Lancer, it’s a name that car fans love to conjure with and one that reared its head again this year when Mitsubishi’s Evolution X was launched. The Evolution X is lightning quick, powerful and has huge levels of grip. The Lancer on which the Evolution X is based is a lot cheaper but it’s nowhere near as engaging or involving to drive.
So Mitsubishi has hit upon a rather clever yet purposeful plan: launch a car largely based on the new Sportback-bodied Lancer, but with some of the mechanicals from the latest Evo and the last generation. Say hello to the Lancer Sportback RALLIART.
To Mitsubishi what STI is to Subaru, Ralliart is the in-house competition and tuning department. And its name doesn’t only carry hype.
The Ralliart reflects the glory of its Evo brother, sharing the bonnet scoops and aggressive face and pairing it with the new hatchback Lancer body. It might not be the most beautiful hatchback, but it certainly has presence.
The Ralliart has some significant advantages. Its Evo pedigree means four-wheel drive being put into it. And although it runs a de-tuned version of the Evo’s turbocharged 2.0-litre engine it’s still got 237bhp and will break 100km/h in just seven seconds. But the big news is the gearbox, the Ralliart comes standard with Mitsubishi’s SST dual-clutch transmission.
