Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360 : 360 DEGREES OF FUN

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Its arrived on the quiet, but the FQ-360 might just be the most capable Lancer Evo ever. Andy Enright reports

Imagine buying a four-door family saloon that could accelerate to 60mph quicker than a Porsche 911 GT3, could outhandle a Ferrari F430, boasted four-wheel drive and yet which was priced at about the same as a decently specified Mercedes C-Class. Imagine no more. Mitsubishis Lancer Evo IX FQ-360 may not trip off the tongue too easily, but it might just be the fastest point-to-point car you can buy.

Priced at £35,641, the FQ-360 has been developed by Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe based in Rugby, the team responsible for preparing and operating Mitsubishis world rally cars. Learning lessons from the development of the Evo VIII FQ-400, a model that was devastatingly quick on the track but woefully compromised as a road car, the team have set about creating an ultimate Evo that features both rocketship acceleration yet harnessed to friendlier driveability. The four-cylinder 4G63 twin-scroll turbocharged engine is a great basis for tuning, being an inherently tough lump. The fitment of a high pressure fuel pump and a high-flow catalytic converter, both of which were developed for the FQ-400, help the throughput of fuel and exhaust gases, the electronic control unit reprogrammed to take account of this better engine efficiency.

The dyno runs show that this car will develop 366bhp at exactly 6,887rpm and 363lb/ft of torque at 3,200rpm. This last figure is important. What made the old FQ-400 so hard to drive apart from its obstreperous clutch was the fact that peak torque arrived at 5,400rpm and there was less of it than the FQ-360 serves up. It was also eye-wateringly expensive.

The FQ-360 is a good deal more affordable, being roughly half the price of the all-wheel drive Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, yet is able to outsprint it to 60mph - its 4.1 second time undercutting the 911 by 0.7s. A top speed in excess of 160mph is also quoted although this may well be a conservative estimate.

We tested an Evo VIII FQ-340 with GPS speed measurement in excess of 170mph and this vehicle should prove even quicker. High speed stability is assisted by a number of aerodynamic tweaks. The carbon fibre sharks tooth rear vortex generator has been lifted from the FQ-400. A carbon fibre front lip spoiler also reduces underbody lift and also helps to give the FQ-360 an even meaner visage.

The car also comes with a set of bespoke alloy wheels designed by Speedline. Replicas of the tarmac-spec rally wheel, these five-spoke rims arent available as an aftermarket option so keen Evo spotters can only seethe with envy. These alloys are, like the rest of the Evo line up, shod with Yokohama Advan AO46 tyres in 235/45ZR17 size all round.

"Youll find yourself laughing in disbelief as the speedometer piles on ever bigger numbers "

There was never too much to provoke complaint about the Evo VIII interior, being functional if not overly stimulating. The Evo IX continues this theme, offering a roster of standard equipment that could shame many sports cars costing twice the price. If youre a little broad in the beam, the figure hugging leather and alcantara Recaro sports seats may feel a little constricting, but its impossible to take a dislike to the leather-trimmed Momo steering wheel, the standard fit air-conditioning and electric windows and mirrors, plus the Thatcham Category One alarm and remote central locking. The FQ-360 model adds a few extras.

The space below the stereo that is used for oddment storage in every other Evo IX is, in this case, occupied by a Ralliart Sports Meter Kit. Three dials display the battery voltage, oil temperature and boost pressure, providing a little extra information to the driver. A grand can be shaved off the cars price if you choose to delete the leather trim. The Bilstein suspension and brakes of the Evo IX FQ-360 are unchanged form that of the standard Evolution IX, as are the 17-inch ventilated discs with four-pot Brembo callipers up front and 16-inch rear discs with two-piston callipers at the back.

A sports anti-lock braking system and electronic brakeforce distribution will pull the car up very rapidly but a perennial Evo bugbear, warped discs caused by the poor heat dissipation of the inherently small hubs, is something that Mitsubishi have worked to cure on the Evo IX, ducting additional air over the brakes to cool them still further. One of the first changes made by many Evo owners intending to do a lot of track work is to upgrade the discs. Otherwise the formula is much the same. Nudge the gear stick into first, dial around 4,000 revs onto the clock and sidestep the clutch and youll appreciate what the Lancer Evo can do in pretty short order.

There is a slight hiatus as the turbocharger spools up, but keep the engine on song and its almost as if somebody has switched the scenery to fast forward. So incongruous is the rate at which this souped-up saloon gathers speed that youll find yourself laughing in disbelief as the speedometer piles on ever bigger numbers. The grip through corners is similarly otherworldly, the Evo eventually nudging into a full-on four-wheel drift that requires very little steering correction. Its one of the easiest cars around to steer just using the throttle pedal.

More gas will send the Evo drifting into a wider arc, a gentle lift will see it tuck in. It requires some seriously boneheaded manoeuvres to get the car to slide its tail and even then the reapplication of power sees the Evos trick centre differential shuttling torque around to pull it out of a skid. Just remember that even an Evo cant defy the laws of physics. Enter a corner too quickly and you may well punch a hole in the adjacent scenery at a rather indecent velocity! Loud, inelegant, thuggish the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX FQ-360 could justly be accused of all of these crimes against automotive good taste, but you wont care a fig when you plant the throttle and slice through a corner.

Any car that can make a Ferrari feel a little wooden has to be something very special indeed and the Evo is a car that brings serious performance within reach of many. If you dont want the hassle of a two-seat lightweight and cant stretch to a proper supercar, this Mitsubishi offers a tantalising alternative for those who are serious about speed.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360
PRICE: £35,641 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 344g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 160mph+ / 0-60mph 4.1s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 20mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Four airbags /ABS, EBD