Before we go any further, let's make one thing clear: When I say "sideways," I mean sideways. What we have here is some unhinged, prescription-strength, industrial-grade madness. And the cars—bone-stock Evolution Xs—do it happily, and they ask (beg, plead, pray) for you to keep it up, and all four tires burn like the Cuyahoga while you dance the dance of a thousand rally stars. If you listen closely, you can hear Tommi Mäkinen laughing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

For the most part, one-day driving schools are not the stuff of legend. You show up, you take a class, you play on a skid pad, and you go home. This is not what happens at the one-day Evolution Experience. Mitsubishi Motors and Russell are well aware of the Evo X's strengths, and as such, the Evo school's curriculum was designed to highlight the car's killer chassis and all-wheel-drive system. Over the course of eight hours, you become intimately familiar with both the laws of physics and the Evo's staggeringly talented rear differential. You also spend most of your time leading with your taillights.

If the whole process sounds boring, then you're either the type of person who gets carsick in the parking lot at church or you have no soul. The school's exercises are spread across two large skid pads and all of Infineon Raceway's 2.5-mile track; the program is aimed at drivers of modest skill, but the ass-out exposure to one of the best all-wheel-drive production cars on the planet should be enough to draw more experienced 'shoes. As with most Russell programs, the emphasis is on tailored instruction and at-your-own-pace improvement; the school's instructors are happy to vary their teaching style based on student skill and need. Counterintuitive lessons abound—the Evo's unique all-wheel-drive system and active rear diff ensure that a lot of old-school techniques don't apply, and you can find yourself at minimum yaw if you try and go with your instincts. (A tip: Countersteer less, throw the car around more. And don't be afraid to throw it hard.)

All told, the Russell program isn't so much driving school as treatise on the Evo's genius—by showing ordinary folk the ins and outs of sliding a rally rocket on dry pavement, it merely reinforces the Lancer's formidable legend. At $1000 tuition, is it a bit too expensive for what you get? Probably. Is the whole production simply an elaborate advertisement for the most capable Mitsubishi ever built? Of course. Does that make it any less worthwhile? Not in the slightest.

The details: Jim Russell Racing Driver's School. Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California. One thousand ($1000) dollars tuition per driver. www.jimrussellusa.com.

We want to believe, but this story of being magically assaulted by an unidentified source sounds questionable to us. According to the woman:

The entire left side of my car appears to be scorched but no paint was removed.

I was driving 40-45 miles per hour heading north toward I-94 East towards Chicago on Lake Cook Road. While I was in the middle lane, I felt a nudge on the left of my car which made my car shift to the right. I did not swerve out of the lane and gained control back quickly.

I slowed down and as I got my bearings, I realized that my left side mirror was knocked off and so I turned right onto Revere Drive and put on my hazard lights.

I got out of the car and saw that I had several dents on the side of my car. There were two that were deeper and larger than the others; one was located in front of the rear wheel and the other was in the center of the driver door.

I called 911 to file a police report and the officer said that I was side swiped by another car but, there were not any cars around me before or after the hit and also there were no paint scratches from other cars on my car.

We happen to know this area quite well as we used to drive up towards this part of Northern Illinois to stretch the legs out on our review cars. The damage is curious as you would expect more scratching from car-on-car action. Plus, you'd expect the person to remember. We put our knowledge to work and have two theories.

The first involves the woman traveling, as she says, eastward toward 94 on Lake Cook Road. Most of the road has high visibility, low traffic in night. This would make it easier to see someone coming. The only part of the drive where it would be harder to notice another driver would be here, near Portwine Road and the Potawatomi Woods Preserve. Were a car to go to far here it could strike a car traveling eastbound, knock into it, and it would appear to the inattentive driver as if no one was around.

The second theory involves the peculiar timing of the event. It occurred at 11:20 PM on November 4, 2008 — the day Barack Obama was elected president. This was right after CNN announced his victory. Our guess, given that this is a more Republican area of Chicago, this woman is a Republican or Libertarian. She's at a party, drinking more and more as the night goes on and she realizes the Republicans are getting stomped. Ohio falls. Florida falls. The announcement is made and she gets in the car. Drunk. Mad. The spectacle of African Americans being re-enfranchised still dances in her head and she accidentally plunges the car sidewise into the ditch, thus creating the damage. As a cover she drives home, calls the cops, concocts a crazy story and voila. There it is.

