The Mitsubishi Lancer is an admired car that is no longer built. Most people admire the sporty and fun Lancer Evolution much more than the standard version.

Some rumors have swirled that Mitsubishi might bring back the legendary tuner car, but the brand has confirmed there aren’t any plans to recreate this car yet. Currently, Mitsubishi is focused on its SUV lineup, developing hybrid vehicles, and the potential of a 3000GT that might not become a reality. Still, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, better known as the Evo, has incredible historic significance.

Mitsubishi on the early stage

Before the Evo model came to be, this car was the 500 Super Deluxe and was a huge hit as far back as 1961. The Super Deluxe took the world by storm at the 1962 Macau Grand Prix, in which this Mitsubishi car took all three podium positions as well as the fourth position in the “Under750 cc” class. This car used a 594-cc, 25-horsepower air-cooled, two-cylinder engine. This was a big engine for a rally car back then, and it showed what the brand could do. By the early 1970s, the Lancer 1600GSR had been created, and it took the top spot in the 1974 East African Safari Rally.

The first Evo

Before the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution became a reality, the brand used the Galant VR-4 to hit the rally tracks. As rally events became tougher and had more restrictions, which happened during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Lancer EV was born. The mechanical elements that made the Galant VR-4 successful were stuffed into the 1992 Lancer to create this car.

The first Lancer EV used a 4G63T engine that made 247 horsepower that was pushed to the wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. The power was sent to all four wheels, giving you an impressive car that was comfortable to drive on the street or use as an RS model, stripped down and 150 pounds lighter than the GSR. The brand made 5000 of these first Evos in 1992 and 1993, and all were right-hand drive and sold in Japan.

A winning tradition brought the Evo to other markets

The Evo continued its evolution from the first model to several others, and Tommi Makinen used this car to win the driver’s title in the World Rally Championship in 1996, 1997,1998, and 1999. This caused the world to pay attention. The success of this rally car led to its inclusion in the first iteration of the Gran Turismo franchise which was released in 1997.

The Evo IV, which appeared in 1996, was based on a new generation of the Lancer platform with an improved powertrain with a new twin-scroll turbocharger that gave the car ten more horsepower than before. An active rear differential was included as part of a ne Active Yaw Control (AYC) system.

The Evo makes it to America

The first generation of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution to make it to America was the VI generation. This model came to the shores in 2000, giving us a new car for the new millennium to allow us to have something fun from the brand to drive and enjoy. This model came with a better cooling system, a revised front bumper, and good speed. The Evo VI could hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and complete the quarter mile in 13.9 seconds at 102 mph.

Hitting the big screen

The Lancer EV became such a hut hit that it was part of the automotive case in the Fast & Furious movies that were hugely popular during the early years of this car being in America. The Evo VII got some screen time as one of the cars driven by Paul Walker, playing the part of Brian O’Conner, firmly establishing this car as a performance model that tuners would love to drive and enjoy at the track or customize for some street racing fun.

All good things must come to an end

The Final Edition model of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution arrived in 2015 and became the death rattle for the car in the United States. Only 1,600 models were shipped to the US, each with a five-speed manual transmission that gave it 303 horsepower. These Final Edition models had Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs, Brembo front brake rotors, dark-finished Enkei wheels, and a black-painted roof.

Although some rumors have swirled that a new 2025 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution might be part of the future lineup, the brand has no plans to make this car or bring back the regular Lancer sedan at this time.