Autoblog

Click for a hi-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Evo X

Some cars look bad-ass, while others have a bad-ass image. The latest Mitsubishi Evo ticks both boxes, and ticks them off with a big X. Despite being based on the run-of-the-mill, work-a-day Lancer sedan, the Evo X has all the attitude you could ask from a performance icon, with the actual performance to back it up.

With the Evolution X now upon us, Mitsubishi has released no fewer than 35 new jumbo images of the beast, which we've added to our ever-growing high-resolution gallery for a total of 89 images to thrash your desktop into submission. Check out what happens when the Evo comes to town by clicking the thumbnails below.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

click above image for high-res gallery

I've recently had the misfortune of driving a new base-model Mitsubishi Lancer ES and was disappointed to discover that the materials and fit and finish inside have barely improved over the last generation model. The base Lancer is an inexpensive economy car, however, while the Lancer Evolution is its more mature and expensive big brother. How expensive? Well Mitsubishi has announced that it will be pricing the latest iteration of the Lancer Evolution from $34,000, which will get you the GSR model with a five-speed manual. The top-o-da-line Lancer Evo MR that comes equipped with Mitsu's new six-speed dual clutch cog swapper will base at... gulp... $39,000. Inside Line reminds us that the previous Lancer Evo IX started at $28,679, which is a long way away from the new model's base price. Hopefully all that extra cash goes into making the Evo's interior better than the base Lancer's. Keep in mind, this is preliminary pricing, and Mitsubishi says that it hopes to reduce the price of each model by around $1,000 before they go on sale.

Speaking of which, Mitsubishi also announced that the GSR model will be available to purchase next February, while the MR should arrive before the summer. Finally, the EVO has also received its official EPA ratings for fuel economy, which are 16/22 for the GSR and 17/22 for the MR.

[Source: Inside Line]

Like Germany and the Nurburgring, the United States is quickly seeing Buttonwillow Raceway's clock-wise configuration #13 become the circuit of choice for lap time bragging rights. While Buttonwillow does not have luxurious surrounding establishments or exceptional facilities, it does provide a variety of corners, is close to a major city (Los Angeles) and open year-round. Recently, media outlets Super Street and Eurotuner hosted their annual Super Lap Battle Finals (previously referred to as Time Attack). This event has helped to establish Buttonwillow track records as coveted titles. The winner of the event, fresh off a boat from Japan, was HKS's Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII dubbed the CT230R and driven by Nobuteru Taniguchi to a time of 1:43.523. The carbon beast not only bested the competition, but destroyed the event record of 1:48.906 held by Tarzan Yamada driving Sun Auto's Cyber Lancer Evolution and the track record of 1:48.766 held by Tyler McQuarrie driving JIC's S15 Silvia in the process. There is more on the event and the Evo after the jump.

[Source: HKS USA]

The Scooper of Cars was kind enough to scan the latest cover of Autocar, which shows the new face of Subaru (maybe) and reveals a few other nuggets of knowledge about our favorite road-going rally cars.

The new nose of the Subaru is a welcomed photochop for those of us who never particularly warmed-up the current model's snout. Autocar is confirming what we've already know -- that the new Impreza will likely come in a five-door hatch model, with styling that is more 'Europeanized.' Motivation will come from the tried-and-true 2.5-liter boxer-four that is currently under the hood of both the WRX models and their STI upgraded counterparts. We're sure a few extra ponies will find their way under the hood, along with some new all-wheel-drive wizardry.

On the Mitsubishi Evolution side of things, the article confirms that a production-ready version will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show (or the Detroit Auto Show to the rest of us) this January, with the full production model being unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October of 2007.

[Source: Carscoop]

Mitsubishi has added a formidable new range-topping version of the Evo IX to its UK roster. This gives Mitsubishi a four-car Lancer Evolution lineup in the U.K. now with the FQ-300, FQ-320, FQ-340, and now the FQ-360. The Ralliart-developed FQ-360 is a powerhouse, producing 366 bhp and 363 lb-ft of torque -- the latter arriving at 3200 rpm. The increased power is achieved through the use of a high pressure fuel pump, a high-flow catalytic converter, and a bit of ECU reprogramming.

No changes were deemed necessary to improve the car's dynamics. As such, the steering, suspension, 4WD system and brakes are all standard Evo IX fare.

Visually, exclusive Yokohama-wrapped 5-spoke Speedline wheels, a new carbon-fiber lip spoiler, and the roof-mounted rear vortex generator (like the one on the NA-market MR) identify the car as an FQ-360. Inside, a storage space in the center stack has been eliminated in favor of a Ralliart gauge pack.

The FQ-360 also boasts a full complement of driver amenities such as A/C, Recaros, power windows, alarm system, stereo, and 4 airbags. Their presence certainly doesn't hinder performance, as 60 mph arrives in just 4.1 seconds. Estimated top speed is over 160 mph.

Dealers are taking orders for the FQ-360 now, and its stated retail price is £35,504. Deliveries begin in September. Mitsubishi will officially unveil the car next week at the British Motor Show.

(Additional info, photos after the jump)
[Source: Mitsubishi UK]