[Image Copyright NUFORC via Motive]

In a move that absolutely no one expected (read: sarcasm), Mitsubishi will give U.S. customers the opportunity to purchase their versatile 5-door Lancer Sportback sometime in 2009. The Sportback adds the extra utility in the form of a wagon-like rear end with a one-touch auto-folding 60/40 split rear seat. In order to squeeze even more space out of the rear cavern, Mitsubishi has cleverly included a rear cargo floor that can be lowered by up to three inches allowing for a maximum 52.7 cubic ft. of cargo space. For you outdoorsey types, Mitsubishi has designed the roof rack to accommodate a plug-in Thule sport rack to tie down your skis, snowboard or even a body rolled up in a rug. Imagine the possibilities.

Powertrain options will come from the standard Lancer and Lancer Ralliart range, meaning you get a 2.4-liter 168 HP, 167 ft-lb with either a five-speed manual or six-speed CVT automatic transmission in the Sportback GTS or if you opt for the Sportback Ralliart, you get a 2.0-liter MIVEC turbocharged engine with a whopping 237 HP and 253 ft-lb of torque. The Sportback Ralliart gets the quick-shifting six-speed Twin Clutch-Sportronic Shift Transmission (TC-SST) shared with the Lancer Evolution, as well as some nifty magnesium paddle shifters.

Pricing is expected to be announced soon. We'll keep you up to date.

Mitsubishi Press Release:

Mitsubishi Motors Brings Versatile New Five-Door Sportback To Award-Winning U.S. Lancer Lineup

CYPRESS, Calif., January 30, 2009 —

Mitsubishi Motors North America today confirmed that the versatile all-new five-door Lancer Sportback will arrive in U.S. dealerships this summer for the 2010 model year. The Sportback will meld high performance and progressive design with an extra dose of utility to feed the most active lifestyles. The newest member of the multiple award-winning Lancer family is part of Mitsubishi's refocused efforts to introduce new models designed to meet evolving consumer demands. MSRP will be announced nearer to its summer on-sale date.

"American consumers are increasingly asking for fun, attractive, yet practical cars that complement their active and individual lifestyles," said Dan Kuhnert, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mitsubishi Motors North America. "The Lancer Sportback answers those calls with a heady mix of performance, aggressive styling and the bonus of greatly increased utility, and will be available in two versions - the economical GTS and high-performance Ralliart. The five-door platform has considerable upside potential in the domestic market."

Mitsubishi designers created a dynamic new shape for the Sportback that is instantly recognizable as a Lancer from the front, with its signature "jet fighter" grille, while being completely fresh from the C-pillar rearward. The key element is a sleekly sloping rear door with integrated "roof wing" that creates a visually distinctive shape while making the Lancer significantly more versatile. The door extends down to the rear bumper to make loading cumbersome objects like surfboards, camping gear and bicycles as easy as possible.

The Sportback's overall length is just slightly longer than the Lancer four-door sedan, yet it gains substantial cargo-carrying flexibility-especially when the 60:40-split rear seats are folded flat. One-touch auto-folding rear seats make the newfound space almost effortless to configure. To add still more volume, the rear cargo-area floor of the GTS version can be cleverly lowered three inches, yielding 52.7 cubic ft. maximum cargo space. The roof will also conveniently accommodate a plug-in Thule® Sport Rack for additional flexibility.

The Sportback's basic architecture, technical features and most optional equipment is shared with the Lancer sedan, a winner of several awards, including:

* J.D. Power and Associates' 2008 Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study, naming the touch-screen interface system an industry-leader and the first non-premium brand to ever capture the award
* NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
* IIHS Top Safety Pick
* CNET Editors' Choice (Lancer Evolution)
* MSN Top-10 New Cars

Sportback GTS models feature Mitsubishi's efficient 2.4-liter engine with 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed CVT automatic transmission.

