The Mirage-based Evolution II showed some improvements over the first Evo and revealed Mitsubishi's plans to create a true contender for the World Rally Championship.
After the ban on the Group B rally cars, the motorsport arena was left with the Group A and Group N vehicles. These had to share engines, drivetrains, and bodywork with a production vehicle built in high numbers.
The second generation of the Evolution (Evo, for short) was designed around the technical platform. That led to a new front styling that sported a new hood with extracting vents and a broad lower grille in the apron where the intercooler was placed. Moreover, a pair of scoops allowed cooling for the front brakes. With its four-door sedan shape, the Evo II was noticeable mostly due to its unique white five-spoke wheels and the wing on the trunk. Moreover, this car could have been fitted with a rear wiper, even though it was a three-box sedan!
Inside, there was the same bland-looking interior enhanced only by the sports seats for the front occupants. The dashboard was simple, featuring a waved-shaped instrument cluster in front of the driver. The center stack gathered all the buttons for the HVAC and the stereo. These two were fitted as standard on the GSR version, while the base model was stripped from all amenities and used only to be transformed into rally cars. But, it could still take five people inside, although the one sitting in the middle had to deal with the transmission tunnel.
Under the hood was the famous 4G63 two-liter powerplant that was placed up to the latter Evo versions and also powered the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Eagle Talon TSI AWD. The five-speed manual transmission sent the power in all corners, and the rear axle featured a mechanical LSD fitted as standard.