Tag Archives: Mitsubishi

Car Shows, Cars We've Seen

Plymouth Sapporo Technica at Radwood Philly

Leave a comment

IMG_6088

Once upon a time, Dodge made a great car called the Challenger. Then, in the late 1970s, they had their first stab at bringing the great name back. But, reality was hard on the new Challenger. It was based on a dowdy Mitsubishi Galant Lambda, and its Plymouth counterpart shown here, the Sapporo, wasn’t exactly a paragon of technology, speed, or style. But, someone brought this example to Radwood, and I had to say I was impressed. It’s not perfect, but Plymouth’s desire to bring a small, sporty coupe with Japanese dynamics and American style (or some of it) to the market is clear through this black-and-silver Technica. I don’t think I’ll see another one of these anytime soon, so I took in as much as I could. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Plymouth Sapporo Technica at Radwood Philly →

Advertisement
Opinions

Why I don’t think the Japanese “Get” the American Performance Market At All

3 Comments

05-2018-subaru-wrx-sti-type-ra-fd-1

Various media outlets have been reporting headlines along the lines of “Subaru Adds More Power to the STI!!!” But in reality, it’s just 5hp which changes absolutely nothing. It does, however, raise a larger issue I’ve had with Japanese automakers seeming to lack a basic understanding of the American market’s constant need for improvements.

Honestly, I say Subaru can go screw themselves until they make some real and meaningful improvements to the STI. They’re over a decade late on a real power bump for this car. My 04 STI was a Porsche 911 killer when it came out, and now an STI will lose to a V6 Camry on a highway pull. Even though the STI hasn’t changed much at all, somehow it’s nowhere near the same caliber of car it once was.

I don’t think the Japanese really understand the idea of growth in the performance market because they’ve made the exact same mistake with many other models over the years. They always seem to make a great product to start, but then they leave it the same for 10-15 years and finally kill it because it’s not selling and they wonder why…

Continue reading Why I don’t think the Japanese “Get” the American Performance Market At All →

Automotive Lifestyle, Cars We've Seen

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition at the Lane Motor Museum

1 Comment

Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition Lane Museum 1

Rally driver Tommi Makinen won the World Rally Championship four years in a row between 1996 and 1999. For 2001, Mitsubishi made a special Tommi Makinen Edition Evo to commemorate his victories.

The Evo VI was never sold in the US, so this is a very rare car to see stateside. The Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN has this and a bunch of other rare cars on display, many of which were also not sold here.

I do have a soft spot for these road-going rally specials. Enjoy!

Continue reading Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition at the Lane Motor Museum →

Cars We've Seen

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Spotted in Greenwich, CT

Leave a comment

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI 3

We spotted this member of the JDM royal family on the street in Greenwich, CT during concours weekend. I always love seeing cars that aren’t supposed to be on US roads out and about on US roads, and the Evo VI was never sold here. Let’s face it, it’s more fun when you bend the rules.

Enjoy!

Continue reading Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Spotted in Greenwich, CT →

Automotive Lifestyle, Opinions

My take on the 2017 Geneva Motor Show

1 Comment

The Geneva Motor Show happened this week, and every year it’s like Christmas has come for the car industry.

Here are the highlights for me, and my thoughts on each…

Ferrari 812 Superfast

The front-engine V12 Ferraris are by far my favorite Ferraris. They have always been the ultimate expression of what a grand touring car can be, and their lineage goes all the way back to the beginning of Ferrari road cars in the early 1950s.

The 812 Superfast takes the insanity of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, and takes it up yet another notch. With damn near 800hp on tap from its still-naturally-aspirated-V12 engine, the 812 Superfast is now the ultimate GT car (really more of a supercar) that money can buy. I also think it looks absolutely manic, yet somehow still in an elegant sort of way.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid

Do you think anyone ever imagined this when the Toyota Prius first came out? Hybrids were once pathetic little econo-boxes, but here is a 680hp Porsche Panamera with a hybrid system developed from the 918 hypercar. This is exactly how hybrid technology should be used. I want a 680hp bullet that can still get decent MPG when I’m not thrashing it. If nothing else, isn’t technology all about having your cake and eating it too?

Continue reading My take on the 2017 Geneva Motor Show →

Car Shows

Stanced Mitsubishi Lancer Evo at First Class Fitment

Leave a comment

Modified Mitsubishi Lancer Evo First Class Fitment 3

This Mitsubishi Evo was clean as hell. It looked a lot like that ridiculous Time Attack Evo from Forza Motorsport 3 that may have been the cause of a broken controller.

I’m not sure exactly what mods were done to this car, but it looks like one of those deadly Evos that might just be able to embarrass some pompous fool in a Ferrari.

Either way, it’s level of stance was on point for me. It’s low and flush enough to look great, but there’s still a little bit of room for the suspension to move.

The one question I really want to know, though, is:

Is that wing really functional for the car’s performance?

Enjoy the photos!

Continue reading Stanced Mitsubishi Lancer Evo at First Class Fitment →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Autocross and a random car show? Sounds like Sunday.

Gallery 3 Comments

Neon 3 Wheelin

Sunday was a long day for me, the 1993 Miata, and my sunburned skin. When it’s 90 degrees outside, the first thing into my mind is to run back inside and cower underneath my air conditioner, unless I’m at the beach. There is no air conditioning in the Miata anymore, and at this NASA/MSNE autocross event up at MetLife Stadium (home of the Jets and the Giants, and probably Jimmy Hoffa), it was hot enough to fry eggs on the street and fry my nose and forehead to a nice, golden brown (red). Shane turned up too, in his silver Miata which makes my car look concours-fresh. Continue reading Autocross and a random car show? Sounds like Sunday. →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Matt Farah drives a 900hp Mitsubishi Evo in Panama

Leave a comment

This is the mythical “replacement for displacement” that muscle car folks always talk about, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 that has milked 900hp out of just a 2.0L four-banger. It does with 50psi of boost from a massive turbocharger, and my oh my, will it give the driver a right old kick up the rear.

What’s more, this car is located in Panama, not a country most people would think of first when a 900hp Evo is mentioned. The Drive Network team made it down there again to shoot more awesome films for their Tuned series, hosted by Matt Farah.

Great video, great car and a surprisingly great place. Enjoy the video.

-Nick