Mitsubishi LANCER EVOLUTION VIII MR FQ-300
Another Month, Another Faster Lancer. This Variation On The Theme Is The Evo VIII FQ-300, A Car That Almost Bends The Laws Of Physics. By Andy Enright
Imagine buying a four-door family saloon that could accelerate to 60mph quicker than a
Porsche 911 Carrera, could out handle a
Ferrari 360, boasted four-wheel drive and yet which was priced at about the same as a decently specified
Renault Espace. Imagine no more. Mitsubishis Lancer Evo VIII MR FQ-300 may not trip off the tongue too easily, but it a shoo-in for the contender of fastest point-to-point car you can buy.
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Priced at £27,995, the MR FQ-300 has been developed by
Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe based in Rugby, the team responsible for preparing and operating Mitsubishis world rally cars. Feeling that previous Evo VIIIs were a little limp wristed, they tweaked and massaged the electronics to produce in excess of 300bhp. This, coupled with the fact that the FQ-300 weighs only marginally more than a bugs buttock, endows it with quite astonishing acceleration. Of course, the 300 is only the mid-point in the range.
For the seriously unhinged, there are 320, 340 and mind-boggling 400 models to consider but you suspect that the 300 will be the big seller. Nudge the gear stick into first, dial around 4,000 revs onto the clock and sidestep the clutch and you can fire the FQ-300 to 60mph in around 4.6 seconds. Naturally youll need minimal mechanical sympathy to recreate these figures but even in everyday situations the Mitsubishi is quite devastatingly quick.
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. Itll keep on going until it reaches 157mph but high speed cruising isnt the Evos forte, preferring instead to squirt out of tight corners and maul roundabouts at scarcely credible velocities. Otherwise theres not that much to differentiate the MR FQ-300 from its Evo VIII 260 sibling.
The huge rear wing and six spoke alloy wheels, front foglamps into the headlamp unit and the badging are all that give the game away. Not that too many would try to mix it with the standard car. Unlike the somewhat bland face of the Evo VII, the VIII features a far more aggressive look with a huge air dam and prominent Mitsubishi triple diamond harking back to more macho looks of the Evo VI. This was the car that really established the Evo legend in the UK and its a canny move by Mitsubishi to give the car the presence its performance deserves.
Lancer Evos rarely find favour with shrinking violets.
"Youll find yourself laughing in disbelief as the speedometer piles on ever bigger numbers "
The Evo VIII is the first such model to get a six-speed transmission. Although initial reports suggested a stripped out back to basics racer, the VIII features an improved Super Active Yaw Control system that sharpens up the handling and ensures that power is optimally distributed through the rear wheels. Aside from the beefier grille and bumpers up front, the bonnet has been revised with a more sculpted look, plus a monster intake for the intercooler. Jewel effect lights at the front, a bigger rear spoiler, clear rear light clusters, six-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels and neater badging give the Evo VIII a more designed look than before.
A number of changes have taken place under the bonnet. The snappily titled 4G63 engine is a good deal cleaner than before in order to meet stricter emissions regulations. By utilising a six-speed close ratio gearbox, maximum response from the engine can easily be retained despite the broad spread of torque. The turbocharger has been redesigned, the intercooler has been made even bigger and the intake manifold has been revised to reduce airflow resistance by some 20%.
A three-nozzle jet system fires cold water onto the front of the intercooler that in turn cools the air, making it denser and helping produce peak power under load. The 12.1-gallon fuel tank is still catastrophically small given the FQ-300s heavy thirst and hard driving can reduce the effective range to less than 150 miles. The exhaust system has also been modified.
With drive-by noise tests an integral part of many type approval tests, the Evo VIII had to be acceptably refined at dawdling speeds. The straight lined pipes have reduced backpressure and a variable backpressure valve has been added to the main silencer to help knock a few decibels off the exhaust note at low speeds. As outlandish as the performance seems, if anything, it takes a back
seat to the way the Evo VIIII handles. A revised Active Centre Differential and a lower centre of gravity combine to give the Lancer exceptional stability.
In addition, the driver can switch on the fly between three distinct driving modes, Tarmac, Gravel and Snow, in order to optimise grip. A computer compares the inputs from the Active Centre Differential (ACD) and the Active Yaw Control (AYC) systems, providing better overall stability and performance compared to previous systems where the two processes couldnt talk to each other. Loud, inelegant, thuggish the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII MR FQ-300 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, the Mitsubishi offers a tantalising alternative if youre serious about speed.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-300
PRICE: £27,995 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 334g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 157mph / 0-60mph 4.6s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 20.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags /ABS, EBD
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