% are known to be leased, lol.
You are not impressing anyone here, as far as being a big spender, with a $40k bmw.


BMW and Mercs here in Norcal are like the Accord and Camry of anywhere else.

[BustedS13]

Mitsubishi is such a conglomerate that sport driving is an unimportant subset of one industry in their umbrella of producing products and services.

i know what you're saying, but all i can read is

Mitsubishi = Umbrella Corp

[VROOOM]

idk about 3-series being a status symbol.
here in los angeles, they are a dime a dozen & pretty much 99% are known to be leased, lol.

very very true. lol

[driftsilvias13]

i know what you're saying, but all i can read is

mitsubishi = umbrella corp

lol!!!!!!!!!

[HalveBlue]

Yeah, but Bimmers have a way higher Panty Drop Value.

[ESmorz]

Yeah, but Bimmers have a way higher Panty Drop Value.

Yeah you might get to slip it in a girl from Oklahoma's ass because you drive the ultimate driving machine, but around here it means you probably just have rich parents.

[I LUV MY S13]

I like their attitude.

[BustedS13]

bmw has never really had a good image in my mind because i always see the ten year old bmws being driven by brokedick types.

[ESmorz]

bmw has never really had a good image in my mind because i always see the ten year old bmws being driven by brokedick types.

That's just because the real movers and shakers pawned them off on the broke dicks. They are now driving the latest piece of anal German engineering, and fucking girls from Oklahoma.

I thought you knew this.

[rb25_s13*CHUKI]

maybe they will bring up the standard lancer to awd.

I honestly am all for the whole electric car greener air thing, gas prices are ridiculous. Us americans just have to get used to it and stop being greedy desiring high performance cars we dont even buy. lol


Says the guy who drives one of the most polluting cars on the earth

[BustedS13]

That's just because the real movers and shakers pawned them off on the broke dicks. They are now driving the latest piece of anal German engineering, and fucking girls from Oklahoma.

I thought you knew this.

but then there's the kids in the tight t shirts with the junkyard ones. the largest majority of bmw drivers are undesirables/vagrants. it's just hard to get past these statistics. i see a new one series being driven by some fly chesterfield honey, and it's like, i know that car is going to have widened steelies on it in ten years if things keep going the way they are. i can't see it for the overpriced car it actually is.
but then there's dudes in like 15 year old maseratis, and i'm all "DAAAMN HE MUST BE LOADED". i don't know what it is, maybe i'm just cartarded

[ESmorz]

Just have my fucking babies already you cartarded sonbitch.

[WanganRunner]

WORDS

^^
This is truth.

Unless you're the type of person who hangs out on car forums, which is a pretty small percentage of the buying public, you're probably not cross-shopping a 335i with an Evo.

The Evo and STI (and MS6, when it was around, arguably), are their own category.

Although, FWIW, I still think that:

"No New Evo"

really means:

"We will build a performance car based on a future economy platform, which may or may not be called Lancer, and said performance car may or may not be called Evo. Whatever it is, it'll have some kind of hybrid powertrain, it will not perform like past Evos, but it will also be less of a compromise than a CRZ. It will assuredly still have AWD and seat four, because that's what we're good at. In the meantime, we will probably continue to make the Evo X for another 3-4 years."

[DenkiMan!]

not even in my dreams was i planning on ever owning an evo so not too bummed about it. sad stuff for the hardcore fans tho. it seems like a good percentage of the japanese auto makers are slowly cutting their performance sectors.

as for the 90's yea there were legendary cars being made left and right, but its like it is today, we may have idolized them but not many of us would have had 30k to drop on a new rx7 or a supra...forget the skyline haha. we would have just talked about owning them one day lol

eventually japanese auto makers will say something to this effect about their performance line vehicles:



"We will build a performance car based on a future economy platform, which may or may not be called Lancer, and said performance car may or may not be called Evo. Whatever it is, it'll have some kind of hybrid powertrain, it will not perform like past Evos, but it will also be less of a compromise than a CRZ. It will assuredly still have AWD and seat four, because that's what we're good at. In the meantime, we will probably continue to make the Evo X for another 3-4 years."

[ManoNegra]

as for the 90's yea there were legendary cars being made left and right


Maybe this was in an alternate universe
in the one I come from, the 'legendary cars' got blotted and overpriced
and met an sad demise in the early 90s
then nothing interesting was offered for the rest of the decade
best things out were Integras - no 240sx weren't cool until the early 2000s
I remember car mags going nuts over the Tiburon and Solstice
simply because there wasn't anything else worth getting hyped over

[spooled240]

I wouldn't say the Evo is dead, it just needs to "evolve" with the changing times..I bet with the right technology Mitsubishi will come out with some kind of performance electric car in the future that will perform at or above the Evo X

can you imagine an AWD launch with an electric motor?:naughtyd:

[ronmcdon]

Maybe this was in an alternate universe
in the one I come from, the 'legendary cars' got blotted and overpriced
and met an sad demise in the early 90s
then nothing interesting was offered for the rest of the decade
best things out were Integras - no 240sx weren't cool until the early 2000s
I remember car mags going nuts over the Tiburon and Solstice
simply because there wasn't anything else worth getting hyped over

Exactly.

The fact that fwd hondas were cool, goes to show how depressing things really were.
Well, I like Hondas, but still that's my problem.

I wouldn't say the Evo is dead, it just needs to "evolve" with the changing times..I bet with the right technology Mitsubishi will come out with some kind of performance electric car in the future that will perform at or above the Evo X

can you imagine an AWD launch with an electric motor?:naughtyd:

Yeah, they should keep up with the times.
Pretty much most automakers are getting respectable mpg figures, but Mitsu isn't keeping up.
Look at the Mustang with 300hp & 30 mpg hwy for instance.
That's what Mitsu ought to strive for.

[DenkiMan!]

Maybe this was in an alternate universe
in the one I come from, the 'legendary cars' got blotted and overpriced
and met an sad demise in the early 90s
then nothing interesting was offered for the rest of the decade
best things out were Integras - no 240sx weren't cool until the early 2000s
I remember car mags going nuts over the Tiburon and Solstice
simply because there wasn't anything else worth getting hyped over

there were other good cars that were out like the gc8 sti, the sw20 mr2, 4th/5th gen evo (only japan but still great car). yea those were also kinda pricey but i find those pretty interesting for the 90's decade lol. dont forget the debut of the nsx but then again that was dream car for most at the time and today.

i guess in a way your right tho, most of the cars being built stateside were not that impressive for the time period at all...japan had most of the goodies lol

[BOROSUN]

we need more performance wagons! not 5dr hb!

and the bring back the starion!

[Mikey213]

"can't afford a house in socal anyway" bullshit! I was just looking at a nice house in Silverlake only 90gs! There's a bunch of nice cheap homes in socal. So what if most are in compton. You scared? IT'S 2011, kids nowadays dance like gay zombies. (I'm on my wii, to lazy to qoute right)