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SPEX
Year: 1999-2000
Class: Sport Compact
Type: 4-door sedan
Country: Japan
Host: GT2, GT3, GT4, & GT5
Price: $32,480 (GT2 & GT3),
$21,111
(GT4/GSR)
$16,886 (GT4/RS)
$32,980 (GT5/GSR T.M. SCP)
Construction: unit steel
Length: 171.26" // Width: 69.7" // Height: 55.7"
Wheelbase: 98.8"
Overhang: @ 6 feet
TracK: 59.5" [F] 59.25"
[R]
Ground Clearance: 5.9"
Weight: 2,997 pounds
Steering: power-assisted rack & pinion
Layout: Front Engine / All-Wheel Drive
Tires: 225/45ZR-17 Bridgestone Potenza SO-2
F. Suspension: MacPherson struts,
lwr. wishbones, shox, coils, anti-roll bar
R. Suspension: multilink, coils, anti-roll bar, lwr. wishbones, shox
Brakes:
vented discs with 4-pot calipers (f) and 2-pot {r}
*GT5 car was tested as a Premium model with very low mileage
and incomplete break-in period
Engine: 2.0 liter DOHC inline 4
Construction: aluminum block & head
Aspiration:
intercooled twin turbo
GT3 Tested HP: 310 @ 6,400 rpms
GT4 Tested
HP: 311 @ 6,500 rpm
GT5 Tested HP: 302 @ 6,500
GT3 Tstd Torqe: 306 @ 3,500
rpms
GT4 Tstd Torqe: 305 @ 3,000 rpm
GT5 Tstd Torqe: 295 @ 3,000
GT3 GT4
GT5
Credits / HP:```$104.77 $67.88 $109.20
Pounds
/ HP: 9.66 9.64
9.92
HP / Liter: 155.7
151.2
Fuel System: EFi
Valves / Cyl: 4
Bore x Stroke: 3.35 x 3.46"
Compression: 8.8:1
GT2 Redline: 6,500
// RPM Limit: 7,000
GT3 Redline: 7,000 // RPM Limit: 7,500
GT4 Idle: 1,000 // Redline: 7,000 // RPM Limit: 7,500
GT5 Idle: 900 // Redline: 7,000 // RPM Limit: 7,500
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Differential: open front, limited-slip center & rear
GT3 GT4
GT5
0-60 mph: no test 5.233 seconds
5.019
0-100mph: no test 12.416
12.321
0-150mph: no test 33.816 @
40.5xx
400 M: no test 13.858 @ 106 mph 13.607
@ 104
1 Kilom: no test 24.831 @ 135 mph 24.742
@ 133
100-zero mph:
3.43 seconds 5.55 secs
Test Track Lap:
no test
Top Gear RPM @ 60 mph: 2,750 (GT4) 2,875 (GT5)
Top
Speed at Redline (probably GT4)
1st: 41 mph
2nd: 57 mph
3rd: 81 mph
4th: 110 mph
5th: 159.57 mph
@ 7,500 rpm
Top Speed at Redline (GT5)
1st: 40.0 mph
2nd: 55.0
3rd: 77.9
4th: 107.1
5th
155.6 mph @ 7,250 rpm
-------------EXTERIOR / HISTORY--------------
Here's yet another one I've seemingly totally neglected in these reviews until recently. I'm sure some
of you have noticed that to date I have published not a single review on the Lancer series...excuse me...I have not published
a single review of the Lancer "Evolution".
Well believe it or not, I actually have raced plenty of Evos; I must've since I have detailed
spec sheets on an Evo II, a IV, and an Evo VI rally car. Perhaps I drove these cars (in GT2) to fufill some obligations
like the 4-wheel drive races, and certainly the Evolution Meeting manufacturer-only races come to mind. In any event, it's
clear I never got to know this car when I drove it in GT2; I have the spec sheets, but absolutely no memory of driving
any of them.
