Thursday 26th September 2013

Mitsubishi Evo X FQ 330 SST: Spotted

The dual-clutch, turbocharged 4WD B-road missile that isn't an A45 AMG

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Remember when nearly every other month brought news of another lunatic-spec Japanese super saloon? Upped power, bigger wings and more grip maintained interest and then, before you could say JDM import special, the demand was gone.

Even in black and debadged, it isn't subtle

It was probably about the same time AMG was renowned for producing V8 barges and V12 sun loungers. Funny how things change, isn't it? Now Mitsubishi is chasing the hybrid route, Subaru is ploughing resources into off-roaders and then up pops (...and ba-ba-bangs) AMG with a 360hp, 4WD rocket.

If the A45 AMG looks like a radical departure for AMG, then the driving experience confirms it. The 4WD replaces smoky drifts with unimpeachable traction, there's a four-cylinder blare from under the bonnet and the ride is pretty uncompromising.

This brings us conveniently to the Mitsubishi Evo X, specifically the FQ330 SST. Like the AMG, it uses a high specific output 2.0-litre turbo, 4WD and, perhaps most relevantly, a dual-clutch auto 'box.

The Sportronic Shift Transmission was first introduced on the 300hp Evo and wasn't received too positively. However, with the 330's extra power and the removal of a torque limiter, the two-pedal transmission was smoother and just better.

Nothing to make an A45 owner envious here!

Indeed, we found an Autocar review written by none other than Matt Rigby proclaiming it as 'bloody marvellous' and possibly the best Evo X available. Praise comes no higher!

Of course, the Evo can't offer the same sort of compelling overall package as the A45. The interior will look and feel terrible by comparison, the fuel economy will be woeful and even the improved 10,000-mile service intervals will be a pain.

But neither is what you'd call a looker, and both are an absolutely devastating on the right road. There are certainly some commonalities amongst the inherent differences, and the CLA45 is technically a saloon too.

The car we've found is at Evo specialists Xtreme UK. It's still under an extended Mitsubishi warranty until March and has couple of nice carbon trinkets also. There's a 2011 example available too if there's a bit extra in the kitty.

If we ever see another Lancer Evolution, it will undoubtedly be very different to the models we've known. The Evo X may not be as raw or visceral as some of the legendary Lancers, but to disregard it on that basis is ridiculous. Moreover, with just two pedals, you've no excuse for anything but a perfect left-foot braking technique...

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MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO X FQ 330 SST
Engine: 1,998cc, 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch auto
Power (hp): 330@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 322@3,500rpm
MPG: 26.2 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 257g/km
First registered: 2010
Recorded mileage: 25,762
Price new: £35,999
Yours for: £19,995

See the original ad here

[Source: Autocar]

[framerateuk]

I always fancied an Evo X but never committed myself to looking for one. Lovely looking cars though, I'd certainly prefer an X over the same era Impreza.

[Dagnut]

Reminds me of how Subaru and Mitsubishi dropped the ball, if you think of where they where 20 years ago in terms of technology IMO they just didn't push the boundaries enough...

[B5NXJ]

26.2 mpg?

[Axionknight]

B5NXJ said:

26.2 mpg?

Maybe if you towed it, lol!

I love these but couldn't justify the running costs at the time (or the insurance as I was 23 and had points on my license), they are truly astonishing to drive though - the auto box in the 330 is better and sharper than the 300, some differences in the software from what a Ralliart dealer told me.

They look smart in black, too, that'd have been my colour of choice.

[V8 FOU]

Not driven one, but I guess the auto box helps disguise the huge turbo lag? Good motor for £20K tho'

[burwoodman]

closer to 6.2 than 26.2

[marshall100]

Brother in law had a 9 without the shonky gearbox which was simply an astonishing machine. I don't think I've ever been in something which accelerates quite so quickly. Seen a guy driving a 10 as what I think is his daily driver, which by all accounts takes some big balls or a very large fuel card someone else is paying for.

I'd still like to smack the respective guvnors of Mitsu and Subaru in the chops. The pair of them really need to sort their respective st out.

[Frimley111R]

I know lots of people can moan about fuel consumption but I doubt many would be daily drivers anyway.

[Monaro5.7]

B5NXJ said:

26.2 mpg?

What i would give for 26.2mpg

[Guvernator]

Soory but I can't help but be bitter about this car as to mei t signals all that went wrong with Mitsubishi and Subaru. It's almost as though they both got together in a meeting and said "Right, how do we go about flushing 15 years of brilliant rally heritage and great homogolation cars down the toilet? I know we'll make the Evo X and a Subaru Hatchback."

