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Mitsubishi Is Keeping The Lancer Evo's Spirit Alive... In An SUV Built By Another Company

Mitsubishi wants to keep its rally-bred icon's legacy alive, even if it means borrowing someone else's SUV to do it.

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

Photo by: Mitsubishi

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Oct 27, at 6:23am ET

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Mitsubishi isn't ready to let its performance-car heritage fade away, even if the Lancer Evolution remains out of production. Instead, the Japanese automaker is looking to keep the spirit of its rally-bred icon alive through a very different kind of vehicle: the electric ASX VR-e.

Okay, what's an ASX VR-e anyway? It's Mitsubishi's new electric SUV for Australia, based on the Foxtron Bria, developed by Foxtron Vehicle Technologies, the automotive arm of Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn. Best known for assembling iPhones for Apple, Foxconn has been expanding into the automotive industry, and the Bria is one of its electric vehicles.

Designed by Pininfarina, the crossover gets Mitsubishi-specific chassis tuning and borrows familiar performance badges from the brand's rallying past. But in essence, Mitsubishi is keeping its heritage alive with a vehicle developed by a company better known for making electronics.

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

Photo by: Mitsubishi

The Evo Lives On 'In Some Shape Or Form'

Speaking to Australian publication Drive, the automaker's local boss, Shunichi Kihara, said the company intends to preserve the Lancer Evolution's heritage “in some shape or form.” The upcoming electric crossover is an early example of that approach, combining dual-motor all-wheel drive with performance figures that would have sounded impressive even in the Evo's heyday.

'Clearly, our brand heritage is around Pajero and Evo, and many people still talk about those products. That doesn't mean we don't do any kind of Evo type of vehicle, and that's why we bring this VR-e with this strong performance.'

The flagship ASX VR-e GSR will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds, making it Mitsubishi's quickest-accelerating model in Australia. With 459 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, it even outguns the most powerful production Lancer Evolution models on paper. As some will recall, the FX-440 MR was once the most powerful four-cylinder production car ever, with 440 hp from a 2.0-liter engine.

That doesn't make it a spiritual successor to the legendary sports sedan, though. Mitsubishi is borrowing from its performance-car history rather than bringing back the formula that made the Evo famous.

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

Photo by: Mitsubishi

The ASX VR-e Pays Tribute to the Galant VR-4, Too

The name means more than the electric crossover's newfound performance credentials. The VR-e designation draws inspiration from the Galant VR-4, another Mitsubishi performance icon that helped establish the brand's rally credentials before the Lancer Evolution took center stage.

The GSR badge is another nod to the past, having appeared on several generations of the Lancer Evolution. On the new EV, it identifies the range-topping version, which also gets a rear-biased torque distribution in Sport mode. Mitsubishi says the system shifts from a 50:50 front-to-rear split in its normal setting to 30:70 when the driver selects Sport.

2027 Mitsubishi ASX VR-e

Source: Mitsubishi

The Real Lancer Evolution Isn't Coming Back, Though

As much as Mitsubishi would love to bring back the Lancer Evolution, it ain't happening. Company president Keisuke Kishiura recently described the Evo as one of the brand's “treasures” and said he hopes to bring it back someday, alongside the Galant and Diamante.

However, Mitsubishi has no concrete plans to revive any of them and admits it isn't in a position to do so right now. There's no shortcut planned, either, involving a badge-engineered sports sedan borrowed from another automaker. With more pressing priorities to tackle, a proper Evo XI is unlikely to arrive before the 2030s, if it happens at all.

For now, enthusiasts will have to settle for an electric crossover wearing familiar badges. The ASX VR-e GSR may be quicker off the line than its rally-bred ancestors, but reviving the Evo's legacy will take more than quick acceleration and a few retro-flavored letters on the tailgate.

2027 Mitsubishi Pajero

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2027 Mitsubishi Pajero

Source: Mitsubishi

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The Pajero Is Back, And It's An All-Mitsubishi Effort

Looking at the glass half full, at least Mitsubishi has shown it can bring back an icon without borrowing someone else's homework. The new Pajero is an all-Mitsu effort, reviving the rugged SUV on the Triton pickup truck's ladder-frame platform.

So while an electric crossover from Foxtron tries to keep the Lancer Evolution's legacy alive, the Pajero is back as a proper Mitsubishi flagship.

At Least The Pajero Is Back:

It's Official: Reborn Mitsubishi Pajero Will Add Compact And Small SUVs

The Mitsubishi Pajero Is Back To Take On The Toyota Land Cruiser

Mitsubishi Explains Why The New Pajero Lost Its External Spare Wheel

Mitsubishi Shows Ralliart Pajero Concept, Then Says It Won't Be Built

Source: Drive

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