Test drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII 2003 - 2005 sedan
Debut in the kingdom of gravel
Mitsubishi Lancer The first acquaintance with the ninth generation of the sedan and the station wagon Mitsubishi Lancer took place earlier than the European premiere, which will be held at the Moscow Auto Show-2003, and only then in Frankfurt. This is the first Mitsubishi model that meets new corporate standards.
Cars are equipped with three gasoline engines - 1.3 liters (82 l.); 1.6 l (98 l. P.); 2.0 l (135 hp) and two gearboxes - mechanical and automatic InVecs II. There are few variations. The engine 1.6 liters will be installed on both bodies and aggregate with both boxes. But on a sports station wagon, as, indeed, on a 1.3 liter sedan, they will put only five -speed mechanics.
In Russia, new Lancers will go on sale since September 2003. Priority for sedans with engines 1.3-1.6 liters. The estimated price is from $ 12,990 to 16 950.
The organizers were not accidentally chosen by the place for the presentation of the ninth generation of Mitsubishi Lancer. For a long time, the Finnish town of Yuvaskulya for Mecca of Motorsport - it is in these places that the famous rally of a thousand lakes are taking place. Here we had to not only shake on the asphalt, but also to get acquainted with gravel special stages, where the famous flying Finns have repeatedly won, by the way, on the lanchers of previous generations.
... A clean provincial town, almost deserted - either on the eve of the summer holiday, or from the ongoing rain. It seems that in this kingdom of endless lakes and forests life boils only in early August, when thousands of fans of motorsport come here. Probably, then you can appreciate the empty huge platform - the territory of the closed park, where in general everything begins, but for now ... The string is not even on racing lansers aside - the next group of journalists arrived, this time from Russia from Russia .
Sedan and station wagon
It is these two types of bodies that are selected for the new car. Studies of the company's strategists showed: interest in five -door hatchbacks weakens, at least in the niche that Lancer plans to occupy. The station wagon is aimed primarily to the West, therefore it was on its base that all the elements of sports were worked out, from the interior decoration of the cabin to the engine and suspension. Indeed, outwardly, the cars look different. Sedan is a classic modern Japanese. This is a calm family style - with large slanting headlights, a smiling false radiator grille, which has absorbed the elements of the design of the lansers of previous years, fashionable now -strip on the hood and how much practical, so inexpressive rear.
Lancer-UNIVERSAL or STASHN WAGON is not only massive and larger, but also looks more aggressive. This is not just a family vehicle, but something more serious than a traditional station wagon.
Salons and interiors
At first glance, nothing unusual. The consumer is offered a typically Japanese approach to the choice of color and upholstery materials - mainly gray -black shades. No bright spots, elaborate design, original innovations. Everything is in a single calm style: first of all, a sense of quality and reliability. No, of course, the novelty is emphasized by the modern front panel of soft plastics and a fresh combination of devices. But even in this everything is familiar and practically does not require addiction. Levers, twists of the ventilation system, toggle switches are located in traditional places. In the apparent simplicity, everything is subordinated to the principle of maximum logic of actions. As soon as you sit in the car, you instantly find the necessary. It is necessary to adjust the seat - please, familiar levers in the usual places, a steering wheel or external mirrors - the same. After a couple of minutes, you already perceive the car as an old acquaintance and are ready to go anywhere on it. Of course, you can find fault with the excessively large steering wheel in the diameter or inexpressive against the background of competitors
the radio, but in general, Lancer’s interior blows so good-natured that he wants to be friends with him rather than to look for something. Everything here has this: calm, comfortable and spacious seats, pleasantly surprising by quite European adjustments ranges, properly located lever of the boxes and pedals, well -read devices. Nevertheless, as if warning the criticism, the sports modification of the station wagon was equipped with a momo steering wheel, a different combination of devices with bright white scales and much more embossed and grabbed front seats. Undoubtedly, the very expensive version of the car of individual features has more. Sedan and station wagon salons are similar. The main differences: the supply of space in height in the rear passengers and the configuration of trunk. If the car is preferable for passengers - it is just in the back, it is difficult to single out along the cargo compartments: the sedan does not have such a variety of transformations, but its trunk is deeper.
