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2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR 4dr Sedan Man

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
Trim Info:
All Wheel Drive, 4 Door Sedan, Compact
16 mpg city / 22 mpg hwy
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Expert Reviews

November 18, 2009 by Jon Alain Guzik

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer 1
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer

DriverSide Overview
Few automotive rivalries have been as historically intense as the Subaru STI versus Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution battle. Waged over decades and across innumerable rally stages and production vehicles, the fight has won loyalists on both sides of the battle lines. For 2009, the Mitsubishi camp can celebrate a hard-won mechanical dominance thanks to a few tweaks on their tenth generation Evo, which debuted last year. Laced with enough high-tech wizardry to make even the most novice driver look like a rally god, the Evolution X can deal out domination on just about any road surface thanks to its impeccable all-wheel drive platform, potent turbocharged four-cylinder engine, massive brakes and game-changing dual-clutch SST transmission. The Evo was built with one purpose in mind – to perform. That may be a goal that many cars attempt to tackle, but few manage to succeed at. The Evo is a four-door purebred sports car with rally in its veins, and it’s obvious from the first blip of the throttle that it’s something unique.
 
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer 2
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer





What's to Like
The Evolution delivers world-class performance at a pretty great price. Power is crisp, handling is superb and the fact that it offers four doors puts it head and shoulders above most of its two-seater and coupe competition. The full-time all-wheel drive system is a work of art, delivering going power in even the worst conditions. Also, the dual-clutch SST transmission – an Evo first – is amazing, giving you a Normal, Sports and Super Sport mode. In each of the modes, we were much, much faster around the track than with the manual gearbox. The Evolution is impossibly fast thanks largely to innovations like the super all-wheel control, which changes the torque at each individual wheel to maintain vehicle control.

What's Not to Like
This generation is slightly larger than previous incarnations, which takes away some of the lithe, light-on-its-feet feeling we loved about past iterations. Also, the aggressive design is dialed back. We miss the fire-breathing, boy-racer looks of the 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX MR, a modern muscle car classic if there ever was one.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions

There’s no mistaking the Evolution for a mere Lancer. Drop the clutch, press the gas pedal and the acceleration is instant and on demand from the 291 horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Evolution begs you to test the limits with each coming corner and tricks such as the super all-wheel drive system help you get massive grip and Porsche-like handling. Braking is close to perfect due to the Brembos. The interior is comfortable – or as comfortable as Recaro seats ever are – but it’s obvious that the Evo is designed for speed instead of long road trips. The suspension is stiff, but manages to field potholes and uneven pavement fairly well. Put the SST in Super Sport mode and hold on to your hats and glasses, because this here is the wildest ride in the wilderness.

Engine and Drivetrain
The Evolution’s heart is the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine pumping out 291 horsepower and an even 300 lb-ft of torque. The power plant is coupled to either a five-speed manual or, in MR trim, the totally awesome six-speed SST double-clutch unit. This Mitsubishi is ready for whatever weather nature can throw at it thanks to its fantastic all-wheel drive system.
 
Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
The GSR trim is available with what the company calls a “sight, sound and spoiler" package that includes HID headlamps, a police attention-grabbing rear spoiler, a six-disc CD changer with SIRIUS satellite radio and a quick key entry system. All this can be yours for the low, low price of $2,000. The MR version is available with a technology package for $2,550.
 
Key Technology Evaluation
The MR’s tech package includes an onboard 30 gig navigation and music server. A CD/MP3/DVD head unit takes the place of the standard version to power a nine-speaker surround system, including a ten-inch subwoofer.
 
Green Evaluation/Gas Mileage
When equipped with the five-speed manual transmission, the Evolution manages 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. The six-speed double-clutch transmission delivers slightly better fuel economy with 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. While these numbers aren’t stellar by any means (they’re actually on par with the V-8 powered Lexus IS-F), it’s important to remember that the four-banger under the hood is lugging around a lot of weight and pushing all four wheels, neither of which are good for fuel economy.
 
A Closer Look:  Vehicle Details
Interior

The Evolution makes no qualms about its purpose from inside. Stiff bolstered seats deliver plenty of support for leaning on apexes, but leave something to be desired for long-term treks. We think the plastic is somewhat, er, plastic-y, not befitting, when kitted out, a $40,000-plus car.
 
Exterior
Aggressive is the key word when describing this bruiser’s looks. A nose that seems to be frozen mid-lunge delivers a distinctly shark-like impression, complete with side gill slits. It’s a look that fits the car and you catch yourself grabbing one last look as you walk away from it in parking lots. Also, it’s not as boy-racer as in the past, which, depending on who you are, is either a plus or a minus.
 
Market Segment and Pricing
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR starts at $33,665, while the more performance-geared MR version weighs in at $38,965. Those numbers land it in the ring with sport sedans like the Subaru Impreza WRX STI at $34,995, the Infinity G35x at $34,750 and the Lexus IS 350 at $36,305. To be truthful, the only competitor that’s a true match is its long-term rival, the STI, which we think needs a dual-clutch gearbox posthaste.
 
What We Think
Without a doubt, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X is as close as you can come to buying a genuine rally machine that you would want to drive from the factory. It offers stellar performance bred from real experience on and off of World Rally Championship stages. Are there more refined sports cars out there? Absolutely. Is there a harder running ride out there below $40,000? We think not.