The Sportback Ralliart is powered by a 2.0-liter MIVEC turbocharged engine that pumps out 237 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft. of torque. All-Wheel Control (AWC) with Active Center Differential (ACD) is standard, as is the quick-shifting six-speed Twin Clutch-Sportronic® Shift Transmission (TC-SST) that it shares with the Lancer Evolution. Both the CVT and Twin-Clutch transmissions include magnesium-alloy paddle shifters.

Premium interior features like those found on the Lancer sedans are also part of the Sportback's resume. Key components in the Ralliart version include a standard 140-watt CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers or an available 710-watt Rockford-Fosgate Premium Sound System, in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability, plus Sirius Satellite Radio. A hard disc-drive navigation system with Mitsubishi's exclusive Diamond Lane Guidance to provide route guidance is optional, as are Recaro sport seats that provide optimal support for the driver and front passenger.

The Lancer Sportback also formed the basis for Mitsubishi's 2009 Dakar Rally effort earlier this year. The Dakar is the most grueling rally race in the world and Mitsubishi vehicles have won the event 12 times since their first attempt in 1983.

As an important test bed for future technology, the Racing Lancers used at the Dakar reflected Mitsubishi's ongoing efforts to minimize the automobile's environmental footprint with such features as clean diesel power, bio-fuel capability and plant-based "green plastic" body components.

About Mitsubishi Motors North America:
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 480 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit

[via Mitsubishi]

The TV spot is centered around a comedic misinterpretation of the phrase "Dad, where do I come from." See, Dad thinks sonny-boy has asked him about the birds and bees, and thus busts out "the big talk" on the ride home. On the way, we're beaten over the head with innuendo-tastic images like a guy manning a jackhammer, dad imitating masturbation, a water fountain, and exploding fireworks. As the father-son duo pull into the driveway, sonny says something that we've interpreted as either "that's on cool Dad, cause Jimmy Johnson only comes from Scotland" or "Cuz Jimmy Jones and Arnie comes from Scotland." Whatever the case, we get the joke they were aiming at, but what kid this age doesn't know where they were born?

The combined power of a tired joke and mealy-mouthed kid delivering the punchline have us shaking our heads in disappointment. Jimmy Johnson only comes from Scotland indeed. The worst part? This press release accompanying the ad.

MITSUBISHI’S NEW ‘BIRDS AND BEES’ TV AND CINEMA AD CAN ONLY BE SHOWN AFTER 9 PM

Mitsubishi’s latest TV ad only to be shown after 9 o’clock watershed
Light-hearted innuendo could be inappropriate for younger viewers
Never Too Shy To Turn Heads

Mitsubishi has never been shy of turning heads. Drive down any street and its distinctive products – like the new L200, Lancer Evolution X or the next generation Colt super mini – are sure to attract admiring glances from pedestrians or other road users. Even its vehicle names have caused a stir, such as the yes-it-does-mean-what-you-think ‘FQ’ badges to be found on the ‘very fast’ Lancer Evolution range.

Well, now its new TV advertising campaign due to be launched on Monday 9th February 2009 is set to attract attention as Clearcast, the company responsible for the pre-transmission examination and clearance of television advertisements, has not approved it to be shown on TV before the 9 o’clock watershed.

Where Did I Come From?

The campaign features a conversation between a young boy and his Dad as they take a drive in the stylish new Lancer. The boy simply asks “Where did I come from?”, which instantly sends his father into that place of fear and trepidation… how to explain the ‘birds and the bees’ to your child for the first time.

The rest of the advert focuses on the father’s description to his son from outside the car, but as they journey home progresses, each explanation inside the car is mirrored by events outside.

Lance Bradley, Mitsubishi’s Director of Sales and Marketing said that, “Clearcast thought that the light-hearted innuendo throughout the ad could be seen as inappropriate – especially for younger viewers. We are happy to have the TV ad shown after the 9 o’clock watershed and will also be making the ad available through our website at www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/features/tv.asp too.”

