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Mitsubishi’s 4G63T: The Iconic Four-Cylinder at the Heart of Nine Evo Generations

Although a less-powerful version was used in the Mitsubishi Eclipse and its DSM (Diamond Star Motors) joint venture siblings, the Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser, the 4G63T became a legend in the engine bay of nine Lancer Evolution models.
Mitsubishi 4G63T 23 photos
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2000 TurboMitsubishi Galant VR-4Mitsubishi Lancer GSR EvolutionMitsubishi 4G63TMitsubishi Lancer Evolution I Rally VersionMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution IIMitsubishi Lancer Evolution II Rally VersionMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution IIIMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution IVMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution IV's 4G63TMitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV Rally VersionMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution VMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi  Mäkinen EditionMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition's 4G63TMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Rally VersionMitsubishi Lancer GSR Evolution VIIMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII Rally VersionMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII GSRMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-400Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-400's 4G63TMitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSRMitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX's 4G63T
A legendary powerplant that debuted in 1987 and was produced for 30 years, the 4G63T has powered a long list of vehicles, including nine generations of the famous Evo.

Part of Mitsubishi’s Sirius engine family introduced in the mid-1970s, this 2.0-liter unit is also known as 4G63 all around the world, even if this designation belongs to its naturally aspirated sibling.

Its origins can be traced to the first turbocharged iteration of the 4G63, which hit the streets in 1981 under the hood of the Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2000 Turbo. Despite its sporty front bumper, the small four-door sedan looked uninspiring, but with 168 hp on tap, it could reach a top speed of 124 mph (200 kph), so it was pretty exciting.

Mitsubishi Lancer EX 2000 Turbo
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
This rabid little Lancer turned out to be a homologation model that allowed the Japanese manufacturer to enter the World Rally Championship (WRC), laying the foundation for the Evolution program, which produced some of the most dominant rally cars of the 1990s, as well as a series of incredible road-going performance sedans.

In race-spec this engine could make 276 hp, but to achieve that output, engineers didn’t have to perform extensive modifications. In fact, the rally car’s four-cylinder was very similar to the mass-produced variant.

This leads us to what makes the 4G63T legendary: its bombproof architecture. All 4G63s had a bore and stroke of 85 mm × 88 mm (3.35 in × 3.46 in), a slightly undersquare design that favored high torque delivery and fuel efficiency.

Although many carmakers were starting to build all-aluminum units, Mitsubishi chose to continue using cast iron (a lot of it) for the block. Devised to offer supreme reliability, it was extremely thick, a construction that enabled it to withstand almost ten times the power produced by the EX 2000 Turbo. The same principle was applied to the forged steel, nitrate-coated, fully counterweighted crankshaft, another component that was grossly over-engineered and nearly indestructible.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX's 4G63T
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
In two decades, this engine was continually improved, so the materials used for some of the internals vary. One common feature is the cast piston design. Like the block and crank, the pistons benefitted from sturdy construction and were capable of withstanding more than the factory-rated output.

The aluminum cylinder head design also differs depending on the model on the model year. There were three distinct generations, all of which came with two belt-driven cams. The last one introduced in 2005 received Mitsubishi's variable valve timing system, MIVEC.

Using this simple yet sturdy architecture with only minor modifications such as forged conrods, the 4G63T was officially born in 1987. It was utilized in the four-wheel-drive Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, a new WRC homologation special produced by Ralliart, the Japanese manufacturer’s high-performance and motorsports division. The car was not very successful in the aforementioned competition, but it managed to win the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) in 1988, 1991, and 1992.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII Rally Version
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
Determined to get better results, Ralliart switched to the fifth-generation Lancer in 1992, creating the Evolution. It debuted in the WRC a year later but ultimately proved uncompetitive, with Mitsubishi finishing last in the manufacturers' standings. In 1994, the carmaker revamped the car, releasing the Evolution II. It entered the competition midway through the season but, unfortunately, the results didn’t improve, and the team finished last yet again.

Their fortunes would change in 1995 when the Evo II and the newly introduced Evo III helped Ralliart secure second place overall. Then, from 1996 to 1999, the 4G63T-powered Evos proved superior and earned Tommi Mäkinen four consecutive drivers’ titles, as well as a manufacturers’ trophy for Mitsubishi Ralliart in 1998.

The rally program gave birth to a series of incredible performance sedans that were powered by the 4G63T from 1992 to 2007. Very similar to the rally-spec unit, the engine produced 244 hp and 275 lb-ft (373 Nm) of torque in the first Evo Lancer. These figures would go up to 287 hp and 289 lb-ft (392 Nm) in the ninth generation, but the most powerful Evolution model that used this four-cylinder was limited-edition, UK market-bound FQ-400.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ\-400
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
With modifications done by Rampage Tuning, Owen Developments, and Flow Race Engines, this Evo VIII could make 405 hp and 355 lb-ft (481 Nm) of torque. FQ stands for f***ing quick, and that was no exaggeration since it could sprint to 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill in a supercar-worthy 3.5 seconds. Sold through Ralliart UK, the FQ-400 was a factory-backed example of what enthusiasts had been doing with the 4G63T for years.

Decently powerful and ultra-reliable in stock form, the engine fascinated petrolheads from the start. Many aftermarket manufacturers began to produce upgrades for it, and without tinkering with the internals, 350-400 hp builds became common. Of course, some didn’t settle for those figures and proceeded to replace the conrods, pistons, cams, or turbo, which resulted in more than 600 horses. You can watch a compilation of such beefed-up Mitsubishis in the video below posted on YouTube by CarHub.

Based on the bottom end design of a plebian, naturally aspirated unit from the early 1980s, the 4G63T became a legendary race engine that was unleashed on public roads thanks to nine Evo generations. It is undoubtedly Mitsubishi’s most successful powerplant and one of the best performance-oriented four-cylinders the world has ever seen.

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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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