MITSUBISHILancer Evolution X 2007 - 2016

　　Mitsubishi threw another sequel after its famous Lancer Evolutions models on the market in 2008, and the upgrades compared with its predecessors were massive.

　　When the Japanese automaker made the rally-spec version of the Lancer in 1992, the car became an instant success thanks to its performance. It was nimble, powerful, light, and affordable to many. Furthermore, Mitsubishi worked on the Lancer Evolution and constantly upgraded it almost every year. These cars won many rallies worldwide and got the World Rally Championship under its belt. Still, the market changed, and customers started to look for more comfort and enhanced features on their sports cars. As a result, in 2007, the production version of the Lancer came on the Japanese market.

　　While it was related to the Evo IX, the tenth version of this nameplate was massively changed. At the front, the car sported a tall trapezoidal-shaped grille horizontally crossed by a beam. Its angular headlights tried to resemble a pair of angry eyes, while the lower bumper sported a set of fog lamps on its outer sides. Like all other Lancer Evolution before, the automaker added functional extracting vents on the hood. These vents were designed to help with heat extraction from the engine bay, contributing to better engine cooling during high-performance driving situations.

　　From its profile, the car looked like it leaned forward due to its ascending beltline and the narrow nose. In addition, behind the front wheels, Mitsubishi added extracting vents that released the air trapped in the front wheel wells and reduced the aerodynamic lift. A set of side sills made the car look lower to the ground, while at the back, the automaker added a wing on the short deck. From behind, the LED taillights were extended from the quarter panels to the trunk lid, and their shape echoed the headlights’ design. Finally, under the bumper, the carmaker added two oval exhausts integrated into the rear diffuser.

　　Mitsubishi sold the Lancer Evolution X in a few trim levels, depending on the market and model year. The base version featured mundane seats and only a few options. Meanwhile, the top-spec version featured Recaro sports seats at the front with tall seatbacks and integrated headrests. Their high bolstered areas kept their occupants in place during high-speed cornering maneuvers. The driver fronted a dashboard with large dials for the speedometer and the tachometer that flanked a small LCD that showed data from the car’s onboard computer. Atop the center stack, between the center vents, Mitsubishi installed a touchscreen for the infotainment system that featured navigation and a Rockford Fosgate sound system as an option. The bench in the back was flat and didn’t provide too much legroom for passengers, although it was good enough for short jaunts.

　　But most customers bought the Evo for what was under the car’s skin: the engine and transmission. All vehicles came fitted with the brand-new all-aluminum 4B11T4 Turbo MIVEC engine that replaced the formerly used open-deck 4G63 powerplant that powered the previous generations of the Lancer. The automaker paired the new unit with either a five-speed manual gearbox or with a six-speed automatic (dual-clutch) transmission that sent the power in all corners via one of the most advanced all-wheel drive systems on the market named S-AWD (Super All Wheel Control).

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