Convenient, budget or sports
The first thing you pay attention to is an almost perfect state of cars. Of course, the sharp pebbles of gravel plots left marks in glossy bodies in some places, but the fact that there are several thousand difficult kilometers inside the cars that have passed, nothing creaks, does not grind, does not blur, says a lot. At first you think - this is a solid Finnish asphalt and rigid speed restrictions, but the more thorny roads, the more obvious not only the excellent fit of the parts, but also the thorough setting of the chassis. A sedan with a 1.6-liter engine is immediately captivated by a 98-horsepower engine, good sound insulation and not at all European pendants. The latter, at first, are quite traditional: a sufficiently detailed repetition of the profile of the road, elasticity on minor irregularities. It seems to be moderately convenient, moderately comfortable, but the first special expires in the halo of champion regalia and ... endless exclamatory signs is already looming ahead - it is dangerous! It’s scary to go here quickly (the movement is bilateral), slowly - uninteresting. I choose the middle ground, focusing on how I feel the car, and on its handling. And suddenly, for the eyes called up by family, the car seems to stick to a rocky road - you can go almost at the asphalt pace, its responses to manipulation of the steering wheel remain so clear and unequivocal. The reactive effect is good, small slippers are predicted, but the most amazing - and pendants are absolutely operational. As if filled with additional elastic elements, they did not become tougher. At the same time, there was no hint of vertical buildup.
Lancer swallows a few impressive potholes and a couple of springboarding, as if playing, not expressing dissatisfaction with a bleeding driver. Only a long comb on a steep rise slightly removes the car from a state of balance. Excellent! Today, few of the Europeans are capable of this. And here is only the noise of stones, whipping along the bottom, and a complete feeling of permissiveness. It, of course, is deceptive, especially since in the next turn there is a huge boulder, pasted with commemorative signs about the successes of not very successful ralists. This, I must say, is very sobering - it's time to take a closer look at the rest. As already noted, the engine pleases with traction, remaining completely balanced otherwise. In pairs with a rather stretched transmission, he confidently disperses the car to 140-160 km/h, helps out with intense overtaking, without showing anything outstanding. Reliable, soundly, but no more, although if you cool emotions, it probably turns out that more is not required. Good brakes, very reliable handling and excellent pendants - what else to wish for a relatively inexpensive car segment C.
The next next in line is Lancer with a 1.3 liter engine. With surviving common terms, he nevertheless sets up on a more calm driving style. The engine became noisier, and the car accelerates not so actively accelerating, although in general, having slightly reduced the requirements, you accept this car without hesitation - its behavior on the road is so logical. Of course, here it is already more actively acting in a gearbox, more carefully calculating overtaking, but in general, even the budget version allows you to reliably, soon and confidently to move in space.
And finally, a station wagon that plays with the muscles of a two-liter engine with noticeably tinted glass, 16-inch wheels and lower by 30 mm (135 mm instead of 165) with road clearance.
Our acquaintance with him begins on a wide autobahn. How not to evaluate the speed capabilities of the car here. He is not amazing against all expectations. A fairly stretched transmission again reduced the capabilities of the motor, making the car even more painful, but not sharp. Even the fact that the electronic limiter allows you to twist the engine to 7500 rpm, against 6200 rpm on other modifications, does not make the proper impression. So, having appreciated the increase in horses, you still prefer earlier switching. But the controllability of the station wagon outside of competition, especially on the asphalt. Here he is in his element. Where an ordinary Lancer is already beginning to slip out of turn, Sport Vegon surprises with enviable tenacity and accuracy of responses. The fee for this is a decrease in the energy intensity and comfort of suspensions. Of course, they are trying to preserve family features, but at the same time they shake more harder on the asphalt and much more painfully react to the irregularities of gravel areas.
In fairness, I will note: an ordinary Lancer with a universal body according to the possibilities of pendants and comfort closer to the sedan than to modification with the prefix of sports.
The prospects of the domestic market
Do not be surprised, the domestic consumer issued a full card blanche for the new Mitsubishi Lancer. Prices, guarantee and configuration have already been determined. A sedan with a 1.6 liter engine will cost $ 14,990 with a mechanical gearbox, and with a machine gun - 1160 more expensive. A very attractive price for a Made in Japan car. The station wagons will appear in Russia a little later. Tentatively, the most expensive sports version should meet $ 20,000.
The interior of the sport vagon is more individual and dynamic. MOMO steering wheel, other devices, silver inserts on the front panel and console.
Having inherited the family features of the front, the station wagon seemed to have grown in length, and other rear lights gave his appearance dynamism.
Sergey Kanunnikov
Source: The magazine "Driving"