Acceleration from 0-60 MPH should take just about 3.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of at least 170 MPH. With that jolting speed, expect uprated suspension, bigger brakes, and some aero tweaks. Even better, a manual gearbox should be standard. Let's just hope the gas pedal doesn't break off. So, does anybody know of a good black market importer?[AutoExpress]

We're told to expect two versions of the five-door hatchback to be launched initially in Europe. The base Lancer Sportback will be powered by a choice of 1.5- and 1.8-liter gasoline engines, or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel. The base model will send power to the front wheels, but the Ralliart version will get the all-wheel-drive system from the Evo IX, the new dual-clutch gearbox and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger rated at 235 HP and 253 lb-ft of torque. Expect to see the sportback's hit European showrooms starting this fall, and we're even hearing we'll be seeing the Sportback bringing sexyback stateside. After driving the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, we can conclusively say the thought of a bit more storage thanks to a bit bigger of a rear end makes us happy as can be. [via NetCarShow]

See, the Lancer was Dodge's innovative compact car for '61, based on the new Valiant and priced at just $2,007 for the base 170 model. It's from Detroit's Golden Age, with relatively happy unions, high pay, and no threat from them damn Toyopets, so it will help convince the all-important hardhat vote that Obama is on their side when they hear that good ol' Slant Six go by. But, see, Obama would look too stolid driving the base 170, so that's why this car is the slightly pricier 770 coupe, which had enough chrome to look stylishly youthful without implying a sense of elitism. The Rat Fink sticker just adds to the efffect. Oh, just wait and see, folks!

Meanwhile, John McCain is going to be put on the defensive if he's seen cruising around in a new SUV or limo after the bombshell of the Obama Lancer is dropped, so we'll see him behind the wheel of a Falcon or Chevy II within a matter of hours. Yes, we're looking at an early-60s Detroit compact war for Campaign '08! You heard it here first!

While some people think the Best Post-Apocalyptic Survival Vehicles should be heavily armored and able to carry essentials for long periods of autonomy, we plan to set up camp in a permanent location and need a vehicle capable of covering long distances for supply foraging while being able to outrun and outmaneuver the hordes of less prepared, cannibalistic survivors/zombies/aliens across any terrain, all while satisfying our lust for fast, law-enforcement free driving.

We think the Mitsubishi Racing Lancer may be just such a vehicle. For one, it comes in matte black, and then there’s the massively capable any-terrain performance, the cool LED lights (who says you can’t look good while siphoning diesel from abandoned semis?) and the Sportback’s massive .50 Cal-mounting potential/load hauling ability.

The Mitsubishi Racing Lancer will be entered in the 2009 Dakar Rally and the 2008 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup in Portugal, but we’re really hoping they bring out a consumer version so we can buy one and get started modifying it with long-range fuel tanks and bulletproof windows.

MITSUBISHI 2008 PARIS MOTOR SHOW PREVIEW

* Mitsubishi announces all-new 'Racing Lancer' cross-over race car
* Euro V diesel, high performance technologies provide a clean link to the production Lancer family
* Dakar 2009 in South America to be full debut performance

A Fruitful History
Since Mitsubishi entered its first race in the 1962 Macao Grand Prix / Mitsubishi 500, the name of Mitsubishi and the term 'Motor Sports' have been inextricably linked.

No matter the discipline, the extraordinary skills of its drivers & co-drivers, the efficiency of its racing teams, the integrity of its cars together with the engineering excellence of its R&D have gradually built its reputation and credentials around the world:

* On Circuit: 1971 Japan Grand Prix winner / Colt F2000
* The World Rally Championship: 4 Drivers' titles + 1 Manufacturers' title / Lancer Evolution
* Or Cross Country: 12 Dakar victories in Pajero

From Motorsports to Production Cars
As a real-world test laboratory, Motor Sports birthed some enduring Mitsubishi legends such as the Pajero / Shogun, Lancer and Lancer Evolution. Supporting production car technological realities has been at the heart of Mitsubishi's ethos, including the recently introduced "Project Global" Lancer Family of Sports Saloon, Sportback, Ralliart and Evolution X.

