Test drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII 2003 - 2005 sedan
A fight with a shadow
In the absentee match with Karisma, the new Mitsubishi-Lenser is trying to prove his superiority. I passed the post
Are the carismation is being removed from production? How, why, when, for what in the end? Indeed, the sensation of the third most popular foreign car in Russia is replaced by a new model. And this is despite growing sales! Paradox or pattern? One way or another, but the ninth generation Lancer should be noticeably the best car than the Carisma that he will replace in the market.
And why was she even bad? A solid appearance, a spacious interior, a spacious trunk, painful motors, good assembly quality, adaptation to Russian conditions, an attractive price. There were few shortcomings: cheap finishing materials, unimportant smoothness and mediocre handling of the results of the same adaptation. As you can see, a portrait is obtained, if not a round excellent student, then a firm good. Is it possible to lift the bar even higher? It was this question that interests me most of all during the first full -time acquaintance with the car in Finland, in the homeland of the rally 1000 lakes.
Ulan and the foal The current, the ninth Lancer generation is actually a European performance of the Lancer Sedium model known in Japan for two years. The very first Lancer made his debut in 1973. In just 30 years, over 700 thousand cars of all generations have been sold.
Throughout its history, the Ulan in the bodies of the sedan and the station wagon was the twin brother of the Model Colt, produced only with the body of the hatchback. And only now the paths of the two mods have finally dispersed. Colt, he is a foal, now an independent Mitsubishi model in class B, while Lancer is represented in a golf class.
On the border of the clouds go frown
The student town of Juvyaskuly, the birthplace of the fastest stage of the World Cup met with an ugly, almost autumn rain. In a few seconds that a sprint from the miniature building, almost the size of a hockey box of the airport to a parking lot, I have a pretty wet. With relief, slamming the door of a brand new Lancer, I looked around. UV, it is bad on the street, but in the car it is better, it is noticeably better!
The carismal salon, for all its practicality, resembled a soulless designer from devices, levers and seats. In Lancer, I immediately felt a designer approach. A stylish visor visor creates the impression of elegance and lightness, almost airiness, and inserts under a black tree give the interior of an inexpensive car a modest charm. In the performance of a sport, which will be combined with the most powerful engine, Lancer completely turns into evolves.
Sports equipment (right) differs from comfort with a dashboard, steering wheel and finishing materials
Great seats with a long pillow and dense side support. The leather steering wheel MOMO, in the same way, moved to the driver, after all, the most effective and clear maneuvers of the ralists perform their hands bent at the elbows. A dashboard with aggressive white dials and albeit not very practical, but catchy orange backlight. And the lever of the gearbox is just a toy! Already in the parking lot, he conquered me with clear, short moves.
By the expanse in the back seat, the new Lancer will at least not yield to class leaders
Are you designing delights not too much? But I am responsible for better finishing materials. Compared to carrism, a noticeable step forward. And yet: Lancer’s salon became more spacious thanks to the 4 cm of the wheelbase increased by 4 cm.
Classics and contemporaries How are you doing with appearance? Lancer is longer, higher and already carisms by 5, 40 and 15 mm, respectively. Perhaps, that's why, unlike a solid-suture predecessor, the newcomer seemed to me a fit-sporting, one might even say, aggressive.
Stylish disperfighters of the front headlights give the appearance of Lancer a rather formidable look. The spoiler on the roof of the station wagon looks ambitious. Cast disks are certainly good. But the main element working for recognition is a triangle of a radiator grill, in which the branded emblem of Mitsubishi is skillfully inscribed.
Three diamonds respected brand in the whole world, and we must be proud of it, the chief designer Olivier Bula emphasized. Look, our logo shines in the rays of the sun, like a real gem!
Indeed, there is something in common. And the most curious thing is that the Frenchman spied the fresh idea in the museum. Approximately in the same style, muzzle of three -wheeled Leo and the post -war Mitsubishi model 500 were decorated.
Well, after two parties, the score in the absentee duel of Lancer and the carisms of one and a half for half a glass. Offe, a sports newcomer and a solid veteran are good for each in their own way, but Lancer’s salon beats the carrism of one gate. But there are much more serious round tests ahead.
Three engines, two characters Like Carisma, Lancer offers a choice of three engines. But the same among them is only a base of 1.3 liters. Everything said in due time about the carism-eko is true for Lancer. In short, 82 forces to the sedan (this engine is not proposed for the station wagon) is enough in the city. Thanks to the short main pair, he pulls well the quality indispensable in traffic jams. Yes, and on the highway with a passenger and simple belongings in the trunk, I confidently scored and easily supported the cruising 120 km/h. It is enough for those who just need to get from point A to point B.
