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It's larger and heavier than the car it replaces, but Mitsubishi is promising the 10th-generation Lancer Evo will be more exciting than ever.
New Zealand is the first country outside Japan to get the rally-bred road rocket - a nod from the factory to our open market.
JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) models will be here in November.
Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand (MMNZ) is understandably keen to get the Evo X on sale before the used-import operators secure near-new examples of the iconic model and ship them over.
MMNZ has secured 50 Japanese-specification manual-transmission cars, which will go on sale next month for $62,990.
A further shipment with the new robotised-manual TC-SST (Twin Clutch-Sport Shift Transmission) will follow early next year, at $67,990.
From the second quarter of next year, MMNZ will then swap to supply Australian-specification models, which will be almost identical apart from minor engine changes to meet Australian Design Rules (ADR) emissions regulations.
As before, the engine is 2.0-litre turbocharged unit - but the Evo X powerplant is 90 per cent new compared with the engine it replaces.
A timing chain replaces the belt, and MIVEC variable valve timing is used on the intake and exhaust camshafts (the previous motor had MIVEC on the intake only).
The rear-located stainless steel exhaust manifold helps improve weight distribution, and the freer-breathing exhaust system features a larger-volume main muffler with dual tailpipe outlets.
The Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) four-wheel-drive system is even more sophisticated than that fitted to the Evo IX.
S-AWC regulates drive torque at each wheel by controlling a network of handling technologies: the Active Centre Differential (ACD) four-wheel drive, Active Yaw Control (AYC) rear differential, Active Stability Control (ASC), and Sports ABS brakes. Integration of ASC is a new feature for the system.
The TC-SST manual transmission can select two gears at a time: one gear is engaged and the other is pre-selected, waiting to be engaged by the second clutch.
The gearchange is made - either manually or automatically, depending on mode selected - when the electro-hydraulically operated clutches are "swapped" simultaneously.