Motor Sports has also extended the reach of Mitsubishi's Okazaki R&D Centre in areas ranging from 4-Wheel Drive technology to turbo-charging, all applied to its regular production cars and SUVs, from Lancer to Pajero.

A New Era
Now, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced a new era of Motor Sports design and engineering with its next-generation racer, the all-new crossover "Racing Lancer".

With this car, MMC has added a new dimension to its racing activities, blending 35 years of Lancer prowess with 25 years of Pajero epics.

The end result is a cross over between on-road and off-road rallying as well as applying to passenger cars and SUVs. The Racing Lancer will reach a wider marketing audience than any of its predecessors while re-launching Lancer's racing career.

Sportback Silhouette
Sporting a silhouette inspired by the recently previewed Lancer Sportback 5-door hatch, Racing Lancer will support Mitsubishi's offensive in the passenger car sector, much like the Pajero Evolution in parallel to the production Shogun in 2006.

Clean Diesel Power
Our sporting heritage and green designs will come together at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show1, where Mitsubishi will launch its framework for its mid-term passenger car strategy for Europe, under the banner of "One segment, One Green Solution".

The Racing Lancer will become MMC's key ambassador for diesel technologies. Mitsubishi's long recognized expertise in engine development as a pioneer in clean emissions, balancing shafts, turbo-charging, and direct injection since the 1970s has again been mobilized to create a diesel engineering centre of excellence within the Company covering a wide range of diesel powertrains.

From the all-new 4N13 Euro V 4-cylinder engine to be launched in 2009 to Racing Lancer's 3.0 litre turbo-charged V6 diesel race engine, all will share the same fundamental know-how and the same essential low fuel consumption and low emissions 'green benefits' of Mitsubishi's diesel technology.

Technical Specification
Overall length: 4,475mm
Overall width: 1,990mm
Wheelbase: 2,900mm
Track (front/rear): 1,750mm/1,750mm
Weight: 1,900kg
Engine: 2,997cc V6 turbocharged diesel Maximum power: more than 190kW (260hp)
Maximum torque: more than 650Nm (66.3kgm)
Transmission: Ricardo five-speed sequential, manual 4WD system: permanent four-wheel drive with limited slip central differential

Target - Dakar 2009
Racing Lancer is a Super Production Cross-Country Rally car, which has been developed in compliance with the FIA's Group T1 regulations (modified cross-country rally cars). It also complies with the new rules due to come into force in 2010.

Supported by the highly successful trial period of the new engine, already raced several times with Pajero Evolution over the last months, Mitsubishi Motors is confident that the Racing Lancer will be a major player at the 2009 Dakar rally.

The Dakar race itself will break new ground next year with a switch from Africa to South America, just as Racing Lancer will itself mark a new start for Mitsubishi Motorsports.

END

[Mitsubishi via Autofiends]

After waiting for a while on the roadside, the guy finally took his shoe off and pressed down on the remaining nub of a pedal with his big toe to limp the car to a dealership. It remains to be seen if this is an isolated incident or a widespread problem, but this owner (who also owns an '05 Evo VIII) is now wondering why he didn't spend his hard-earned clams on a new Corvette. [evolutionm via dieselstation]

While this is just rendered speculation, those same sources claim the new Lancer Sportback will be entering markets by 2010, but no official word-on-high places the vehicle on US shores yet. However, the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback will be tempting us from afar when it debuts at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. [Carscoop]

Driving sucks in New York. Not only are the roads pot-holed, third-world battlefields, but local drivers treat them as such, doing everything possible to kill their fellow commuters. All this is made worse by the cops; their numbers swollen post-9/11, they prowl the streets like sharks, looking for anyone that stands out to punish with the full force of the law. You'd think driving a bright red Evo here would be a bad idea, but the thing is, it's not.

In MR trim, the Evo gains sound deadening, higher-quality suspension and bunch of toys like a decent stereo and satellite navigation. Then there's the gearbox. Called Twin-Clutch SST, it's Mitsubishi's version of a dual-clutch automated manual, and it's probably the best I've ever used.

