2008 Mitsubishi Evolution X GSR - Adding New Components - Modified Magazine

As some of you may recall, I sold my Nissan 240SX many months ago and have been searching for my next project, which I wanted to be an AWD turbo car. My only two logical choices were either a Subaru WRX/STI or a Mitsubishi EVO. However, I've got a soft spot for Mitsu's since I have owned more than five DSMs in my life. Diamond Star Motors (DSM) was a joint venture between Mitsubishi and Chrysler in the early '90s, and they produced some of the best and fastest turbo FWD and AWD cars for their time-the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser. My first car was a turbocharged Laser, and I instantly fell in love with the DSM nameplate and their turbo four-cylinder engines and went on to own way too many of them.

I did look at some STIs when I was shopping around, but ultimately, I really fell in love with the way the EVO drove and more so how well it handled right out of the box. My plan was to purchase a late-model EVO VIII or IX, but as luck would have it, I managed to scoop up a brand-new EVO X for a great price thanks to Mitsubishi.

The 4B11 produces a healthy amount of power in stock trim, so the plan is to start with the bolt-ons and document every power mod to show before-and-after dyno results. We all know that tuning the ECU is critical to extracting the proper power, so I'll be heading over to Road Race Engineering frequently to do all my power mod testing and keep things consistent. We'll see how far the stock turbo can reach, and then a turbo upgrade may be in the future if the power isn't where I want it to be.

For the handling side of the vehicle, it's already very capable so I won't go too overboard in that department. If time permits, I'll even track test every new component I install to see how they react and improve the handling.

Exterior-wise, it's all about remaining subtle. Some minor carbon-fiber accents will be added, but otherwise it will stay stock-appearing. The rear mid-deck spoiler had to go because it's a bit too boy racer-ish for me (I already went ahead and removed it). I've also added Ralliart taillights that have a black housing instead of the stock red one.

I plan to pull some weight from the car, but only in areas that won't affect daily driveability because this vehicle is my primary mode of transportation. I want to ensure I can enjoy this car on a daily basis and be able to take it to the track for light lapping duty once in a while, which is what I think most EVO X owners are looking to get out of their cars.

If you have any ideas that you'd like to see with this project, please email me at peter@modified.com.