NEWS – MITSUBISHI GREEN LIGHT EVO XI, BRINGING DIESEL HYBRID POWER
October 22, 2011 by Adam Zillin
Filed under Japanese News, Latest Articles
It was a very sad day for enthusiasts when senior management for the Mitsubishi company in Japan came out with the news they were killing off the beloved Evo. However, after a vicious backlash from the fans over the decision, they’ve done an about face with the news another Evo is being developed…
This one is going to be a very different beast altogether by the looks of it though. Company President Osamu Masuko went on record to say that Mitsubishi is committing itself to an Evo XI but the car will carry a Hybrid / Diesel powertrain. Development is expected to take 3 years and while details are scarce, Mitsubishi is hoping to keep performance for the sprint to 100kph in under 5 seconds but with the benefit of drastically cutting emissions.
Masuko went on to say that, “We will start work on the project next year, and it will be ready within three. I have set the goal of developing a sporting car featuring electric power.”
The Evo XI is said to be getting another version of its S-AWC system that ties together braking, traction and steering performance into one unit. The decision to bring back the Evo will no doubt make many fans of the brand smile but whether or not the Hybrid powerplant coupled with a low revving diesel engine will truly satisfy the “purists”, is set to become the topic of much discussion.
What do you think about these developments? Are you looking forward to a Diesel Evo?
7TUNE. The Ultimate JDM Experience Since 2005.
Words – Adam Zillin
Source – Autocar
