Photo credit: Hycade
Rally-bred sedan fans have been waiting for signs of life from the Lancer Evolution line. Nine years since the Evo X went out of production, fresh comments from inside the company have stirred things up again. Kaoru Sawase, the engineer who developed Super All-Wheel Control, spoke about it openly during a recent interview at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Sawase said a new Evolution is his personal goal. He pointed out electrification fits perfectly with the brand’s performance heritage. Electric motors deliver torque right away, which sharpens response in ways turbochargers never could. Add that to an updated Super All-Wheel Control system and the car could be even better than before.
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Company officials are cautious, with Mitsubishi Australia CEO Shaun Westcott saying any project must first have good business case. The standard Lancer sedan is gone from most markets for years now, so a separate performance version would require a lot of investment. Alliance partners Renault and Nissan may share platforms or parts but no plans have been announced.
Powertrain specifications remain hazy, with plug-in hybrid systems based on the Outlander PHEV as a starting point. Engineers are discussing merging a small turbo engine and electric motors to generate more than 400 horsepower. Instant electric boost would minimize lag, and the battery may power short electric-only drives. Given the emphasis on hybrid technology, pure battery power appears improbable at this time.
Independent artists are posting design concepts online, sharp sedans with big fenders, big wings and aggressive fronts that look like the Evo X but with modern lines. Some are four door, some are crossover influenced. Mitsubishi showed an electric Evolution XI Concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon earlier this year which combined turbo hybrid power with all-wheel torque vectoring.
The timeline is still unknown, since Sawase’s comments indicate that internal conversations are taking place but approval on sales forecasts and emissions restrictions is pending. Subaru’s new STI ideas have increased pressure because rival supporters now have something to cheer about. Mitsubishi has restored the Ralliart moniker, but only in appearance packages thus far.
Older speculations from dealership discussions claimed a 2025 reappearance, frequently tied to places such as China, where the basic Lancers never truly disappeared. Those rumors vanished without confirmation. If the project moves forward, it will most likely be in 2026 or later.
