The Mitsubishi Lancer: insane performance in a more cultured package




So the Lancer Evolution regenerates for the tenth time. The previous nine weren’t what you’d call quintessentially GQ: too frenetic, a bit brash, fast as hell but all mouth and rather ordinary trousers. A racy female friend of mine swears by her Evo; I usually just swear at it. The new car should keep us both happy. The insane performance is preserved – 0-60mph in five seconds – but the rest of the package is now more cultured. Beneath the World Rally war paint sits a proletarian saloon car, but this time it’s more artfully done. By juggling the power and grip between each wheel in nanoseconds, the S-AWC maximises your driving ability, especially in wet conditions. Mitsubishi has also developed a new paddle-shift, twin-clutch SST gearbox that offers super-smooth up- and downshifts. The upshot is a driving experience that spookily replicates the sort of heightened reality that the PlayStation and Xbox generation have grown up with.

You need to know:
> Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, 285bhp
> Performance: 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds
> Price: TBC
> Contact: 020-7025 3000, www.mitsubishi-cars.com