Mitsubishi is sending off the tenth-generation Lancer Evolution with a limited-edition model that’s appropriately called Final Edition.
The Evolution Final Edition is based on the outgoing 2015 Lancer so it doesn’t benefit from the same visual updates as the upcoming 2016 model. However, it does gain gloss black trim on both ends, a black roof panel made out of aluminum, Enkei alloy wheels, and a sprinkling of Final Edition emblems. Buyers can choose from a palette of four colors called New Pearl White, Octane Blue, Rally Red, and Mercury Gray.
The cockpit is spruced up with a black headliner as well as red contrast stitching on the steering wheel, the floor mats, and the seats. Finally, all models are equipped with a numbered metal plaque located right in front of the gear lever on the center console.
Power for the Final Edition comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 303 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 305 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Power is sent to all four wheels via an enthusiast-friendly, five-speed manual transmission and a sport-tuned version of Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) four-wheel drive system.
Two-piece Brembo brake rotors up front keep the power in check, while Eibach springs and Blistein shock absorbers help the driver make the most of the four-banger’s output both on and off the track. Mitsubishi has yet to publish performance specifications but for what it’s worth, the regular Lancer Evolution — which uses a 291-hp engine — can sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds.
Just 1,600 examples of the 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Edition will be built, and each one will carry a base price of $37,995.
What’s next?
Executives have previously confirmed that Mitsubishi’s next Evolution-badged model will be a high-performance off-roader, a move that reflects the company’s shift towards an SUV-centric lineup. Speaking with Motor Trend late last year, Don Swearingen, the vice president of Mitsubishi Motors North America, explained that the Evo’s time “has come and gone.” In other words, the Final Edition is the last hot-rodded Mitsubishi sedan we’ll see for a very long time.
