Lancer Evolution I

The Lancer Evolution was developed-with participation in the World Rally Championship (WRC) high on the list - went on sale in 1992 and replaced the Galant VR-4 as Mitsubishi's WRC contender from the season opener in 1993. It had been 10 years since a Lancer, in the form of the EX2000 Turbo, had taken part in the WRC. The Lancer was one size smaller than the Galant VR-4 and the 2500mm wheelbase was considered ideal for a rally car. As a result the compact car had superior turning characteristics with improved cornering performance. It attracted much attention not only within Mitsubishi, but also in the rallying world at large.

It was inevitable that the Lancer Evolution had attracted such attention. A car created specifically for WRC competition, it was a full second per kilometer faster, its Type 4G63 power plant was a jewel in the true tradition of Mitsubishi's rally engines and while newly developed as a car, its engine had evolved from generations of well-developed Mitsubishi engines.

Thus the Lancer Evolution participated in the 1993 WRC from round one, the Monte Carlo Rally. Kenneth Eriksson (Sweden) and Armin Schwarz (Germany), began promisingly, finishing in fourth and sixth overall for a double helping of points. The Lancer Evolution went on to compete in a further eight rounds that year, finishing third on the Acropolis Rally and a second on the RAC Rally, where it came close to victory. It was a clear demonstration that rapid development had made it a top-rank contender and a worthy rival to the new generation of rally cars such as the Ford Escort Cosworth and the Subaru Legacy.