Other Resources

That's Not A Lancer, It's A Rally Car...We Swear! [Ad Watch] – Mitsubishi's newest commercial wants you to think "Evo" when you buy a new Lancer. That's why they're showing off the entire Lancer-lineup in the above ad -- and hoping you think it's three cars in one. Mitsubishi wants you to think when you're buyin Source: feeds.gawker.com

HKS Mitusbishi Lancer Evo X Gets HP Boost And Suspension Upgrades [Tuner Cars] – The new Mitsubishi Evolution X is already a great performer, but what happens when you give it to a tuning company like HKS? No surprise, they've made it better. The HKS Evo makes 382 HP, about 97 HP more than the standard Evo. Even better, that figu Source: feeds.gawker.com

Quick Test: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR – We took the MR out to the track to see how the top-tier Evo with Mitsu's new twin-clutch transmisson stacks up. Source: www.motortrend.com

Car and Driver The Quickest Cars of 2007: Less Than $20,000 - Feature – Last time we had this much fun, we were using our lunch money and somebody got four hours of detention. Source: www.caranddriver.com

Comparison: 2008 BMW 135i vs. 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR – The Matrix: Neo Evo or BMW's all new 135i? We find out which really is The One. Source: www.motortrend.com

Mitsubishi Evo MR and lightweight Subaru STI Spec-C coming – Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi, SubaruClick either image for a high-res rendering of each model at AutoExpress.Mitsubishi and Subaru are entering round two of the newest battle for all-wheel-drive supremacy and AutoExpress has ringside seats Source: feeds.autoblog.com

EVO X or New STi? Let the Tuners Decide - Garage419 – Matt Farah in his 4mpg Cobra and Gene Sanchez in his 40mpg Mini head to Auto Masters AMR of Mamaroneck NY to find out which is the best of the new generation of tubro street monsters, the STi or the EVO X. The best on looks, interior, power, handling Source: www.garage419.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer – With fuel prices showing no signs of abating, automakers are lining up to introduce new compact sedans that -- they hope -- will give them an edge in the marketplace. Lastest in line is Mitsubishi with their all-new 2008 Lancer. The Mitsubishi Lancer Source: cars.about.com

EVO X or New STi - Part 2 - Garage419 – Matt Farah puts the new EVO X and New STi on the Dyno at Auto Masters AMR in Maroneck NY.  After a few dyno pulls, tuning questions are answered and we finally get an idea of what makes the two cars such completely different beasts. - Garage419.com Source: www.garage419.com

Finally... Mitsubishi Evo X MR coming to the U.S. this June – Filed under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, MitsubishiClick above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Evolution XWe've already spent some wheel time in the Mitsubishi Evolution X GSR, and despite some dynamic criticisms, we're convinced that the ne Source: feeds.autoblog.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X MR: Fiend vs. Fiend – Lieberman: Full disclosure right up front: I’ve owned one Subaru WRX or another for the past seven years. Hopped-up, hot-handling little rally cars are my bag. That said, I wasn’t mentally prepared for how screamingly competent the new E Source: www.autofiends.com

DRIVERS LOG: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR: – SENIOR EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: If you drive this 10th-generation Evo back-to-back with the Evo IX, the new model comes off as much more polished, less tinny, larger and in every way more “grown-up. Source: www.autoweek.com

Mitsubishi Forums – Our goal is to provide Mitsubishi owners an information outlet - a means to communicate with other Mitsubishi owners. Source: www.mitsubishi-forums.com

Vishnu Performance Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X – Vishnu Performance Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XRead More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us Source: www.sportcompactcarweb.com

Comparison: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - America's Best Handling Car Contender Video – We test the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR for America's Best Handling Car competition.... Source: www.motortrend.com

Test drive: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR – I have driven some pretty incredible cars this summer -- the 480 horsepower Nissan GT-R, the 638 hp Corvette ZR1, the 376 hp Dodge Challenger R/T, and the 518 hp... Source: cars.about.com

In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X MR – Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Sedans/Saloons, Mitsubishi Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X MR Here's a revelation: being stuck in traffic sucks. And it's even more infuriating behind the wheel of an Evo.Desp Source: feeds.feedburner.com

Arrival: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR – We take the latest in a line of rally kings on a year-long runWe've had two previous-generation Evos in our long-term fleet, and neither of them ever spent a night alone in the garage. They were moving all the time, thrilling everyone who drove them, Source: www.motortrend.com

Editors' Roundtable: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR – Over the past couple of years, we’ve noticed a trend that more and more performance cars are steering away from traditional manual transmissions in favor of high-tech dual-clutch setups. For 2008, the top-dollar Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR featu Source: feeds.feedburner.com

Test drive: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR – While chatting with the Mitsubishi PR people at an event last month, I mentioned that I absolutely loved the 2008 Lancer Evolution MR I reviewed, and I regretted the fact... Source: cars.about.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons Review – 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons ReviewIs The Evolution Growing Up Too Fast?When the rally-bred Evolution arrived here in 2003, it was hailed as a raw performance machine that delivered supercar thrills for family-car money. We even Source: www.automobilemag.com

Weekly Shakedown - 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X – This week we got some much-needed bonding time with one of our favorite four-door warriors, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. It had been a while since our first drive of Mitsubishi’s latest rally rocket all the way back at the vehicle’ Source: www.driverside.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons Update - March 2009 – 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons Update - March 2009Last month we reported that our Four Seasons Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR was getting ready to don its summer rubber again, but we made one last wintry run before doing so.Months Source: www.automobilemag.com

2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons Update - June 2009 – 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - Four Seasons Update - June 2009Our affair with a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution continues to run the gamut.Months in Fleet: 10Mileage to Date: 25,000 Photo Gallery: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR - June 20 Source: www.automobilemag.com

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