Those features combine to create a car that's smooth-riding, well-controlled, quiet inside and that makes carving through gaps in heavy traffic completely fuss-free. None of that should sacrifice performance, while the suspension and gearbox will actually work to improve it.

Swipe the shifter that looks like it belongs in a manual over to the left, and you're in full-manual mode. No computerized brain tells it when to shift, leaving you in complete control. Well, at least once you've pulled away. The lack of a clutch to dump keeps take-off (and attempted donuts) wheelspin-free while high-rev launches require the use of a special launch control only available in Super-Sport automatic mode. Shifts are immediate and come when called for, never once beeping in protest instead of delivering the downshift required.

Cruising along slowly through the overcrowded suburban roadways, the MR's promise is ever-present in its immediate direction changes and ability to leap out of merge lanes. Its classier, toned-down looks don't draw attention the way the carbon-clad Evo IX I pass does, maybe due to the proliferation of down-market models like the Ralliart that share near-identical body addenda. The rear wing remains huge, but too many wannabes mean that, now, wings no longer signify performance. Cops we pass hardly take a second glance, more upset by Mitsubishi's manufacturer plate than the car's intent to speed.

Inside the MR you feel like an escaped convict, the car's promised performance making itself evident through the aggressive shifting, fierce acceleration and immediate responsiveness, but conveying those experiences in a manner that's positively refined. Cover up the plasticky interior, and this combination could spell M3.

It's really hard to write a remarkable review about an unremarkable drive. But maybe that's the most remarkable thing about the MR. Not only did it make the shittiest roads in the world tolerable, but it did so in a package supposedly capable of rivaling cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS or Ferrari F430 once the going gets more glamorous. To that ability I can't attest, but stuck in rush hour, I know which car I'd rather be in, and I'm excited about the possibility of owning a car of this caliber that's equally capable in the everyday grind. 

Photography: Björn Schütrumpf

MITSUBISHI 2008 PARIS MOTOR SHOW PREVIEW

* Mitsubishi announces all-new 'Racing Lancer' cross-over race car
* Euro V diesel, high performance technologies provide a clean link to the production Lancer family
* Dakar 2009 in South America to be full debut performance

A Fruitful History
Since Mitsubishi entered its first race in the 1962 Macao Grand Prix / Mitsubishi 500, the name of Mitsubishi and the term 'Motor Sports' have been inextricably linked.

No matter the discipline, the extraordinary skills of its drivers & co-drivers, the efficiency of its racing teams, the integrity of its cars together with the engineering excellence of its R&D have gradually built its reputation and credentials around the world:

* On Circuit: 1971 Japan Grand Prix winner / Colt F2000
* The World Rally Championship: 4 Drivers' titles + 1 Manufacturers' title / Lancer Evolution
* Or Cross Country: 12 Dakar victories in Pajero

From Motorsports to Production Cars
As a real-world test laboratory, Motor Sports birthed some enduring Mitsubishi legends such as the Pajero / Shogun, Lancer and Lancer Evolution. Supporting production car technological realities has been at the heart of Mitsubishi's ethos, including the recently introduced "Project Global" Lancer Family of Sports Saloon, Sportback, Ralliart and Evolution X.

Motor Sports has also extended the reach of Mitsubishi's Okazaki R&D Centre in areas ranging from 4-Wheel Drive technology to turbo-charging, all applied to its regular production cars and SUVs, from Lancer to Pajero.

A New Era
Now, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced a new era of Motor Sports design and engineering with its next-generation racer, the all-new crossover "Racing Lancer".

With this car, MMC has added a new dimension to its racing activities, blending 35 years of Lancer prowess with 25 years of Pajero epics.

The end result is a cross over between on-road and off-road rallying as well as applying to passenger cars and SUVs. The Racing Lancer will reach a wider marketing audience than any of its predecessors while re-launching Lancer's racing career.

Sportback Silhouette
Sporting a silhouette inspired by the recently previewed Lancer Sportback 5-door hatch, Racing Lancer will support Mitsubishi's offensive in the passenger car sector, much like the Pajero Evolution in parallel to the production Shogun in 2006.

