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2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR Review (video)

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Justin Pritchard
Track-ready Lancer Evolution delivers thrills for any enthusiast
Are you a cold-blooded Canadian that gets excited at the thought of low-traction driving conditions? Do you have a pulse, testosterone in your veins, and love excitement? Would you rather rip donuts in the shopping mall parking lot after hours than actually shop there?

Grown-up kids, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution might be the car for you. The tenth generation of a souped-up, factory-built, import-tuner toy, it's got all the staples to get your heart pumping if you're a Japanese sports-car fan. The Evolution, or "Evo" has a turbocharged engine, all-wheel drive, and a whack of brand-name goodies right out of the box.

2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR front 3/4 view
Are you a cold-blooded Canadian that gets excited at the thought of low-traction driving conditions? The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution might be the car for you. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)

All the upgrades
At each corner, Yokohama tires wrap sexy BBS wheels which surround a Brembo brake kit. The whole package rides on a set of Eibach springs, there are Recaro racing-style seats, and even a Rockford Fosgate stereo system with a subwoofer in the trunk. The latter kicks out enough bass to rattle the Evo's license plate. You can even get your Evo with a ridiculous rear spoiler that's visible from orbit - although this tester went for a more modest look and skipped it.

Nutshell? Evo amounts to the same ride you dreamt of building as a younger car enthusiast on a budget, minus all the nights of installing parts, wiring and zip-ties. And it might look like a toy out of your teenage dream garage, but it's actually a very serious piece of hardware.

2.0 Turbo
Power comes from Mitsubishi's 4B11 engine - namely a 2.0L turbocharged unit with 291 horsepower. It drives all four wheels through Mitsubishi's award-winning 'Super All Wheel Control' system, which networks traction control, braking and all-wheel drive for instant exploitation of the car's talents on any surface. The system even has a toggle switch to select 'Gravel', 'Snow', or 'Tarmac' modes.


Justin Pritchard
Justin Pritchard
Automotive expert
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