This has changed recently (which means within the last week). I am happy to say I've finally embraced the
Evo. I have joined millions of others with some Lancer ‘dEvotion’. :-)
You may not know that in America, Lancers are rare, and Evos are somewhat unique. I used to think it was
due to the fact that Hondas are cheaper, but it's actually not cost--it's availability. Only since 1999
has Mitsubishi decided to start exporting Lancers (and Lancer Evos) to America. Why? My theory is: Mitsubishi is one
of the largest companies in the world. They don't just make cars and trucks, they also make electronics, appliances, aircraft,
shipping vessels, and a variety of components. Despite their status as a worldwide giant, Mitsubishi has never enjoyed
strong automotive sales here year after year, the way Honda and Toyota have. The Lancer in particular is not very popular
in the United States, as I mentioned. The Galant and Eclipse do better, but pale in comparison to Camrys and Civics in
the sales department.
This has changed with the advent of us: the PlayStation generation. Take a visit to most any website
with Evo info, and you'll see in all honesty that Gran Turismo is almost singlehandedly responsible for the Evo's late popularity
here in the States. Forza Motorsport started lending a hand once the Xbox came on the market, but Gran Turismo got there first. Like
the Skyline, most of us wouldn't know or care about the Lancer Evo series if it wasn't for our game. It's true, and it's stated
in print again and again. Another factor is that after 1999, WRC (World Rally Championship) rules no longer specified that
a manufacturer's production models needed to resemble its racing models. This is why the latest Evos have become increasingly
different from racing to production so far as style & weight are concerned.
Speaking of the WRC, it also doesn't hurt that Lancer Evos have won the WRC not once, not twice...but four
times in a row, piloted by Finnish driver Tommi Mäkinen. Incidentally, Tommi quit Mitsubishi after that
fourth win; the Evo VI happened to be his last drive before Mitsubishi stopped Group A racing. Why? There is some speculation
about this; most people think it has to do with weight, and it's true that as the Lancer has gained popularity, it has also
gained pounds. Compare an Evo II to the Evo VI and you'll find the latter car has about 250 pounds over the earlier. Even
as I drive an Evo IV, then hop in an Evo VI, the difference is obvious as I'll outline in the Handling section below.
But so far as Tommi goes, I think he just wanted to retire while he was hot.
There are a variety of Lancer models
in our games, so let's have a look at a few of them.
In real-life, the Lancer can be bought in several different
variations: sedans, and (I believe) wagons. But it's only the Evolutions that are found in our games, other than a few
Lancer classics. PD specifically focuses on the very top models as well: the GSR and the RS. The GSR is the more civilian-friendly
model, while the RS is stripped of weight & several features to make it better for amateur-level racing.
There
are several versions of the GSR and RS in real-life, as well, and PD further defines certain model packages in the games,
like Tommi Mäkinen versions in GT4 and GT5. GT5's T.M. SCP can only be bought as a Premium model, which features
a dash composed mostly of mundane, dark plastic and perhaps vinyl. Nothing special, really, but this car also some
eye-catching red gauges and a handsome black & silver steering wheel. The seats (genuine Recaros, as we can see during
replays) are a striking red & black. Tachometer and speedometer are both present and easy-to-read. The GSR costs
a bit more than it did in earlier games, but in my opinion it's worth it. Real-life Evo VI's cost about $27,000, and
a TM version could fetch up to $57,000, according to Supercars.net. Trust me, it's all worth it!
Now let's have
a look at what's going on under the hood.
---------------ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN----------------
One thing I know is there's little that's negative to say here. Among the cast of characters represented
by the Gran Turismo series, the Lancer Evolution may not be star of the play in every scene, but it does take a lead
role every now and then--thanks in part to its fantastic power source and great traction on all surfaces.
