Will Mitsubishi’s Ralliart return lead to Evolution XI? Brand boss reveals when the iconic performance model could make its comeback – CarsGuide

Mitsubishis president and CEO, Takao Kato, has revealed when the brand could start offering the cars that fans are waiting for, Evolution XI included, with its returning Ralliart sub-brand to lead the way.

According to Japanese publication Response, Mitsubishi shareholders had asked for the Evolution series to be revived, although Mr Kato told them at their annual general meeting on June 23 that firm plans for an 11th instalment remain off the table for now.

Electrification costs a lot of development costs, and the company is still not strong enough. We had a big deficit in the previous fiscal year, so we first revived the company and then put out the cars that fans are waiting for, he said via translator.

Needless to say, Mitsubishi is obviously prioritising its financial health, with its ongoing electric vehicle (EV) transition key to its long-term future. That said, once the ball is well and truly rolling there, the door is still open for the eagerly anticipated Evo XI.

In the meantime, the brand committed to the Ralliart sub-brands return in May, with Mr Kato having now confirmed we plan to expand it to a wide range of models as genuine accessories first. As reported, the Triton ute is set to be the first to receive the treatment.

And if the Evolution series is revived down the line, its increasingly unlikely to be based on the Lancer small car, as per the previous 10 instalments, although there are conflicting reports as to what form it would take.

Autocar claimed in June 2019 that Evo XI would share its CMF-C/D platform with the next-generation Megane RS hot hatch, which still makes a lot of sense given Mitsubishi and Renault make up two-thirds of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

The UK publication also said the Evo XI was due around 2022 and would be motivated by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with about 255kW of power and 450Nm of torque, and a 48V mild-hybrid system. Again, all of that sounded plausible.

That said, Mitsubishi heavily hinted at a very different direction for the high-performance Evolution series when it revealed the e-Evolution concept, an all-electric SUV, at the Tokyo motor show in October 2017.

Fast forward to January this year,Response reported the production version of the e-Evolution concept would be revealed later in 2021, but with two electric motors instead of three.

It goes without saying that this potential new model is likely to be mechanically related to the zero-emissions Nissan Ariya mid-size crossover, which is available with a 290kW/600Nm powertrain that wouldnt be out of place in the Evolution series.

Adding fuel to this fire is Mr Kato, who also said: We would like to create a car that allows customers to experience the electrification technology, SUV technology with high off-road driving performance, and the comfort performance in a functional and enjoyable space.

Its easy to put two and two together there, but time will tell if this model will be part of the Evolution series. Either way, fans will have to wait that little longer to find out what does or doesnt happen.

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Will Mitsubishi's Ralliart return lead to Evolution XI? Brand boss reveals when the iconic performance model could make its comeback - CarsGuide