Mitsubishi Responds To Evo Death Rumors: Looking For A "Different Direction For Evolution to Evolve"

its evolution has has added far too much weight... it is like the dinosaurs dying a horrible death and the tiny mammals emerging from the murky waters to eventually reign supreme. the next iteration of the EVO needs to be small and lightweight... efficiency will follow. if the lancer sells well, then it makes no sense to discontinue it... but it makes sense to no longer based the brands highest performance model on it. just as they downsized from Galant to Lancer, it is now time to downsize once again... how about the Colt? http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/images/colt/top/main.jpg

The Evo is still going to die. The language of that statement is very vague.

Game over, Mitsubishi.

I agree with @subytrojan. It's dead, Jim. Not impossible.

If the manufacturers and the federal gov't continue to cater to CAFE, the enthusiast is going to get pushed to the Used car market.

Guys, thanks for posting our official response. For the latest updates from us here at Mitsubishi, be sure to follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mitsucars or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Mitsubishi and join in the conversation.

Unfortunately, the fun car market is weak and I couldn't blame Mitsubishi for ending its run or completely reinventing the Evo concept. Maybe the Evo X was too much reinvention actually... it seems like a nicer car than before, but that puts it in a much more competitive niche where premium brands have natural advantages.

Good luck to Mitsubishi... in general.

mitsubishicars says.....

I told you folks manufacturers were following every word of our straight-from-the-heart feedback in these posts and mitsubishicars just proved it.

When will the other auto makers fess up and identify themselves?

northsparrow,

Thanks, we definitely listen to feedback and take it to heart. We try our best to be part of conversations online wherever we can contribute....and we definitely are readers of Inside line. :)

well mitsu if you're listening, i want an Outlander Sport with the Ralliart's 4B11T and SST.

So the real Evo is still dead. Making a hybrid Evo with heavy batteries or electric motors on the axles will greatly change the character of the legendary car. R.I.P

Ok this is getting ridiculous. I've been reading rumors of a Hybrid Evo for a while, so all this Evo is dead nonsense is not news at all. And, if early reviews of the Fisker Karma are any indication, I have wholehearted faith that Mitsu can deliver a bad ass hybrid Evo. I remember the original MiEV idea was to stick an electric motor behind each wheel. That would seem like a brilliant idea combined with Mitsu's AWD technologies. Just stick with Evo brand Mitsu! Why kill off such an iconic name?!

Nevermind the Evo, what of the Galant and Eclipse. It appears to be high time for these to be redesigned.

The Lancer has become too big and heavy. They need to cut the wheelbase to 100", give it a hatchback with better aerodynamics and call it the Eclipse. If they want to drive the rear wheels with electric motors that is fine, as long as it gets the turbo 4 cylinder up front.

mitsubishicars, while you are at it, perhaps you could get to work on adding a 2.4 engine option for the Outlander Sport for '012, and while you're at it, add a 6th gear on the manual trans. And why not a Ralliart version too while you're at it? Really like the Outlander Sport, but you really to step up with those improvements pronto. The Outlander Sport has potential to bust the sales door open but the limited packages on it now hold it back.

I have an Evo X, always have people look at the car and want to buy it, why stop selling something that people want to buy? I don't care if the Evo is $50K, I will still buy it because it's an iconic Evolution. I like Mitsubishi took the approach to up market the Evo and stick lancer ralli-art for lower price. Keep it going. All mitsubishi need is to have an iconic midsize sedan to beat the toyota Camry. Just make a larger version of Evo and name it something other than Galant should do it.

I recall back in the day, the '80's, Mitsubishi had a Colt Tubo which was considered a pocket-rocket hot hatch. Considering that Ford and Chevy both have, or will have small cars with turbo motors, and as Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat also will, it'd be cool if Misubishi again entered the small car with a turbo market. Obviously government CAFE regulations and higher fuel prices are going to be forcing some changes in the near future.

Good on Mitsubishi for stepping up and commenting. I'd love to see more interaction between the car companies and we, the complainers....er, the readers.

Even the risk of pissing off the Evo fanboys forever, Mitsubishi is probably headed in the right direction. Think about it...whenever you think of the Japanese car makers, most people think of Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda and Subaru in that order...while forgetting about Mitsubishi. Moving in a completely different direction is risky, but is what they need to do to gain back consumer awareness and recapture their already small market share. I don't know the status of Mitsubishi in other countries versus the other Japanese makes, but I would guess it's probably close to the same.

Dear Mitsubishi,

First off, THANK YOU. I hope and will continue to hope that the Evolution will continue to be a rally awd legend, that competes and wins against the competition in terms of performance.

I own a 2010 Evolution MR Touring, and my wife and I bought for her a 2011 Outlander Sport SE AWD. Because of the performance of the Evolution and its dual clutch, I left Subaru and waited two years to get the 2010 MR-T.

After being drawn to eh brand for its afordable super-car killing performance at an eveyr man's price, I grew to further realize and appreciate of Mitsuishi's other products. So when I was married this past summer and it came time for my wife to look for a new family, we kept your family in our family.

I fear that the death of the Evolution, or the electric option will kill the brand, and force me to return to Subaru or Nissan for future purchases.

The Evolution allowed a halo car, much like Nissan's GTR, that demonstrates the company's engineering power, and above all, attracting news, fame, and RESPECT to the brand. SO when Nissan is devloping products like the Leaf, they already can do both: get the exposure and draw attention to their brand, who in the future will by ANOTHER performance car, or make their family's car a Nissan, much like I have done. Plus performance and hybrids do not need to be mutually exclusive; they have both.

What Mitsubishi has that Nissan doesn't is to things: a niche car with dedicated 30-40k sales in their Evolution (only car in its class is STI) that is an affordable everyday man's supercar. PLUS- with soon upcoming i-miev, regenerative braking and 31 mpg from the Outlander Sport, and future hybrid options and possibilities, you can increase your lineups CAFE standards and still control dedicated sales and draw from your evolution.

PLease continue to offer the formula of success your Evolution provides. It is possible to do both. Otherwise when (or I fear, IF) the gas powered awd evolution and its legendary perofrmance is gone, gone as well will by my family and I, as I turn to another car company to fulfill my performance needs, and in turn other and subseqent cars. If I wanted a 'green' hybrid I would buy a prius/insight, and if a wanted a green 'sporty' in name car, accord hybrid, fushion hybrid, altima hybrid; take your pic. But unlike green buyers, performance is the defining factor, and why I chose Mitsubishi for my Evolution, and other offerings.

I understand the need to expand market share, and your Outlander Sport, and upcomgin hybrid/electric options will help. But please don't kill off your lock on the perofrmance market that is not only dedicated, but brings you other sales.

Sincerely,

Joe in Boston.

(Thanks to edmunds too, as their blog on the EVO MR and Outlander Sport, along with enthusiast forums research hellped me make both purchases. Cheers!

*Edit* I meant to say:
"So when I was married this past summer and it came time for my wife to look for a new CAR, we kept your family in our family. "

She loves it, we love our Mitsubishi and tell our friends, neighbors and on the forums. Please keep us in your family of cars! Viva el Evolution!