This small 4G63T-coded engine, in conjunction with a set of titanium-aluminum turbochargers, does
its job so efficiently and with a lack of lag, it's easy to forget you're being hurled around by a 2.0 liter inline-4. Unlike
Impreza Stis, which possess a higher redline and tend to scream (or at least grumble and pound as they deliver),
the Evos (even the higher powered red & white rally cars) get the same job done but with more of a midrange rasp. Or a
bassy hum, since they feature a lower redline. It's what highlights the differences between Sti and Evo, and lends each car
certain strengths and weaknesses.
Neither Subie or Mitsu really stands out against the other, however; but this is mainly because both cars
are of a similar weight and boast similar dimensions. This tends to happen when two companies are directly competing
with each other. Witness the late-'60s horsepower wars, for instance, as each year, American cars got bigger and bigger with
more and more power, yet handled and braked less gracefully! ... When going head to head (Sti versus Evo in 2-player action),
it's rare one car stands out against the other, assuming they're similarly powered & matched. In comparison
to the '60s, the modern melee between Subaru and Mitsubishi has taken place on many other levels (other than just power).
In each successive year of Evo or Sti, the cars have maybe gained a few pounds, but it's mostly due to advances in technology.
Or it's due to an effort at better rigidity: body, suspension, or subframe(s). At least, this is often the reason
for extra pounds up till '99.
Due to Japan's infamous "gentleman's agreement", only so much can be done in the power
department since 276 hp is supposed to be the max. With the Evo VI, Mitsubishi has slyly pushed past to 310 horsepower.
Since power can't get much higher than 276 quoted/310 actual hp in their production cars, Japanese car-makers have had
to rely on other advances: bigger oil coolers, stronger metals, better brakes...stuff like this, which of course makes the
total car better as a whole. And we're not complaining. Well, most of us aren't.
We'll only make 310 in GT3 or 5 after
we've "broken in" the engine (GT5 assumes we are discussing the Premium model), which happens after about 200 miles
of driving. The Evo VI of GT4 will need an oil change, since in this game the car can only be bought used. GT5's
Tommi Mäkinen model (the one this review is focusing on) is Premium, but there are also used Sixes to be found, if you search
really hard. I bought the Premium model, and then subjected it to a series of 1-make races, Seasonal events, and other miscellaneous
drives. All of this was done to break the car's engine in. The results can be found in the next paragraph.
So 310 is good, but of course, we can add even bigger turbos in any game, heh heh heh. When racing, the
only "Gentleman's Agreement" we have is to murder other cars! We can do so with 3 turbo stages in
GT2, 3, and 5 and up to FIVE turbos in GT4. Never will turbo lag be too great, since we're not talking
huge upgrades in power here. This is a plus. On the negative side, we won't be making any Skyline super-power. In
GT2, the RS and GSR models can be pushed just past 600 horses with full upgrades, but in latter games we'll be lucky if we
can make it past 500. In GT2, it's the lighter race-car copycat RS that is recommended to tackle any race the 2nd game
has to offer.
Here are GT5's results, for instance...
horsepower torque
Fresh engine: 302 @ 6,500 / 295 @ 3,000
Aft.
break-in: 315 @ 6,500 / 304 @ 3,000
Oil Changed: 326 @ 6,500 / 318 @ 3,000
Full Tuning:* 415 @ 7,000 / 370 @ 3,600
Stage 1 NA: 426 @ 7,100 / 374 @ 3,700
Stage
2 NA: 445 @ 7,100 / 386 @ 4,800
Stage 3 NA: 457 @ 7,200 / 390 @ 4,900
Stg 1 turbo: 480 @ 6,900 / 433 @ 3,900
Stg 2 turbo: 492 @ 6,800 / 444 @ 4,900
Stg 3 turbo: 518
@ 7,400 / 420 @ 5,400
* this includes full break-in, oil change, computer chip, racing filter, and
the best intake and exhaust parts
518 horsepower sounds like a lot, and it is, most of the time, but eventually the Evo VI loses its place
in that long line of GT5 careers.