However, the role of the bestseller is prepared by the 1.6-liter engine. Lancer borrowed him from the updated Space Star. And I liked this motor much more Karismovsky. Loss of 5 liters. With. I did not feel power, but I appreciated the increase in traction and elasticity. I can’t blame the 1.6-liter Lancer in impending when choosing programs, you can move without problems on the second. It is important that up to a hundred Ulan (this is how Lancer's word is translated from English) accelerates half a second faster carrism. One and six on the highway, especially given a very modest working volume. And only not a very musical voice for 3500 rpm slightly lubricates the impression.
Finally, a 2-liter engine of 135 liters. With. (the same is placed on the outlander) against a 1.8-liter 122-horsepower unit with direct fuel injection of carismation. Perhaps the latter is a little more exciting, it is more grooved. But the 2-liter Lancer takes an impressive traction margin on the fifth car pulls in a hill from one and a half thousand revolutions! And turning on the third, you can forget about the gear lever, at least until the end of the trip, elasticity is just a miracle. Well, of course, racing surroundings. The motor is heard from 3,500 to cutting off in the region of 7000 rpm, but this sound is rather a bass music, with metal notes, I want to listen more and more.
So, in a duel of power units, victory again for a newcomer of the scales in favor of Lancer bowed a 1.6-liter motor. But finally, all the points over I were placed by the suspension.
What kind of rally without a primer? Ulan, as if tired of proved the obvious, comes from a trump card. The standard and very impressive road clearance of 165 mm means that this Mitsubishi will not adapt to Russian conditions. Very good. After all, sled talents of carisms were notable for the notorious adaptation. The original Lancer suspension simply conquered. That's where it is not a sin to compete and learn! First, comfort. One of the main, by the way, the priorities of potential buyers of the new Mitsubishi. But the car does not disappoint in corners. Finnish roads of very good quality, therefore, so that we can fully feel the advantages of the suspension, the test drive was laid along the forest ground paths, along which at different times the special stages of the famous rally of 1000 lakes passed.
The asphalt unexpectedly sharply turned into a primer, pebbles packed along the bottom. But this is perhaps the only thing that issued a change in the coating. Lancer does not even think to go giving way, swallows irregularities perfectly and allows maintaining high speed. Well done!
On the 2-liter version, the suspension is a little more extreme. A 3 cm is reduced by a road clearance, a spacer appeared between the cups of the front racks, increasing the stiffness of twisting, moreover, 16-inch cast wheels and low-profile tires settled in the wheel arches. The sport goes even better along the asphalt: tenaciously, confidently, tightly, but on the primer a shorter handle can also skate a different hole.
Of course, one could still tell how wonderful the steering wheel has a much more informative steering wheel than the carismation. Or that the disc brakes of all the wheels provide at least not the worst, but, in my opinion, the better than that of the predecessor, the dynamics of slowdown. But the referee has already stopped the duel for a clear advantage.
The post has accepted!
Lancer sales in Russia will begin on September 1, and dealers accept orders now. And you do not need to be an oracle to predict a cordial Ulan, with bread and salt reception. Now you know about the capabilities of the new car. Well, at almost the same prices as the carisms, as well as the non -wagon trim levels of Lancer, great prospects. And if this is not enough for you, keep in mind that both the sedan and the station wagon will be produced at the factory in the city of Mizusim. The cheaper of this amount of a purebred Japanese in Russia cannot be found at all.
How much is a pleasure? The basic price of the new Lancer begins at $ 13,990. So much is asked for a 1.3-liter sedan, equipped with air conditioning, frontal airbags, ABS, front and rear electric windows. By abandoning the air conditioning, you can save $ 1000. For $ 14,990, you will receive not only a 1.6 liter engine, but also the heating of the seats and rear -view mirrors so relevant in Russia.
The version with fog lights and cast discs will cost $ 15,790. A surcharge for an adaptive machine with a manual switching mode invez II $ 1160, and the station wagon will be more expensive than a sedan by $ 1600. At the end of the year, the dealers will have a 2-liter steyon stake. With a sports suspension and aggressive trim from the outside and inside, this car will cost no more than $ 20,000. By the way, in early 2004, a 2-liter sedan will also be supplied to Russia. The warranty on Lancer is typically Japanese: 3 years or 100 thousand km.
Mikhail Medvedev, photo George Sadkov and Mitsubishi
Source: Magazine "Limousine" [08/03]
