Just when we all resigned ourselves to a future full of Mitsubishi rebadged crossovers and beige appliances on wheels, a glimmer of hope has emerged. Yes, the brand that once blessed us with the Lancer Evolution — the rally weapon that bullied Subaru on dirt and asphalt alike — might actually bring it back. Try not to faint.
According to multiple reports, Mitsubishi Engineering Fellow Kaoru Sawase — yes, the guy literally nicknamed the “Godfather of Super All-Wheel Control” — says the Evo revival is still alive in his heart and maybe even in Mitsubishi meeting rooms. His exact quote:
“We have a dream, of course, for Lancer Evolution. It’s my personal dream.”
We’ve heard less believable things… like the Dodge Neon SRT-4 “being refined.”
So What Would a New Evo Look Like Today?
Here’s the part purists may want to scream into a pillow over:
✔ Hybrid
✔ Possibly fully electric
✔ Definitely high-tech AWD
✔ Maybe still capable of scaring WRX owners
Sawase hints that Mitsubishi has “a range of technologies on-hand” that could power a proper modern performance car. Let’s be real — global emissions rules aren’t suddenly getting looser, so electrification is the new turbocharger. If any engineer gets to decide what a new Lancer Evolution becomes, it should be the guy who invented the AWD system that made old Evos cheat physics.
Rally Rivalries Reloaded?
The timing couldn’t be more perfect:
• Subaru is teasing electric STI concepts
• Toyota Gazoo Racing exists and is out here doing laps like a menace
• Japanese performance rivalry desperately needs a third player to stir the pot
Imagine a future where:
⚡ Electric Evo vs. Electric STI vs. GR Yaris on steroids
🏁 And the internet melts down instantly
You’re welcome, Mitsubishi… please steal this idea and make it happen.
Will We Actually See It?
Look — this is still corporate dream-land. Mitsubishi has said they want to return to key markets (like the UK) with “the right product line-up.” And unless their plan is to sell a fleet of Outlander PHEVs to rally fans, bringing back the Evo seems like the only “right” thing they could do.
We don’t want another promise that disappears faster than a 4G63 on Craigslist. We want a real, road-legal, fire-breathing (or electron-zapping) Lancer Evolution.
Final Verdict
Mitsubishi may not have fully committed, but hope is officially back on the menu. And until anyone tells us otherwise, we’ll be dreaming right alongside Sawase-san.
Come on Mitsubishi… one more round.