One other drawback to mention is the lack of a 6-speed transmission,
a rather glaring aspect in the year 1999, when others were making the jump from five to six. Both the Lancer Evolution VI
versions RS and GSR are equipped with a 5-speed, and to enhance acceleration, these gears are rather short. This is important
in cars with small engines, and (trust me) you'll rarely have to worry about getting off the mark with haste. In GT3, 4, or
5 we can upgrade to a 6-speed with close or full-custom gears, but in GT2, we are stuck with five. Why is this a problem?
To some, ultimate top speed is another drawback, especially on tarmac. When you have a small engine matched
with short gears, it doesn't matter if it's turbocharged or not; eventually you're gonna run out of top-end. Also, these sedans
aren't the most aerodynamic of cars. Instead, they're rather boxy, which can be necessary in rallies where plenty of
suspension travel is necessary. For all these reasons, Lancer Evos have great acceleration, but are lacking overall speed,
especially as we start pushing towards 150 mph.
Over the previous six years, Mitsubishi had attempted to perfect their
all-wheel drive system, so that an Evo I is a much different experience than an Evo VI. The earliest Evo from '92
or '93 featured a mostly mechanical drivetrain: a mixture of open & limited-slip differentials front and rear, as well
as a fixed center diff. By the time we get to the Evo VI's day, we are now talking about a much more sophisticated system,
and this shall be discussed shortly. Actually, it shall be discussed now...
------------------CHASSIS / HANDLING-------------------
After visiting over 20 websites devoted to Tommi Mäkinen and/or Lancer Evos, one thing is clear: their
handling is supposed to be spectacular. Me? I took it a step further, driving thru a greater variety of conditions (pavement
and off-road) to get an idea of how to start this review.
Mitsubishi has definitely raised the bar, but I'd like to give the Evo VI an 8 out of 10 in the handling department (driving
on pavement...not dirt), the car in GT2 I'd rate slightly better. Maybe an 8.5. Why not a 9? Why not a 10?
Understeer. Everyone who's raced these expects understeer from all-wheel drive sedans,
and the Evo is no exception. It's definitely the worst trait to watch for, but in an Evo VI, you'll also sometimes need
to be aware of oversteer as well, depending which game we're discussing. .... Finally, assuming neither of these
issues are present, the Evo tries its best, but it always has a rather inflexible sort of feel as it's cornering. It's
a very 'safe' car, but not a very spontaneous one.
GT2
In GT2, Mitsubishi's aftermarket supplier Ralli Art offers us a device called
a "Yaw control". This basically is a system that's supposed to detect wheelspin via sensors located at each wheel from
left to right. A computerized hydraulic system then will either add or subtract assistance from the side that's
not slipping. Throttle input, braking input, acceleration, g-forces and overall traction are supposed to be considered
by the yaw system for overall best handling.
The yaw controller (as we buy it in the game from Ralli Art) is a replacement
for limited-slip differentials, or at least that how some have described it, but it's a rather poor replacement in
GT2. I've found that this device is rather useless. As the car takes corners and the rear starts slipping....it'll
keep oversteering whether I've got Yaw dialed softly or hard.
It's tedious to have to bolt and configure front
and rear differentials, but in the long run they make a lot more of a positive difference. In this game, anyways. Note: I
wrote these words long ago, and didn't really discuss how the car actually handles. Since I jumped straight to the Yaw system,
this assumes a bit of cornering difficulties (oversteer, as well as understeer) were present, and I was trying my best
to get rid of them. PB--06/26/13
GT3
I've noticed when racing earlier Evos at the GT3 Amateur level Evolution Meeting, that you can push
them into that final corner of Midfield II (to give an example)...and countersteer is not necessary...in fact it can hurt
the Evo's abiltiy to leave that particular corner. You won't need to countersteer here--just slide in, turn left, and hit
the gas when appropriate. Try this with an Evo VI and what happens? Well, hopefully you've got some countersteering skills!
The latter Evo reacts and recovers quickly from slides and power-oversteer, thankfully. I'm making it sound worse than it
is, perhaps...but you still need to be watchful.
