Mitsubishi and Subaru are entering round two of the newest battle for all-wheel-drive supremacy and AutoExpress has ringside seats. Both automakers are preparing hard-core versions of their turbocharged, rally-bred road rockets and that means more power, more aerodynamic mods and, in the case of Subaru, less weight.

The Lancer Evolution X M

R is on the way, with a new fascia equipped with extra venting and a new air intake, while a revised rear wing, side skirts and blacked-out wheels complete the exterior makeover. Output is increased by 20 hp (in JDM spec) to 305 hp and the mid-range has been tweaked to provide more low-end torque, dropping the 0-60 time to under five seconds. The paddle-shifted SST twin-clutch transmission transfers over from the GSR model (likely with some software revisions) and the body has been stiffened to maximize the MR’s handling.Subaru is taking a different tack, keeping power upgrades to the STI’s turbo’d 2.5-liter boxer to a minimum and instead focusing on weight reduction. The Impreza WRX STI Spec C will get a slightly revised aero kit, with a roof scoop (functional?), standard gold wheels, a lightweight roof, aluminum trunk lid, compact battery, smaller fuel tank and thinner compartment glass all around. All that work is expected to result in a 154-pound drop in weight, so the Spec C will tip the scales at just over 3,000 pounds.

Subaru is also planning to equip the new Legacy with the STI’s drivetrain, a revised suspension and slapping on an “S402″ badge on the back, along with a sporting interior with more grippy seats. All of this is only for JDM consumption at the moment, but we’d expect to see both the MR and Spec C hit the UK next year, with sales in the U.S. of the MR coming around the same time.
[Source: AutoExpress]

Mitsubishi and Subaru are entering round two of the newest battle for all-wheel-drive supremacy and AutoExpress has ringside seats. Both automakers are preparing hard-core versions of their turbocharged, rally-bred road rockets and that means more power, more aerodynamic mods and, in the case of Subaru, less weight.

The Lancer Evolution X MR is on the way, with a new fascia equipped with extra venting and a new air intake, while a revised rear wing, side skirts and blacked-out wheels complete the exterior makeover. Output is increased by 20 hp (in JDM spec) to 305 hp and the mid-range has been tweaked to provide more low-end torque, dropping the 0-60 time to under five seconds. The paddle-shifted SST twin-clutch transmission transfers over from the GSR model (likely with some software revisions) and the body has been stiffened to maximize the MR’s handling.

Subaru is taking a different tack, keeping power upgrades to the STI’s turbo’d 2.5-liter boxer to a minimum and instead focusing on weight reduction. The Impreza WRX STI Spec C will get a slightly revised aero kit, with a roof scoop (functional?), standard gold wheels, a lightweight roof, aluminum trunk lid, compact battery, smaller fuel tank and thinner compartment glass all around. All that work is expected to result in a 154-pound drop in weight, so the Spec C will tip the scales at just over 3,000 pounds.

Subaru is also planning to equip the new Legacy with the STI’s drivetrain, a revised suspension and slapping on an “S402″ badge on the back, along with a sporting interior with more grippy seats. All of this is only for JDM consumption at the moment, but we’d expect to see both the MR and Spec C hit the UK next year, with sales in the U.S. of the MR coming around the same time.
[Source: AutoExpress]

Our new friend Dan sent us a few sketches of what’s supposedly the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback, a near production-ready version of the Sportback Concept that debut back in 2005. Although we’re not sure if these are official images out of Mitsu-HQ, they’re very similar to some of the concept sketches we’ve seen in the past.

This new shot stays true to the original Sportback concept’s profile and lines, but comes complete with a front clip that’s more reminiscent of the rest of the Lancer line and a rear end that looks far more feasible for production. When the hatch finally makes it to dealers, likely sometime later this year, expect power to come from a 2.4-liter four, with an Evo version getting the same turbocharged 2.0-liter and all-wheel-drive system from its four-door sibling. And if Mitsubishi is smart, and decides to bring the hatch to the States, a Ralliart version to compete with the Subaru Impreza WRX five-door should be in the cards.

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