Lancer Evolution IV

Five years after the original Lancer Evolution had been announced; the Lancer Evolution had advanced to its fourth generation. In essence, the Lancer Evolution had made progress at a rate of one every year. Competition in the WRC is so severe that development must proceed at that rate and the rewards of being involved in such ferocious competition more than justified the investment. Among the early Lancer Evolutions, the Evo III stood out and reigned supreme. The Lancer Evolution IV therefore had a great deal to live up to from the start.

And the Lancer Evolution IV that appeared at the beginning of 1997 on the Monte Carlo Rally more than fulfilled expectations. Although it didn't win at the first attempt, it ran at the top for a while and displayed enormous potential.

One must take into account the arrival in 1997 of a new category, World Rally Cars, which allowed manufacturers such as Subaru and Ford to build cars exclusively for rallying. It was no mean feat that the Lancer Evolution, based strictly on a production model modified for Group A, was capable of running at the front. Substantial alterations to compete with the heavily modified World Rally Cars included turning the engine through 180 degrees compared to previous Lancer Evolutions and fitting a sequential gearbox. While very much part of the Lancer Evolution Series the new Lancer Evolution IV could be regarded as a completely different car.

However, technology that set the car apart from its rivals, such as the active 4WD system and Post Combustion Control System were carried over, further developed and harmonized with the new technology. The car showed excellent speed on both gravel and tarmac rallies and suffered few mechanical troubles, which proved a key factor during a tough season. Speed and reliability, the two elements most required of a rally car, were possessed by the Evolution IV model in abundance. Tommi Makinen won his second straight WRC title. The Lancer Evolution IV had taken rally car design and the Lancer Evolution series to new heights.