Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI: rally classic to return?

Sources say the rumoured performance saloon
will share powertrain with the Renault Megane RS

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Citing “Japanese-based sources”, Autocar claims that the upcoming successor
to 2007’s Lancer Evolution X will offer “supercar-beating
acceleration” in either “traditional four-door saloon or five-door
hatchback body styles”.

The new performance car will “share key elements of its
drivetrain” with the Renault Megane RS, as the
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance continues to bear fruit, the
motoring magazine reports. 

Although Mitsubishi has yet to comment publicly on the
revival of the Lancer Evolution name, the plan is believed to be at
an advanced stage.

Here’s everything we know so far about the Evo’s rumoured
return:

When will it launch?

It’s unlikely that we’ll see the new Evo any time soon,
sadly. Motor1 says the new model will use technology
derived from the next Megane RS, rather than the current
model. 

And while the Megane is due to undergo a mid-life update
in 2020, the next-generation version of the front-wheel drive
hatchback won’t arrive for a few more years.  

But every cloud has a silver lining. Given that most
editions of the Evo were launched internationally, the next model
is likely to make its way over to the UK when it finally does
launch. 

Design

Ever since the first model rolled off the production line
in 1992, Mitsubishi has stuck with the same four-door saloon
silhouette for its Lancer Evolution. 

However, Autocar’s claim that the next-generation model
will be available in both the conventional four-door form and as a
five-door hatchback rings true, given that the standard Lancer
range included a hatchback version before the range was axed, in
2016. 

Previous versions have all featured a large rear wing and
aggressive bodywork, so we expect the same on the upcoming 11th
generation car.

Engine and performance

Assuming the new Evo features the powertrain from the
next-generation Megane RS, the performance car will be powered by a
four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing around
341bhp. 

But unlike the Megane RS, which is front-wheel drive, the
Evo will mirror its predecessors by adopting “a sophisticated
all-wheel-drive system”, says Motor Authority. A hybrid system is also
expected to “aid the engine during high loads”, the US news site
adds.