Mitsubishi plans to drop the high-performance Lancer Evo but will offer a final, special edition in the U.S.
The Evolution has survived 10 generations, three of which were sold in the U.S. over a 12-year period.
The 2015 Lancer Evolution Final Edition is based on the current production GSR, but will be limited to 1,600 vehicles with special badging, Mitsubishi said Monday.
Mitsubishi made the last variant of its flagship performance sedan more than just badging: The Final Edition sports some modest performance improvements under the hood and beneath the body.
Power is provided by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four spitting out 303 hp and 305 pounds-feet of torque. A five-speed manual gearbox delivers the power to the all-wheel-drive system.
The braking system features four-piston calipers in the front, clamping two-piece lightweight Brembo 13.8-inch rotors. In the rear are two-piston Brembo calipers and 13-inch rotors. That should be enough to slow the 3,527-pound car down.
Suspension improvements read like a sport-tuning catalog, with Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs on all four corners, and Enkei wheels wrapped in Yokohama rubber.
The Evo Final Edition will come in pearl white, rally red, mercury gray or octane blue and feature gloss black accents on the bumper and hood air outlets. A dark chrome grille surround ties the package together up front. The interior is black with red stitched accents on the seats, steering wheel, console lid, floor mats and e-brake handle. A badge rests on the console of the Final Edition, denoting the production number.
The Final Edition is expected to carry a sticker price of $38,805, including shipping, when it goes on sale in November.
