Best Motoring Jan. '08 times...

1/4 mile:
X-5MT (5500RPM)
14.057

X-SST (S-Sport)
13.650

X-SST (S-Sport, 5000RPM Launch)
13.712

Ebisu Circuit:
IX-GSR
23.054

X-5MT
22.476 (ASC OFF AYC OFF?)
22.142 (ASC OFF AYC ON?)
23.303 (ASC ON)

Tsukuba Best Lap:
IX-MR 1:06.264
07 STi 1:06.581
X-5MT 1:06.919
X-SST 1:07.360

 

So the SST runs the 1/4 mile faster when it's not launched? That seems odd.

 

I saw one today.

 

Just finished watching the episode of Best Motoring and I have to say I'm highly disappointed in the EVO X. It was marginally faster than the EVO 9 GSR on a REALLY twisty bit of what looked like a go-kart track, but on the Best Motoring test track, Tsukuba, the EVO X fell way short of the 9 GSR and the older model WRX STi.

The SST equipped EVO X actually had a failing transmission after only 4 laps, and alarmingly it was starting to rev limiter bounce after only 2 laps, indicating the transmission was getting far too hot. By the end the SST was short shifting and basically failed. Around the test track the 5MT EVO X was 0.7s slower than the EVO 9 GSR, and the SST EVO X was a whole 1.1s slower than the EVO 9 GSR.

What the hell is going on then? The SST is extremely fragile and obviously the car is underpowered and overweight. I'm quite sad really, and angry at Mitsubishi .

Cheers
Michael

 

The Mr with the SST has been "delayed" most likely for that very reason.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/13/m...r-from-34-000/

Holy crap. If this is right then boy was I wrong. I cannot fathom how they could price a MR at $38-39k. With the insane insurance on this car you might as well get a Corvette.

 

^ I agree... way too much money. Especially considering the insurance rate.

 

i work at a mitsu dealer and my service manager said we are getting the evo x the first week of january so i will try to do the pdi on it if i can.

 

Very true. I am quite unimpressed with the 1/4 mile times.

 

The tires may suck for launches. Who knows? If you already don't have much traction without a launch, then launching the car will only slow down your 60' because you're spinning the tires.

 

Does 13.4 @ 103 sound better? C&D just did their test in their new comparo. Either that high-rpm misfire Motortrend got was really bad, Mitusbishi did some serious tweaking since then, or someone (from MT or C&D) is flat out lying. This is much, much faster than what MT saw.

People who have started taking delivery of their X's in the US are remarking at how much better the SAWD system is than in the IX -- dramatically so. Early indications from a handful of mod shops are that the engine in the X is very accessible with some very impressive design choices/implementations. AGP put in a TBE and a retune and was up 84 whp. While it's quite possible the new engine won't be able to handle 800+ hp like the outgoing version, it may very well get to ~400whp easily and without incident.

 

The C&D numbers were nice to see. However, I'm skeptical, the C&D numbers go against just about every other test that has been done. High 13s around 100mph have been seen over and over again in many publications... I'll reserve final judgement as to what the Evo X can do in a straight line for when guys start hitting the strip with their personal cars.

 

I'm still waiting to see somebody compare 4 USDM models, on the same track, same dyno, and on the same day: Evo IX, '07 STI, Evo X and '08 STI. I really get the sense these cars have regressed in the performance department but just want some empirical proof.

 

Yeah, I agree. I think the only thing to really do is wait.

The only thing I will say is that none of the previous comparos I've seen seemed reliable at all. Best Motoring wasn't using US-spec cars, MotorTrend had issues at high-rpms, and Road & Track used the phrase "should be in the low 5s" making it seem like they hadn't even tested it.

It's also possible that someone at C&D knows how to launch an AWD car very well.

 

Well, here's some stuff from Road&Track:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/d...Vwrx_chart.pdf

Pretty even for both, but I think I would still take the EvoX over the STI.

 

Evo X has already proven to be more mod friendly. The utility of a hatch would be nice though.

 

So then the new Challenger can beat you!

 

y is there a thread devoted to the evo x on the rx-8 club site?

 

It sure does. I'm hoping everyone can repeat these test results. That's a good time for a stock turbo I4.

 

We (or me) like RX- cars but that doesn't mean we (or me) can't appreciate other great rides.

 

The price is getting too close to Corvette territory. If it gets any closer it's going to fail and we won't get any more Evolutions in the U.S.

 

How is the price close too close to Corvette territory?

$33,625 is not close to Corvette territory of 46k.

If you were looking at the STI, the STI was always priced around mid-30k. It's the options that are shown that change things up a bit.

 

Did somebody in this thread not quote the one with the super duper gearbox as going for about $39k? If not, my apologies.

The '04 STi MSRP was under $32k. It creeped up bit by bit over the years, yes.

 

I just wanna say that now that I'm interested in getting an Evo and have been frequenting the Evo forums lately to get info, I've become more grateful for knowing about this forum. We all go at it every now and again and argue about pointless crap, but for the most part things work well here. While there are a handful of really smart people on any forum, the general tone of those boards is depressing.

 

So... I drove an X on Fri.


Let me preface this by saying that it has been quite some time since I've driven a stock Evo VIII or IX.

Looks: You be the judge, I've seen so many photos over the last couple years that the looks don't do as much for me as some other new car on the market might.

Interior: Big step up from past versions. Better quality materials, much nicer controls, and everything is well laid out. The seats are virtually the same as past Evos but with a higher headrest and different upholstery. In other words they're about the best damn seats you'll ever find in a car (as long as you're not a heffer). Between the seats and the well thought out layout I felt instantly at home since it's feels almost identical to the previous Evo but with a classier look. One thing that did stand out is the fact that the trunk room seems much smaller.

The Drive: Ride quality is greatly improved from the previous Evos. Despite that the handling reflexes are still there and the turn in is still sharp and quick. I didn't want to push it hard because it was cold and a touch icy which can be a little scary with stock Evo tires. The clutch is lighter than the previous models and the shifting was smooth and had pretty good feel to it. This one was a bit hard to judge since I have the most aggressive shortshifter on the market in my Evo and the throws felt quite long compared to what I'm used to.

The new Evo weighs in a couple hundred lbs. more than my car but if I didn't know the weight difference I never would have guessed it. Mitsubishi did a great job making a heavier car feel pretty light and nimble. Some of that extra weight is a result of more sound deadening and I'd say road noise is low enough to satisfy all but the cushy luxury crowd.

Power... hrm, tough one here and probably not fair for me to judge. But, it felt a little pokey. That's to be expected considering the mods on my car, but I was still hoping I'd drive it and be satisfied with the stock power. For anyone not used to a car with 300+whp it'll feel plenty fast. The power delivery is smoother and more linear than the previous engine and it has a surprising amount of low end power for having a fairly large turbo on a small engine.

The X is probably the best bang for the buck in the car world. It's a great car and it will win a lot of awards. All that said, I jumped in my Evo and happily drove away. The Evo X is wonderful and there's a very good chance it will be my next car if/when I need a new car. However, the rawness and sharper edge feel of my Evo still puts a big smile on my face and as of right now the better ride and interior of the X isn't enough for me to make the jump. That might change as soon as I get to drive a modded X...