The departure of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, or “Evo,” from production in 2016 left a void in the high-performance sedan world. While Subaru WRX STI fans have held onto hope since 2022, Evo devotees have never entirely relinquished the dream. With the automotive world now increasingly shifting toward electrification, the timing may be aligning for both brands to revisit their roots and reignite that rivalry.
Mitsubishi’s pivot toward SUVs and rebadged Renault models in Europe masked an enduring internal fascination with its rally-bred heritage. The nameplate remains iconic, and the suggestion of a return has stirred fresh speculation. While we enthusiasts wax nostalgic about the good old days, there is legitimate hope, and we’re all looking at a potential convergence of strategy and technology that could bring the legend back in a modern form.
Mitsubishi
Inside Mitsubishi: A Dream, Technology, and Caution
In a recent interview with Australian media outlet Drive, engineering fellow and the godfather of Super All-Wheel Control in Ralliart, Kaoru Sawase, articulated what many long considered improbable: “We have a dream, of course, for Lancer Evolution. It’s my personal dream.” He also revealed Mitsubishi “has a variety, a range of technologies on-hand” that could make the revival plausible.
Electrification is firmly on the menu. Sawase emphasised that any new Evo would need to embrace hybrid or electric power to stay relevant and dynamic: “Naturally, considering the global [environment], the times, that will be the direction that we will be going … I fully understand electrification performance for the vehicle dynamics.”
Though Mitsubishi hasn’t officially green-lit the project, these comments reveal serious internal alignment on the what and how – the remaining question is when.
Mitsubishi
Strategy, Market Signals, and the Performance Arena
The return of the Lancer Evolution would likely coincide with the resurgence of AWD performance sedans. With Toyota’s GR Corolla already re-energizing the segment and Subaru teasing STI concepts at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, Mitsubishi faces both risk and opportunity. Launching an electrified Evo could reset its brand halo and re-enter the fray with real credibility.
Still, there are headwinds. The original Lancer, which underpinned the Evolution, has long been discontinued, and developing a clean-sheet halo car is an expensive proposition, especially without full backing from alliance partners such as Renault and Nissan. Mitsubishi’s revived performance arm, Ralliart, has so far focused on aesthetic upgrades rather than true performance models, suggesting the company remains cautious.
Nonetheless, if the pieces align, the stage could be set for the next chapter of an automotive classic.
Jacob Oliva/Autoblog
