Mitsubishi to bid adieu to Evo X

If the headline does not ring alarm bells this paragraph certainly will. We are not writing about Mitsubishi discontinuing the current model to make way for a next generation version; the Japanese car maker has confirmed that the Evo X will be the last of the Evolution Series.

The Evolution is one of the most highly celebrated models among the auto enthusiasts. Unlike the European brutes powered by massive engines, the Evos use efficiency of turbocharging to churn out more than respectable numbers; what makes it even more special is that all those can be put to use with or without paved roads. The Evolution has dominated world rallying for years and is also a tuners delight for the drag racing events to the west of Atlantic.

The Lancer Evolution series took birth in 1992 and has rolled out ten generations culminating in the current Evo X. The current spec model is driven by a turbocharged 2-litre, all-aluminum inline four-cylinder engine that churns out 294bhp and 366Nm of torque. If you are looking to buy an Evo, now is the best time, because shortly it will be replaced by some EV or a hybrid model (fortunately not carrying Evolution tag).

Mitsubishi plans to invest further on future power sources as it aims to launch eight new fully electric or hybrid cars by 2015. There is no word yet on an exact date to stop production, but an official statement is expected to be out soon. We hope Mitsubishi aims at launching a spiritual successor to the Evo – may be a AWD hybrid or an EV, something like the next generation Honda NSX that we are all waiting for. But then again, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will be sorely missed.