In GT3, it seems no matter how the Variable Torque Converter is configured (which dials a front to rear
bias of power), there will always have a fair amount of oversteer to keep us on our toes. Dialing the converter
for 10% bias up front, leaving 90% power going towards the rear is desireable at certain tracks, and makes the car handle
like a rear-drive with plenty of fishtailing! The remaining 10% of drive up front does help, but it's the rear tires that
are in charge. Make it 50% all around, and notice how the car is often now at war with itself at times; the front-end is plowing,
but at other times the rear is trying to kick itself around! Route 11 is a great track to witness this uncertainty, especially
as the turbos get stronger and harder tires are in place for some of GT3's mini-endurance races.
I never got around
to trying the AYC in this game so can't write about it now.
GT4
Now in this game, I decided (after I located and bought a used Lancer
Evo VI) to immediately change its oil, buy and equip some road tires (N3), and take it to Laguna Seca for some track
testing.
On those cheap tires, the poor Evo VI seems baffled at times, as if it's wondering why you've shod
it with worn-out Keds rather than Shaq-edition Reeboks. Power delivery while the VI is still stock is extremely smooth,
even on these lesser tires, leading one to make the mistake of thinking he's driving on a cloud, perhaps. In reality,
there is much going on underneath the car.
Ever since the fourth generation, the Evo GSR has been sold with Mitsubishi's
Active Yaw Control as an option. I think by 1999, AYC is now standard on all Evos, but various websites I visited confuse
this information. Anyways, the Evo VI certainly could have AYC modeled into the car as it appears in GT4; certainly in this
game, PD now has the computer technology to get this system correctly modeled from real-life to virtuality. Of course, this
Yaw system can't be adjusted till $8,000 is dropped at Ralli Art or any of those aftermarket houses.
Anyways,
before any of this is installed, and while we're still on cheap tires, the Evo VI's worst enemy is (of course) understeer.
This understeer emerges and re-emerges if the gas is pounded a bit too hard at the wrong moment, especially
if the driver hasn't taken the necessary steps to get the car lined up properly before blasting out of a turn.
Understeer
understeer understeer.
The good news is, we can learn to avoid entry-corner understeer by braking properly
to some extent. Once this is done, an entire new world opens up, as if Alice has just eaten a mushroom. Behind the virtual
door of understeer, there is lots of hidden behavior. Proper braking can lead to:
1> the car's
front-end diving into a corner if it's been steered harshly. Rather than understeer, now the front is gripping.
2> Mid-corner, the entire car seems to settle itself. Rather than understeer, all four tires are
gripping...just as you want them to do.
3> And late-corner, if you're still steering harshly, the
rear can actually get loose. And slide! Jump on the throttle if you dare...
4>
..or you can just drive mildly like the Ai does. This will keep the Evo VI as if it's riding on rails.
But overall,
this car is not happy on these N3 tires. Some cars don't mind riding on cheap tires. You can still perform some magic
as you drive these cars. Not in the Evolution VI, though. As a further experiment, I equipped the adjustable Yaw device
while the car still had N3s on, just to see what would happen.
Advanced Yaw Control (GT4)
It's
got a default of "30". Apparently this is how the car is set before it has the AYC installed. In other words, there is no
difference between the car while it's stock, and after it's had the AYC installed at default. Now when we set it to its
max of 130 (heh heh) the difference is so obvious. Steering input in particular becomes very strong...and takes
much of that prior understeer away with it. This sounds great! Problem is, now the car becomes less safe, alot more
fun, but also less controllable. Instead of the front-end of your car heading
off-road, now it's usually the back-end.
...And it's partially the fact that this car really feels happier
on sports tires. Once it's on sports, once you've got the Yaw dialed in properly to your liking, and once you've got at least
a sport suspension underneath, look out!
