The evolution continues

Initially called the Chrysler Valiant Lancer or Mitsubishi Colt Lancer in 1973, the Lancer carved a name for itself in Rally racing. Mitsubishi already had the Galant and the Minica kei car in its stable. But the Lancer served to fill the gap in the small to medium segment in a growing Japanese car industry. In the local market, the Lancer was introduced in two versions, the 1.4 SL and the desirable 1.6 GSR L-Type version, which was powered by the legendary 1.6 Saturn engine. It also came in two body styles, a two-door coupe and a four-door sporty sedan.

During the eighties, the coolest car to own was the Lancer box type, particularly the GT version which stood out with its front spoiler and subtle rear wing. A Lancer GT with 15- inch Vanette Vega or Watanabe aftermarket wheels was a certified “babe magnet” in those days. The 2009 Lancer EX comes as the eighth iteration of Mitsubishi’s most famous variant.

Evolution inspired

First revealed during the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show as the Concept X, what sets this car apart from the previous generation of Lancers is that it is based on a supercar, the Lancer Evolution X. Aesthetically speaking, the Evolution and the base Lancer’s difference is in the nose and rims. But the Evolution’s hood is made of light aluminum and lightened panels all throughout the car to reduce its weight. The road going GT and GT-A versions sport a Ralliart style wrap around body kit, rear bumper with diffuser and similar rear deck spoiler to the Evolution X.

The Lancer GT EX has a pouty lip and curves to merit a cat call. Call it the Angelina Jolie of autodom. It is powered by a 4B11-2.0-liter DOHC engine that could leave any gear head breathless.

I got to feel the power of the 4B11 along the Star Tollway in Batangas during a weekend out of town. Although there was a slight lag in acceleration, this car zoomed like a bat out of hell. The feeling is kind of weird considering that the automatic transmission GT-A variant is more responsive than the manual- equipped GT EX. The ride is a bit on the hard side due to the low profile 18-inch Yokohama tires. It looked good but it sacrificed comfort. A good side to this compromise is the superb cornering abilities of the car. It hugs the road like a train on its rails.

The dashboard layout is visually appealing and the controls are within easy reach of the driver. The strip of carbon fiber-like material which stretches from the doors and dash adds a sporty yet elegant appeal to the car. It complements the circular pod dash gauges that remind you of its big brother, the Evolution X. Although the audio system sounds clear enough, it lacked the thump of the subwoofer which comes as standard in the automatic version GT-A.

Plus points of this new generation Lancer are its array of safety features such as the seven airbags all around the cabin, four-wheel disc brakes for greater stopping power and the HID headlamps with the innovative Adaptive Front Lighting system. The AFS automatically directs a powerful beam of light whenever you turn the steering wheel in either direction.

Despite the car’s EVO-ness, seeing a Lancer on local roads is as frequent as the oil price rollback or summer rain. Mitsubishi insiders reveal that only 25 to 50 units of the Lancer make it to the Philippines’ shores every month. Dealers cannot cope with the demand, and buyers would have to wait for a few months to have a Lancer GT or GT-A parked in their garage.