2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS: That, That, that WING

The Lancer's rear end looks awkward without it, because the taillights are so high up. The wing makes them look more centralized.
 
Besides, cars with a front-heavy weight distribution need rear downforce most of all! Wouldn't want to lose it on a 45mph curve taken at twice that.

That's a spoiler? I thought it was a carry handle for when it's time to put the Lancer away at night.

I can't believe there's no delete option for that silly thing. You have to get the lower trim level to avoid it. This looks like something Tank (Bobby Lee character on MadTV) would really like.

It could be worse. Check out the Hammerhead wing on the Pontiac G6 GXP Sport Package. Yikes.

um first off 16 year olds dont say hella bitchin.....so please dont ever say that again (and no i'm not 16). second i agree with carl it looks even more awkward without it.

AMEN!

I think it looks alright (and I'm 10 years older than the "hella bitchin'" generation). ;-) I've always liked spoilers, though.

I have no problem with it. I wouldn't go as far as buying an aftermarket one for a car that came without, but a factory wing like this wouldn't scare me off.

No FWD car, and very few RWD cars, should have a spoiler. My Cobalt had one installed by the dealer, and as much as I did not want it the car was otherwise equipped exactly how I wanted it so in the end I overlooked it and bought the car anyway(can't exactly take it off after the holes were drilled). It does horrible things for rearward visibility, makes washing the car that much harder, and probably knocks an MPG or so off. If I were ever lucky enough to hit speeds where downforce came into noticeable effect, all it would do would be to add to understeer.
 
Saying a 16 year old would say "hella bitchin" is just to make fun of the kind of people who think cars should have spoilers. The only people who think they should have them are the same people who think adding a body kit, stickers, and different colored lights to their mom's clapped out Civic makes it fast or who think buying a Scion makes them different.
 
And Jriz is right. The GXP's Street Package Hammerhead spoiler is the worst. But admit it, if Pontiac ever made a car with understated styling you'd be disappointed (oh wait, wasn't there a new GTO a few years back?) haha. At least when they go to make a hideous piece of plastic they certainly go for the gusto.

You might be wrong about MPG; the Civic Si's drag coefficient is reduced 3% by its spoiler, for example. Doesn't always happen, but it can.

The height of the spoiler is probably more of the issue here than the size of it. I wasn't bothered by the spoiler at all when I drove the LT Lancer GTS. Looking at the second photo, the driver doesn't lose much in terms of visibility in my opinion. Perhaps if this same spoiler was set at a lower height (like the 2002-2007 Impreza Sedan spoiler), it would work/look better.
 
2002-2007 WRX spoiler (HTML used due to link length)
 
Prodrive UK's research on the previous generation WRX's aerodynamics in a wind tunnel:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10949127&postcount=40
 
Quote from link above:
"The addition of the low WRX wing has no effect on drag but reduces rear lift by 19.3 lbs. and adds 12.2 lbs. of lift to the front."

Nissan also advertised that the last gen G35's wing decreased its drag coefficient by 0.1.
Wings do give you better mpg, provided it's designed by an educated engineer.

stovt, no FWD car should have a spoiler? I seem to recall in the early 90's Alfa trying to homologate a rear wing for racing the 155 in BTCC during the early 90's. As a matter of fact, Alfa didn't think non-race customers would want the wing, so they packed it in the trunk as a owner-installed kit. In any case, I also seem to recall Alfa doing quite well in BTCC with the 155.

7driver, that must have been before the Renault Laguna tore everyone a new one. :o)

I agree that a spoiler on a car like this is overkill, but i have seen the lancer with and without the spoiler and it definitely looks weirder without it. the spoiler ties the design together. Its like the spoiler on a mazda 6. the back end look tied together and sporty with it, but in my opinion awkward and misproportioned without it.

Suby,

heh, yeah. Renault Laguna's domination was in a different half of that decade than Alfa 155's. :-)

Well, considering how many folks seem to have hella strong opinions one way or the other, I still advocate a delete option. That way, everyone's happy, sort of. Perhaps that's too much of a logistical wrench for Mitsubishi.

The car really doesn't look bad without the wing. Here's how it looks with the skirts & spolier but no wing (it appears to be a delete option in Japan.)
 
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/galant_fortis/styling/index.html
 
I'll probably end up with something like this one I'm done customizing my ES, though I think I'll go with some 17" ASAs instead of Mitsus' 18"s

That's a funny post. True too.

Stuff like these spoilers should either be options, or deletable add-ons. Some folks like the looks no matter how impractical or out of place they are (same goes for most aftermarket body kits). Others would rather ditch the drive ability issues these things bring.

The wing thing is confusing.Cobalt needs a wing Vette doesn't. Ferrari only puts a wing on it's racing models.many pedestrian Neon's were sold with a wing.Since Lancer has Evo ties, hopefully the wing will not hurt performance.On the other hand wings on a Malibu, wonder if you lose efficentcy.

I definitely think it needs to be an option. I think it's a taste thing. I think the spoiler balances the look of the car nicely, and no I'm not some 16 year old, and I don't think body kits and decals are cool/make cars go faster.
 
Some people like it, some don't. It's a non-essential styling element that should be up to the buyer if it's on the car or not. The spoiler on the WRX has always been an option. (And base Impreza for that matter)

The rear spoiler is only standard on the GTS.
It is a dealer option on the DE and ES.
http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/lancer/08/specs.do?loc=en-us#exteriorFeatures

I saw a ES Model the other day without a spoiler, and the car looks much better with a spoiler.