In GT2, my big complaint was that it seemed AYC did nothing. Now I understand
what it's supposed to do in GT4: kill understeer.> Or at least make the Lancer Evo edge into corners with greater
success and less push. In a way, it's almost the reverse of limited-slip devices (which introduce more understeer, rather
than lessen it). In GT2, since there isn't nearly as much understeer as in GT4, perhaps the reason why I didn't feel
the effect of this device is because it merely turned a lightly-understeering car that otherwise handles precisely into
one that's harder to control. So in GT4, the AYC device is therefore a good buy. But it's not the only mod we
can buy...
The Evo VI in this game can virtually become one of the most customizable cars in Gran Turismo
ever, especially once it's considered limited-slips, VCD and other exotic parts
are also at within reach. Mostly (honestly) we won't need these other parts. The more stuff that gets
installed, the more complicated things can start to get. Plenty of tuning n00bs can easily find themselves
thinking they'll need it all: and wind up with a car that's equipped with a set of full-custom limited-slips, along with
either a AYC or VCD system (you can't install all three). All of this junk can start to damage handling in
many many ways, rather than help. Keep it simple.
GT5
Gran Turismo
5 seperates itself from earlier games, in the sense that a lot of popular JDM machines (Integras, Silvia K's, Civics,
STis, etc.) aren't even needed until we reach some later portions of the game. Enter a car with over (let's say) 150 horsepower
in any of this game's Beginner, Amateur, or Professional Japanese races, and you'll be sure to find yourself blowing
away the competition if you've got even a little bit of driving skill. It really is sad.
So here I am finding
myself not even driving a long list of JDMs until I've reached the Expert Series: specifically the Tuning Car Grand
Prix. The competition sometimes rates at over 600 horsepower at this point, so since I know I can get my Lancer
Evo VI somewhere between 400 and 518, I should be good.
I am not even sure if the Evo VI is competitive in the TCGP
with 518 hp, but I also don't care. I'm going to try and find out. I am SICK of not driving my favorite JDMs,
due to the fact that GT5's Japanese A-spec races (not to mention the Clubman Cup and FF Challenge) are way too easy. So to
start this portion of the review, I drove my Evo VI with its stock power at Suzuka Circuit (the first track featued
in the TCGP), and as I did in GT4, I drove this 302 horsepower sports sedan on cheap comfort softs first, before
moving on to better tires, and then better parts & more power.
Driving mildly, the Lancer Evo is a typical all-wheel
drive sedan: leaning a bit, displaying (perhaps) a tad of understeer on-entry if one forgets to brake, but otherwise
handling as if it's on rails. "On rails" ... who started that phrase? It always seems to fit. Curbs and bumps make barely
a dent in cornering lines, due to a rather softly-set suspension, and there's not really too much else to say.
Anyways,
go up a few notches, from mild driving to something more daring, and the expected understeer does start to show up here and
there. It's always controllable, but it can become a problem very quickly on these cheap tires, especially once a braking
point is missed. But assuming you've got your braking down, any front-end pushing can easily be dealt with, and Mitsubishi
makes sure we've got some top-rate equipment to work with.
With Brembos at all four corners, the Lancer's stopping
power is just about as good as it gets in Gran Turismo 5. Trail-braking is a bit stiff from higher speeds, but it also feels
nice and safe. Better tires (and stronger Yaw settings) increase this car's ability to brake & turn
at the same time, but mostly the car only allows so much twisting-in before some invisible hand stops this sort of action.
Now, the understeer. Everybody's favorite subject, right? Oddly, I am noticing some entry-understeer, but less
exit-understeer (less torque steer, basically), comparing GT4 to GT5. When leaving turns (tight or wide) all this car in GT5 wants
to do is please the driver. It digs into the turn and thrusts its way out, with the front-end only becoming
a problem out of the tightest areas, and this assumes the driver is forcing a bit too much gasoline too fast.
In both
games, the rear has a habit of weaving about as forceful acceleration is needed out of some turns. GT5 allows a
bit more weaving, but less sliding from the rear out of tighter areas. I described a bit of smoke and drama in GT4 when leaving
certain tighter turns, for instance. This simply never happens in GT5; which is a bit unexpected in this game in which
lots of cars exhibit more oversteer, period.