Clean Diesel Power
Our sporting heritage and green designs will come together at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show1, where Mitsubishi will launch its framework for its mid-term passenger car strategy for Europe, under the banner of "One segment, One Green Solution".

The Racing Lancer will become MMC's key ambassador for diesel technologies. Mitsubishi's long recognized expertise in engine development as a pioneer in clean emissions, balancing shafts, turbo-charging, and direct injection since the 1970s has again been mobilized to create a diesel engineering centre of excellence within the Company covering a wide range of diesel powertrains.

From the all-new 4N13 Euro V 4-cylinder engine to be launched in 2009 to Racing Lancer's 3.0 litre turbo-charged V6 diesel race engine, all will share the same fundamental know-how and the same essential low fuel consumption and low emissions 'green benefits' of Mitsubishi's diesel technology.

Technical Specification
Overall length: 4,475mm
Overall width: 1,990mm
Wheelbase: 2,900mm
Track (front/rear): 1,750mm/1,750mm
Weight: 1,900kg
Engine: 2,997cc V6 turbocharged diesel Maximum power: more than 190kW (260hp)
Maximum torque: more than 650Nm (66.3kgm)
Transmission: Ricardo five-speed sequential, manual 4WD system: permanent four-wheel drive with limited slip central differential

Target - Dakar 2009
Racing Lancer is a Super Production Cross-Country Rally car, which has been developed in compliance with the FIA's Group T1 regulations (modified cross-country rally cars). It also complies with the new rules due to come into force in 2010.

Supported by the highly successful trial period of the new engine, already raced several times with Pajero Evolution over the last months, Mitsubishi Motors is confident that the Racing Lancer will be a major player at the 2009 Dakar rally.

The Dakar race itself will break new ground next year with a switch from Africa to South America, just as Racing Lancer will itself mark a new start for Mitsubishi Motorsports.

END

The Ralliart is a hybrid of a different sort. It takes bits and pieces from other Lancer models: The engine is a 2.0 MIVEC straight out of the Evo X but detuned via intake and ECU changes. The exhaust is Evo X. The chassis is Lancer GTS. The hood is Evo X. The AWD system is Evo IX. You get the idea — it's parts-bin engineering, but the good kind. And it trades many of the Evo's all-out race compromises for a larger dose of convenience and comfort.

That's what makes the car interesting to me, more so than some higher-strung alternatives. Why? The Evo is a rocket ship, but I've got a wife and a kid, and I live on a writer's salary. The Ralliart is a Lancer someone like me can justify. And, at a price expected to come in under $27k, one I can afford. Question is, can I live with it?

Not if I want to shift for myself. The Ralliart is saddled — or blessed — depending on how you look at it — with a dual-clutch manumatic as its only gearbox. Mitsubishi calls its system Twin-Clutch SST, and it returns quick, positive shifts. But it's not a 6-speed stick. I'm writing it off in my mind when I remember that sitting in traffic on I-75, this tranny will give me the best of both worlds. A compromise for my station in life. I'll let it slide.

Aside from the paddle shifters, the interior is unremarkable and adequate for anyone used to compact cars. The materials have decent texture, but they're mostly hard plastics with a dull sheen. And, quite unlike some of the compacts we've experienced recently, the doors close with a hollow metallic sound that reminds me of my father's '82 Civic. Yeah, I'm surrounded by airbags, but a little extra metal wouldn't hurt my feelings either.

But boost forgives many sins. The 235hp MIVEC 2.0 is all base Lancer below about 2,800 RPM, after which torque shows up; it's not intrusive, nor is it the dreaded "on/off" turbo switch, but the car subtly changes character. Mitsu lit says that 253 ft-lb is available from 2,500-4,750 RPM — and that's pretty much the only place it's available. Fortunately, the Twin-Clutch SST will happily let you play in that sweet spot all day long. The fat steering wheel, another item borrowed from the Evo X, along with point-and-shoot handling courtesy of AWD and good electronics, makes the car an effortlessly fun toy when you want it to be.