I'm sure they are both competent enough but an abject lesson in what can happen if you forget your core market or don't progress in the right direction.

[don logan]

V8 FOU said:

Not driven one, but I guess the auto box helps disguise the huge turbo lag? Good motor for £20K tho'

You havn`t driven one but they have "huge turbo lag", do they have huge turbo lag?

Seeing as it only has 2 pedals but gets to 60 in the 4.4secs I don`t think we are talking about an 80s Saab Turbo here, drive one, and don`t potter about either, above 8/10ths is where these things come alive and leave other stuff for dead!

[300bhp/ton]

don logan said:

V8 FOU said:

Not driven one, but I guess the auto box helps disguise the huge turbo lag? Good motor for £20K tho'

You havn`t driven one but they have "huge turbo lag", do they have huge turbo lag?

Seeing as it only has 2 pedals but gets to 60 in the 4.4secs I don`t think we are talking about an 80s Saab Turbo here, drive one, and don`t potter about either, above 8/10ths is where these things come alive and leave other stuff for dead!

Without an ALS it'll have turbo lag though. This has nothing to do with 0-60mph times.

[Bladedancer]

B5NXJ said:

26.2 mpg?

That's combined, so on one side of is the real figure and on the other 50mph, top gear, down hill drive with wind blowing from behind

[TaylotS2K]

framerateuk said:

Lovely looking cars though,

LOL.

[F1GTRUeno]

I seriously miss the days of Evo vs. Impreza on the rally stages and on public roads.

Both companies are in the st now and motorsport is too (especially rallying) so we'll probably never see it's like again.

90's homologation specials were so good.

[Richard-G]

cant say much for the car but i can vouch for Xtreme, great bunch of guys and they've always got some interesting metal for sale.

[fullthrottlehyde]

Worst car I've ever had, this year alone it whent on the back of a low loader back to the dealer 4 times. Interior was rubbish, hammered fuel and sounded like a dyson. I should never have got rid of my ur quattro was more fun, sounded better and looked better. Mitsubushi are also awful to deal with.

[don logan]

300bhp/ton said:

don logan said:

V8 FOU said:

Not driven one, but I guess the auto box helps disguise the huge turbo lag? Good motor for £20K tho'

You havn`t driven one but they have "huge turbo lag", do they have huge turbo lag?

Seeing as it only has 2 pedals but gets to 60 in the 4.4secs I don`t think we are talking about an 80s Saab Turbo here, drive one, and don`t potter about either, above 8/10ths is where these things come alive and leave other stuff for dead!

Without an ALS it'll have turbo lag though. This has nothing to do with 0-60mph times.

I appreciate what you are saying because I`ve driven lots of them but it`s hardly "huge", they are hardly famous for it!

The point I was making RE 0-60 is that without any kind of launch control if you simply floor it from a standstill (in sport) it GOES, unlike a really laggy bd which waits for a telegram to arrive saying that the pedal has been against the carpet for 5 minutes!

[M@1975]

Evos and Imprezas were things that I looked at for years but never pulled the trigger on. what killed the evo for me was owning a Skyline and having evo owners tell me that they dreamed of getting MPG figures as good as mine and I was getting 22 on a good day, with a light foot, if I was lucky, and a good wind behind me, some man maths & the occaisional lie to the wife about what it really cost to run.

[300bhp/ton]

don logan said:

I appreciate what you are saying because I`ve driven lots of them but it`s hardly "huge", they are hardly famous for it!

The point I was making RE 0-60 is that without any kind of launch control if you simply floor it from a standstill (in sport) it GOES, unlike a really laggy bd which waits for a telegram to arrive saying that the pedal has been against the carpet for 5 minutes!

I think we are getting muddled up with boost threshold and turbo lag. Boost threshold is the point in the rpm that the turbo can make significant boost. Turbo lag is an event that happens after a stall period, such as lifting off the throttle at 6000rpm to change gear. The sudden reduction in exhaust gas flow means the turbo no longer boosts, despite being within it's operating rpm/boost threshold. When you reapply the throttle there is a lag for the exhaust gas flow rate to increase to levels that significant boost can be made again.

The Evo suffers lag in the same way all turbocharged cars do. Although with higher static CR's and better matched turbo's along with far superior electronics, lag can be minimised, or at least hidden to an extent.