There's also the slides! I was able to get some decently safe high-speed slides into some
of Suzuka's larger curves (such as Turn 15); these are the sort of turns that we can finally break grip with the cheaper
rubber, or sports tires for that matter! These slides are always fun (assuming the driver manages to stay on track)
and never does the rear-end start to take a wider path than the front (causing a spin) although there are some moments here
and there when the rear feels as if it's about to lose it. In GT4, remember, it never felt this way: loss of lateral
grip from the rear was simply absent. It was about one-tenth what it is now.
Equip the Evo's stock
hard sport tires, and the front-end pushing mostly vanishes, assuming the exact braking zones are kept from radials to sports.
Understeer only shows up (honestly) if we want it to. This may sound crazy, but there are times that I enjoy a little bit
of pushing, just because. Anyways, I pushed my purple Evo VI harder and harder around Suzuka, braking later and
later into certain curves and hairpins. There might be a bit of push, but otherwise the front tires only grip the
road's surface. Surprisingly, the Evo also occasionally offered some over-gripping from the front-end, leading
to a tightened entry into certain turns, which is very unlike GT4 of course. Yes!!! Options! I
love cornering options.
I also messed with this car's AYC, which has a default of 30,
and can't be dialed any lower. I don't remember whether the GT4 could's AYC could go any lower. Anyways, at 60
(and on hard sport tires with default suspension parts), I can't say I noticed much difference, but in Suzuka's early turns
the 'ghost car', me driving during previous laps, quickly fell behind by at least a half second.
With the AYC on 90,
I immediately noticed a difference: the front-end now had a habit of swerving into turns if I applied a bit too much
steering input. And this became rather dangerous as I over-compensated (expecting the usual all-wheel drive 'on rails'
jazz) only to find the car getting a bit too "grabby", fighting with itself. Now my ghost was getting a bit ahead of
me! Leaving turns is also a much different ballgame. It often did not matter how much steering input was being used,
the car would just follow whatever path was being commanded. With AYC on default, applying throttle out of turns wouldn't
necessarily cause any drastic understeer, but the car would start taking a slightly different (slightly straighter) path.
Not so with AYC on 90. Do the rails curve? So does the car as it runs more firmly upon them.
Finally, I
put the AYC on its max of 130, and quickly found myself in a sand trap! Not that the car is now totally
undrivable, but it takes some getting used to. At times, the Lancer feels as if it's now a mid-engined vehicle instead of
a front-engined one.
Now, to the Grand Prix!
When racing this car with full turbo power, and on hard racing
tires, it's amazing how little other tuning is needed. Remember that here I am entering a series of races dominated by 'tuners';
this means I should tune, right?
Not necessarily so. Not in this car. Suspension and brake tuning is much more
of an option than it is in (let's say) the Ford Mustang Cobra R I also drove as I phished for weight/power ratios during the
TCGP. The Lancer's stock Brembos keep braking action from being a problem, and I even did a test-race with this
car's stock suspension, surprised to find that I could always keep the Lancer Evo VI pointed in the direction I wanted, even with
those soft suspension parts underneath. Slight bits of understeer only became a problem here and there. I did finally
equip a brake balancer, height-adjustable suspension, and a bit of AYC tuning, just to give my Evo a more solid feel.
But limited-slips and the variable torque distributor? These never became needed.
Summary
...From game to game, the Evo VI can be a pleasure or a rather difficult machine. Again, I'm not saying the Evo
is 100% cantankerous, in fact I love the way it can suprise, the multitude of options to be had. It's half the
reason I'm writing this review. But the Lancer Evolution VI is also not perfect. It is not as precise with steering
and power-to-pavement delivery as all those Tommi websites would have us believe, unless we know what we're doing.
I'm inclined to say some earlier versions of the Evo handle more preferably than the VI, or at least they get around
with less drama, but this is pure opinion on my part.
