The iconic Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution – or Evo, for short – has been around since 1992. There have been many theories surround what Mitsubishi would do with its performance sedan, from using a 1.1-liter hybrid to utilizing a direct- injection diesel setup.
The Evo has a lot going for it, but sadly the 11th generation Evo was doomed the day Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko revealed a new mid-term business plan. The plan prioritizes in-house sedans and forming joint projects with the Renault-Nissan alliance.
According to Autocar, President Masuko stated, “When you consider Mitsubishi’s size and management resources, we can’t do everything on our own.” This is true, and I can see why Mitsubishi is focusing on sales numbers rather than track times.
Mitsubishi is ditching the Evo because it wants to increase global sales by 29 percent to 1.43 million by the end of the 2017 fiscal year.
So what does this mean for the future of Mitsubishi’s performance line? Nothing, because currently the company has not directly revealed any outlines for the next Evo.
Don’t worry, Mitsubishi has no plans to stop racing at Pikes Peak or halting its pursuit of performance. It’s just switching its performance propulsion from gasoline to electricity.
With no Evo for the future, the classic argument of which is better, the STI or the EVO is now over. No more tuner-car battles and no more four-wheeled, four-door, four-cylinder madness.