Rumorpile: Mitsubishi Goes Plug-In Hybrid For Next Lancer Evolution

A poor bet.

Interesting. I wonder what arrangement hybrid this will be.

evo buyers are not interested in extreme fuel economy nor do they care for zero emissions from a plug-in. Buyers of that sort of car -- the Tesla buyers -- are not interested in a Kamikaze AWD rally car for the streets. Trackday and/or real rally folks can't use a plug-in which runs out of juice or draws down its battery to limp mode a third of the way through the course -- that is if class rules even allow them to race it at all. Mitsu executives need to get their heads examined.

I'm assuming this is Mitsubishi's attempt to exit America with a bang, instead of a whimper like Suzuki. How else can anyone explain such a dumb idea?

The Evo is a balls-to-the-wall performance machine - its formula is almost sacred - and that got a lot of people my age into cars in the first place. The Evo is why Mitsubishi is even on the automotive map. It's a halo car. Why change it? I'm sure this plug-in car will be cool, but if it isn't, it'll likely kill the entire brand.

'Devo' sounds like it would be a more fitting name, as is it devolving into a lesser form.