Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution lives on as part of book series

Six years after its retirement, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution continues to attract a loyal following among gearheads. While the automaker has no plans of resurrecting the world-beating performance sedan for now, its origins and exploits are now documented in a new book. 

The latest addition to Veloce's Rally Giants book series features Mitsubishi's iconic sports sedan

This is the latest addition to the acclaimed Rally Giants book series by British publisher Veloce. As a record of the Lancer Evolution’s achievements, the 128-page book features its full history spanning all ten generations. Every World Rally Championship (WRC) entry is also covered, including detailed results of the cars’ race performance right down to the registration numbers.

These are accompanied by handy reference charts, and no tome about the Lancer Evolution would be complete without 140 eye-catching photographs depicting it at the height of its glory. There are also sections dedicated to rivals that posed serious competition to Mitsubishi at the time, including Subaru, Toyota, Ford, Renault, and Hyundai. 

Motorsport achievements include four consecutive WRC titles and 11 years of wins at the European Hill Climb Championship 

Based on the Lancer sedan, the Lancer Evolution debuted in 1993 and had ten official versions over 23 years, all denoted with a Roman numeral. Each one used a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with intercooler, mated to an all-wheel drivetrain engaged by either a manual or automatic transmission.

As a works model, the Lancer Evolution earned four consecutive WRC drivers’ championships for Finnish rally driver Tommi Mäkinen from 1996 to 1999, along with a constructors’ title by the Lancer Evolution V in 1998. It was originally intended as a Japanese exclusive, but demand on the grey import market eventually led to exports in various regions, including the Philippines. Mitsubishi retired the Lancer Evolution nameplate in 2016.

The Lancer Evolution X was the last of the line and the only generation equipped with the 2.0L 4B11T engine  

Renowned British automotive historian Brian Long authored the book, which was reportedly written with the full cooperation of Mitsubishi Motors of Japan. It even includes a detailed introduction to the automaker’s beginnings in rally racing, making the book an essential resource for fans of both the Mitsubishi brand and rallying in general.

If you’re among those clamoring for the Lancer Evolution’s return, you’ll have to make do with the latest installment in Veloce’s Rally Giants series in the meantime. The book is available in both paperback and digital versions at the Veloce U.K. website. 

Interested in driving home a new car? Visit Philkotse.com to check out the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for sale in the Philippines.