Photo: Kolesa
Some people don't understand why the Mitsubishi Lancer refuses to die. But you just have to spend a few minutes behind the wheel of one to see it's old-fashioned in a good way.
The current and tenth generation was launched back in 2007, though it feels much older than that. Everybody remembers the Evo X, but Mitsubishi made a number of other versions to make sure its product was relevant, such as developing a hatchback or even borrowing the 2.0-liter TDI from Volkswagen. Bet you forgot about that!
Still, the model didn't survive in America or Europe. It's still made in places like Brazil, Egypt or Asia, where the company can get away with a cheaper interior. Mitsubishi blames the demise of the sedan, but we think neglect and bad timing killed the Lancer.
But now comes the good news. The struggling Japanese brand has been bought by the Renault-Nissan alliance. This means it has access to new platforms, engines and a lot more cash. Development is already underway for this new Lancer generation, the 11th, which should come out in about two years.
Sadly, neither Renault nor Nissan have the ability to make a sports sedan. The Sentra Nismo is a joke, while the Megane sedan isn't popular enough to merit having an RS version. But the French have some pretty sweet engine technology.
We're talking about the 1.8-liter turbo which powers a lot of things, ranging from the Talisman flagship 4-door to the Alpine A110 and the 300 horsepower Megane RS. Would you be happy with that kind of power in the Evo XI? Probably not, but it's better than no Evo.
For a bit of stimulus, we propose some awesome double renderings of the next-gen Lancer, shown from the front and back. The Russians at Kolesa did an awesome job getting it to look real and modern, even though no such car exists.
The front sports a large X-shaped grille and headlight cluster, along with fog lights stolen from either the L200 facelift or the Delica. Meanwhile, the rear has some crisp wrap-around taillights and a tall trunk, which gives us Volvo vibes.
Still, the model didn't survive in America or Europe. It's still made in places like Brazil, Egypt or Asia, where the company can get away with a cheaper interior. Mitsubishi blames the demise of the sedan, but we think neglect and bad timing killed the Lancer.
But now comes the good news. The struggling Japanese brand has been bought by the Renault-Nissan alliance. This means it has access to new platforms, engines and a lot more cash. Development is already underway for this new Lancer generation, the 11th, which should come out in about two years.
Sadly, neither Renault nor Nissan have the ability to make a sports sedan. The Sentra Nismo is a joke, while the Megane sedan isn't popular enough to merit having an RS version. But the French have some pretty sweet engine technology.
We're talking about the 1.8-liter turbo which powers a lot of things, ranging from the Talisman flagship 4-door to the Alpine A110 and the 300 horsepower Megane RS. Would you be happy with that kind of power in the Evo XI? Probably not, but it's better than no Evo.
For a bit of stimulus, we propose some awesome double renderings of the next-gen Lancer, shown from the front and back. The Russians at Kolesa did an awesome job getting it to look real and modern, even though no such car exists.
The front sports a large X-shaped grille and headlight cluster, along with fog lights stolen from either the L200 facelift or the Delica. Meanwhile, the rear has some crisp wrap-around taillights and a tall trunk, which gives us Volvo vibes.
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