But it doesn't have to be. It's not an Evo, but I can't use a race car. I drive in Detroit, where just about every road is a straight line pockmarked by what looks like an allied bombing campaign. I drive in traffic. I haul stuff home from Costco. With niceties like 60/40 split-fold seats and a trunk uncluttered by the battery, I can accomplish those tasks in the Ralliart.

Mitsubishi's Lancer Ralliart is fun as hell but it doesn't punish you for being a normal Joe. It's the Evo substitute for working stiffs like me who have to drive in the real world. After all, I don't mind compromising, but I don't like to suffer.

Tokyo, February 26, 2008 - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is to give the Prototype-S sport hatchback concept its global debut at the 78th Geneva International Motor Show which runs from March 4 through March 16 at the Geneva Palexpo exhibition and conference complex (opening to the general public on March 6). Also included in Mitsubishi Motors' 16-model stand (13 on Press Days) are: the i MiEV (dubbed the i-EV in Europe) and the Lancer Evolution (Lancer Evolution X on the Japanese market). The i MiEV is a new-generation electric vehicle under evaluation for export to international markets and currently undergoing fleet monitoring in Japan; Lancer Evolution is a new-generation high-performance 4WD sedan that allows all drivers to experience enjoy the highest levels of fun-to-drive performance safely and with confidence.

Making its global debut at the Geneva Show, the Prototype-S is derived from the Lancer sports sedan (Galant Fortis on the Japanese market) currently on sale in most Mitsubishi Motors markets worldwide.

Distinguished by the inverted-slant nose with trapezoidal grille front fascia that comprise the Mitsubishi Motors new design identity, and with purposeful, wide-and-low proportions; Prototype-S uses exterior lines to craft a shape that is powerful and sporty. The use of 215/45R19 tires on 19-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels adds to the tautly muscular and road-hugging image the styling projects.

Prototype-S uses a new 2.0-liter MIVEC*1 4-cylinder DOHC intercooled / turbocharged engine, developing maxima of 240 PS and 35 kg-m that will also power the Lancer Ralliart due to go on sale in North America in the summer of 2008. The power unit is mated to Mitsubishi Motors's high-efficiency Twin Clutch SST*2 automated manual transmission that gives the driver simple control of and feel-good access to the car's exhilaratingly sporty performance. The full-time 4WD driveline features Mitsubishi Motors' Active Center Differential (ACD) that uses an electronically controlled multi-plate hydraulic clutch to optimally tailor front / rear drive torque vectoring to different driving conditions and deliver the best balance between steering response and traction.

*1 MIVEC : Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system
*2 SST : Sport Shift Transmission

Prototype-S specification

Length (mm) 4,585
Width (mm) 1,760
Height (mm) 1,480
Wheelbase (mm) 2,635
F/R track (mm) 1,530/1,530
Occupants 5
Engine 2L MIVEC 4-cylinder DOHC with intercooler/turbocharger
Max. output 177 kW (240ps)
Max. toque 343 Nm (35kgm)
Driveline Full-time 4WD (with ACD)
Transmission Twin Clutch SST
Tires 215/45R19

The Fire Arrow was actually a rebadged Mitsubishi Celeste with about 50 pounds of tape stripes and decals, all in colors straight out of Malaise Central Casting. The regular Plymouth Arrow came with the smaller 2-liter engine and only 15 pounds of decals.


This example is in pretty rough shape, but the rust-free climate has kept it in restorable condition.


I was tempted to put a note under the wiper offering to buy the car, but California's smog overlords stand in the way of my plans for such a car: drop the turbocharged Astron out of a Starion in it. I'd probably end up in Smog Guantanamo if I tried to get such a setup past the bureaucracy.


You want Malaise? How about these plastic quarter-window louvers? Don't they make you feel like Jimmy Carter is back in the White House, and the hostages are back in the US Embassy in Tehran?


The important question here is: Do the Fire Arrow's louvers capture the optimism-in-the-face-of-gloom spirit of Malaise Era automotive styling more effectively than those on the 1973 Pontiac Grand Am Colonnade?

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