If excitement and superb handling are what you're after in a car, you should look no further than Mitsubishi's latest incarnation in the Evolution series - the Lancer Evolution 10 MR with the brilliant six-speed Twin Clutch SST.
In December '08 we tested the base model 5 speed manual Evo 10 and while we couldn't fault the car, it was.... well, just a bit boring. It did all the Evo things – it went around corners like it was on rails (on both bitumen and gravel) and pulled like an ocean going tug, but there was some indefinable edge missing. At the time, we put it down to the car only having a low number of ks on the clock or perhaps, after a busy year behind the wheel we were just becoming hard to please.
So when we picked up the MR before Easter (already nicely run in at 9,500ks) we decided to go for a serious cruise to the edge of the outback on a round trip from Melbourne to Bourke via Hay and Cobar, to ensure we did this Evo justice.
Of course, the first thing that hits you in the face when you pick up an Evo is the ridiculously oversized rear wing. There's surely got to be a better way to stick this thing to the road. Maybe Mitsubishi just needs to try a European wind tunnel – the German's seriously fast cars haven’t needed this sort of thing since Porsche got rid of their picnic tables a couple of decades back. So we donned our largest pair of sunglasses to avoid being seen by friends and got on with the drive.
Both our Evos had:
• The brand new 2.0L turbocharged all aluminium four cylinder engine with intercooler.
• Mitsubishi's excellent S-AWC – Super All Wheel Control (the centre differential has 3 modes – Tarmac, Gravel & Snow – selectable by the driver).
• Brembo brakes with Sports ABS and EBD.
• Recaro bucket seats, power windows, keyless entry and starting.
• Climate control, automatic dusk sensing headlights and rain sensing wipers.
• Steering wheel controls for Bluetooth phone connectivity, audio control and cruise control.
The starting price for the 5 speed Evo is $61,190. The 6 speed Twin Clutch SST ("Sport Shift Transmission") is a $5,000 option. You can also add a $5,500 performance pack, comprising 2 piece Brembo front discs, front and rear Bilstein shock absorbers and Eibach springs, all sitting on 18" BBS forged aluminium wheels.
What's a Twin or Dual Clutch Transmission? ("DCT")
A DCT is like two gearboxes in one - the odd gears (1,3 & 5) are arranged on one shaft and the even gears (2,4 & 6) on another.Each shaft is powered by one of the two clutches.While 1st gear is being driven by the first clutch, 2nd gear is already pre-selected.To change from 1st to 2nd the first clutch is disengaged at the precise time the second clutch engages.The change takes only a few hundredths of a second and power delivery is uninterrupted.It's all done without a clutch pedal, with both the gear change and clutch actuation controlled electronically by the flick of a paddle behind the steering wheel (or by simply selecting 'Drive' and letting the onboard computer handle the whole process).
Audi first popularised this type of gearbox in 2003 and its now used throughout the VW group.Expect to see it on lesser Mitsubishi models in the near future.
The 6 speed SST and the performance pack are standard fare in the Evolution MR which for $73, 390 also has
• Auto levelling, Adaptive (shine in the direction you turn) High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with headlamp washers.
• Mitsubishi Multi Communication Touch Screen System with Sat Nav, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity and a premium Rockford Fosgate audio system.
• Leather trimmed, heated Recaro front bucket seats.
The SST can be driven in manual mode on the paddles (behind the steering wheel) or simply be left in Drive for the computer to sort it all out. The gearbox has three settings available via a small toggle switch by the gear lever. Normal and Sport can be selected anytime, but S-Sport (Super Sport) can only be selected while the car is stationary. While Sport mode simply moves the shift points and quickens the changes, S-Sport puts you firmly on the racetrack, with lightning fast changes and moves the shift points right up to the red line.
We quickly found S-Sport totally unsuitable for the street, and can't wait for the opportunity to check it out on a track. The exceptionally noisy 245/40 R18 Dunlops aside, both cars are excellent highway or freeway cruisers but the MR is really made for overtaking. The SST is a sequential gearbox so to overtake a slower vehicle when in 6th gear in manual mode, it requires 3 flicks of the left paddle to get back to 3rd gear before the pass (5th, 4th, 3rd). In Drive however, you plant the right foot and it drops back directly to 3rd gear with the added bonus you have both hands on the wheel.
We had the opportunity to take the Evo MR off the bitumen on a side trip to see some Aboriginal rock art in the Gundabooka National Park between Louth and Bourke on the Darling River.
The Evo hung onto gravel roads like the proverbial train. Whether it was sand drifts on corners, heavy gravel or rock-hard rutted clay the Evo just dialled into the conditions and sure-footedly pushed on without any hesitation or anxious moments. The supportive suede and leather Recaro racing seats held driver and passenger firmly in place, and what's more, remained comfortable for many hours.
Over some 3,000 kms we averaged exactly 10L/100km. Our experience was heavily highway weighted so expect somewhat higher around town.
Mitsubishi offers a 5-year or 130,000km new vehicle warranty, a 10-year or 160,000km Powertrain Warranty and a 5-year perforation warranty. 5-year roadside assist is also included.
Road noise is excessive and on our long trip became tedious. Sitting on 110km/h it was not possible to listen to the radio or CDs and incoming phone calls on the (otherwise faultless) Bluetooth system forced us to pull over and stop. Vision is also restricted, not only by the rear wing but by one's inability to move, once glued into the Recaro seats - reversing safely is therefore a problem – a reversing camera would be a great addition, particularly to the MR which has the perfect screen already.
Despite these shortcomings (and the price tag) the Evolution MR with SST twin clutch has to be the best Evo ever - pure excitement, brilliant handling and safe (a 5 star ANCAP rating)! Driving the Evo within legal limits on public roads is not easy, that's why we're hanging out for a drive on a closed track.