In any event, Lancer Evos (especially the rally cars) do still handle dirt tracks spectacularly,
even with no AYC, LSD, or VCD. This is true in ANY Gran Turismo. 10 out of 10 here, folks. Matter of fact, I find
that the AYC in particular can hurt the Evo off-road, even though it's a great tool on pavement. Off-road, these
cars CAN live up to the hype as they're getting sideways (TOTALLY sideways) in some hair-raising corners like
at Tahiti Maze.
On-road or off, Evo VIs are like giant tarantulas, with an amazing ability necessary
to get scrambling back to full speed, and with a price tag that'll have you scrambling towards the dealership.
PROS------------------------------------------------
1). No slacker in the acceleration department. Even when driven
completely stock, the Evo VI (or most any Evo) can reach 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. That's Corvette C4 territory...
from a engine 3x smaller than the 'vette's V8.
2). Amazing brakes, too.
3). Sweet turbo & intercooler upgrades for the GSR, RS, or Group A rally cars, in any game. A few credits
tend to go a long way, and you can wind up dominating all but the fastest of races...and then you can even give those
a try with success, too, if you're that good.
4). GT3, 4, & 5 cars get a 6-speed gearbox with some tranny upgrades.
5). Nicely priced, even from the new car lot in GT2. Again, your money is well spent and you can start tackling
races in GT2 or 4 immediately.
6). Great handling cars in some respects. The Evo sixes in GT2 handle better than the ones in 3 or 4 only
because less realism is represented in this game (and this means less understeer). For those who are tuning-freaks in GT3,
4, and 5 there's always the AYC, VCD, and/or other parts to help get that near-perfect balance.
7). Not too heavy when compared to many other sedans, and let's consider that those sedans are often not
all-wheel drive. In an RS, the pounds fall! Race-kit available in GT2 for all Evo sixes. The GT5 Premium TM car can
accept front spoiler & rear wing.
8). Winning those rally cars in certain games just rocks. ;-)
9). Great sounds come from that exhaust. Good job, Sony. Or Polyphony...whatever.
10). 90% of the time, these cars have the traction of a bulldozer.
11). Depending which game
you've got, there are several Evo VI cars to choose from including the GSR, RS, Tommi Mäkinen editions, and full
WRC rally cars. These can be bought new, used, or won as prizes.
CONS------------------------------------------
1). Acceleration is great down-low, but tends to fall
off once the tranny is in 3rd or 4th gear. You'll need full-custom gears to increase that top-end down the straights
sooner or later.
2). The Evo VI rally car in GT2 gets no turbo upgrades.
3). Limited color choices for the GSR. The RS can be had in any color so long as it's white.
4). Confusing issues with steering and cornering paths at times due to the otherwise awesome all-wheel drive
system. I only mention this since other websites don't. At times, the great-handling Lancer Evo can be clumsy just
like any other sedan...though it does recover with ease. Understeer dominates till you learn to get rid of it (either thru
tuning and/or driving techniques), and even then, it sometimes still shows up.
5). Extensive tuning knowledge is sometimes
necessary to get your Evo VI to drive just as you'd like it to drive, despite what "they" say. This is truest as the
power stacks towards the strongest turbo systems, of course.
6). Boxy aerodynamics botch smooth airflow (and therefore) speed. And why is it that in GT3 or 5 we can
modify the back wing but not the front spoiler of a GSR or RS? And in GT4, we can't modify downforce till we buy a wing kit?
7). Somewhat ugly, grotesque autos these are, unlike the simpler Evos I thru III. In reality, never
will any Evo win a beauty contest.
8). The VI is also several hundred pounds heavier than the earliest Evos.
9). Turbo lag starts showing up with just a Stage 2 turbo system in certain games, confining useable power to a lesser
and lesser area. We can feel this in GT3 and GT4 more than in GT2 or 5.
10). GT2: the Yaw control device feels
like a waste of money in this game.
Published: October 8, 2006
GT3 & 4 info added: uhh....
GT5 info added: June 21, 2013
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