Photo: tuningcar_ps/instagram
Back in 2010, when Mitsubishi axed its Ralliart brand, the move was neither the first nor the last of the sort (cue to the recent axing of FCA's SRT arm). Six years later, the legendary Lancer Evolution was put to sleep and the carmaker's rally heritage went down with it. Well, with the carmaker having announced a Ralliart revival last month, many wonder if the legendary Evo will also come back.
The said comeback of the Ralliart arm didn't make for a big announcement: the presentation showed a sporty treatment for an L200 pickup truck and the introduction of Ralliant parts, but the details stopped there—the company did announce its motorsport return, albeit without going further than that.
The Japanese carmaker's rallying laurels involve achievements such a the Tommi Makinen grabbing four consecutive world championships in the Lancer Evo, along with a record 12 victories in the Dakar Rally, so it's only natural for the company to build on this.
However, while the Evo's fate has always been tied to that of the Lancer compact sedan, the dropping popularity of the segment and the accelerated electrification tendencies of the market mean there's little chance for a linear comeback of the AWD hero.
Instead, Mitsu might use the handling excellence that defined the Evolution bloodline for no less than ten models to spice up a crossover, especially since more and more carmakers come up with performance high-riders. For one, that would bring a dramatic change, since the company's current range is comprised of less-than-interesting models of the sort.
If done according to the recipe the company used to master, an Evo crossover could prove a formidable offering, one we'd definitely like to put to the test.
Meanwhile, the rendering sitting before us carries out the Lancer Evolution dream by imagining an Evo XI or XII (the latter designation would be more appropriate for the present times). Of course, such a model would revive the long-time rivalry against the Subaru STI, which, by the way, is set to receive a new generation soon.
Digital label tuningcar_ps naturally used the final Evo X as a starting point for this project, introducing some pretty convincing work.
The Japanese carmaker's rallying laurels involve achievements such a the Tommi Makinen grabbing four consecutive world championships in the Lancer Evo, along with a record 12 victories in the Dakar Rally, so it's only natural for the company to build on this.
However, while the Evo's fate has always been tied to that of the Lancer compact sedan, the dropping popularity of the segment and the accelerated electrification tendencies of the market mean there's little chance for a linear comeback of the AWD hero.
Instead, Mitsu might use the handling excellence that defined the Evolution bloodline for no less than ten models to spice up a crossover, especially since more and more carmakers come up with performance high-riders. For one, that would bring a dramatic change, since the company's current range is comprised of less-than-interesting models of the sort.
If done according to the recipe the company used to master, an Evo crossover could prove a formidable offering, one we'd definitely like to put to the test.
Meanwhile, the rendering sitting before us carries out the Lancer Evolution dream by imagining an Evo XI or XII (the latter designation would be more appropriate for the present times). Of course, such a model would revive the long-time rivalry against the Subaru STI, which, by the way, is set to receive a new generation soon.
Digital label tuningcar_ps naturally used the final Evo X as a starting point for this project, introducing some pretty convincing work.
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