Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution - Final Review

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution - Final Review

Any real tuner will tell you: to reach its full potential, a car must be more than a jumble of fancy parts. Every aspect must be weighed against the other with the singular goal of going fast. Gear ratios must be set to the power laid down by the motor. Boost must be perfectly mapped to extract every last horsepower. Spring rates and shocks must work together to keep rubber on the road.

Raphael "Racer X" Estevez has been focused on this balancing act for nearly 15 years, with the quarter-mile being his specialty. This street racer turned legitimate tuner bases his company DRT (Drag Race Technologies) in Woodside, New York. Years of expertise and long hours with a wrench have led to the creation of everything from nine-second Civics to this street/strip Evo VIII. "I think building street cars is more of a challenge," says Estevez. Dedicated race cars can get by with rock-hard suspension, no air conditioning, and blaring exhausts. But driver comfort and "streetability" require a different angle: "Someone comes to me with their dream, it's my job to make that dream come alive."

Jayson Rodriguez's dream was an elegant street car that could walk the line between daily transportation and track burner. Four months and $25,000 later, this svelte Evo VIII can undoubtedly hold its own.

The Evo VIII is a great starting point for achieving the perfect street/strip car. Four doors and four-wheel drive offer up practicality and traction for the everyday bustle, while hustle comes from a turbo motor with years of racing history. Plus, the 4G63 has a gift for being tuned.

Estevez set about weaving his magic. Poking out from the stock front air dam is a Precision intercooler, measuring three inches deep. For minimal kinks from the turbo to the intake, DRT custom-fabricated the beefy silver intercooler piping. Other custom DRT creations include the headers and downpipe, which mount the turbo front and center in the engine bay. TiAl purges the boost with its atmospheric wastegate, colored red to match the valve cover.

Finding a compromise between massive power and too much lag can be tricky for a turbo street car. "The first turbo was a GT40R, but when we ran the car we didn't like the way it spooled. It felt too much like a race car with a lot of lag," says Estevez. A little less lag can go a long way on the street, so Rodriguez opted for the slightly smaller GT35R. At full tilt, the 35R spews out 35psi of boost. This much boost requires a tsunami of fuel, so dual Walbro pumps feed humungous 1000cc/min injectors. HKS was used to bolster spark with its DLI system.

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