Looks like I'm going to have to cash in a savings bond I got for my Bar Mitzvah. I know it's Risky Business, but Mitsubishi has just announced pricing estimates for the new Evo. Edmunds reports that the basic five-speed manual model will cost American buyers $33k to $34k (including delivery). The Evo MR with the dual clutch transmission (dubbed SST) is the apple of my automotive eye. That bad boy's gonna clock-in at $38k to $39k. Whoa! That's not just a Hell of a lot of money for a transmission and some tuning, it's a Hell of a lot of money for an Evo. The previous generation race rally replicar ran $29k for a stripper (and the car), $34k for the top o' the line are you really that mental, can you afford the dental version. The Evo's new sticker sticker strategy puts the models deep into real car territory, knocking on the door of the stupendous BMW 335i twin-turbo. The new Evo may again have what it takes to run with the big dogs, but there's bound to be blood on the showroom floor.
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Aren’t cars just great?
For some reason, its far easier for me to justify the $70K plus on the new GT-R than the $33K plus on the new Evo.
The Evo is a car to be used up – a beater from the gitgo. The GT-R is an object of desire to be buried in after a long, happy relationship. $33K is insane for a beater, while $70K is reasonable for a mechanical life partner.
I find this strange, since the Impreza WRX STI is being lauded as a screaming bargain in Britain at £25K. That made me think that the change in philosophy from both companies would come with a price reduction.
“as the Twin Clutch-Sequential Sportshift Transmission (TC-SST), starts at $39,000.”
You can practically hear the laughter in Munich.
There are so many other cars in that price range that are already “evolved”. What are they thinking?
People said that $43,000 was way too much for a Mustang, but it worked pretty well for the Shelby GT500. I’m just sayin!
2006 Evo MR with Dest was just about 37k so this isn’t surprising. If I got one I’d want the DSG. After seeing what else is coming out soon it’s unlikely I’d get an evo, although it’s still on the list.
Just wait for a year or so until you can get one from So. Cal Mitsu (or maybe West coast Mitsu. its on the evom boards). they sell em for invoice. Even shipped a IX would have been a couple grand cheaper than my local dealers were asking when I inquired a year ago.
Given the resale value and insurance cost of the Evo I think the 335i would probably have a lower cost of ownership and may even have more hoonage potantial with a flash of the ECU.
Part of the price increase might be due to the sinking US dollar. That said, BMW seems to have held the line on the ’08 3-series.
The Evo is a car to be used up – a beater from the gitgo. The GT-R is an object of desire to be buried in after a long, happy relationship. $33K is insane for a beater, while $70K is reasonable for a mechanical life partner.
What makes the Evo a beater? Is it some sort of brand snobbery because the Evo draws it lineage indirectly from the bang-for-buck Eclipse? The GT-R is desireable only because this is the first time we’ll be able to obtain one legally. Think about the absurdity of a $70K Nissan. That’s as absurd as a $70K Volkswagen (sorry Phaeton fans) or a $70K Chevrolet (sorry Corvette fans). Sure a GT-R and the Evo X are apples and oranges comparisons, but very few cars will offer the performance at the Evo’s price, and the only other car that comes to mind is the STi. I don’t think that car qualifies as a beater either.
The Evo is a nice car. It’s just not $38k nice.
I wouldn’t call an Evo a “beater” except that it’s made to be beaten on. But still, it’s not like they make any money off these cars. They just have em to sell more base lancers.
What makes the Evo a beater?
Because it is the opposite of a garage queen. If you’re not driving it like you stole it, then what good is it? Sitting still, it’s just an Eclipse. It’s only good for what it can do, not how it makes you feel when you sit in it, look at it, wax it, etc. It’s not a total package.
Sure a GT-R and the Evo X are apples and oranges comparisons, but very few cars will offer the performance at the Evo’s price
And again, performance is all it’s got going for it. So if you buy one, you better drive it hard and often. Otherwise you’ve wasted your money on a machine that isn’t doing a thing for you relative to a garden variety Eclipse. You might as well use it up since you’re not going to want to even look at it ten years down the road.
Think about the absurdity of a $70K Nissan. That’s as absurd as a $70K Volkswagen (sorry Phaeton fans) or a $70K Chevrolet (sorry Corvette fans). em>
What’s absurd is how much people will spend for a badge.
And again, performance is all it’s got going for it.
What else does BMW have going for it? It sure isn’t good looks.
quasimondo:
1. The Evo was never the off shoot of the DSM program. It shares more in common with the Galant VR-4
2. 2008 GTR>997 Turbo. I’d pay it for the new Skyline based on everything I have read about it.
Strippo> I agree. Granted this is an awesome track car, but what is the appeal for non-boyracers? The reviews all dog the car for everything but performance. $39k is a lot of moolah for a one-trick pony, even if it is a really good trick.
Don’t get me wrong. I love that the car exists, but I have no use for it. And it’s not brand snobbery for me, as quasimondo suggests. A supercar is a supercar. I don’t care whether it’s a Chevy or a Nissan or a Ford or a Bugatti. But when you’re talking about attainable vehicles, I really don’t see the Evo as being the most joy that $39K can buy. I see the Evo as being the car that can beat the most awesome car you can buy for $39K at the track.
Think about the absurdity of a $70K Nissan. That’s as absurd as a $70K Volkswagen (sorry Phaeton fans) or a $70K Chevrolet (sorry Corvette fans).
Only half as absurd as that $140k Ford, who screwed up the development so badly they failed to make a profit on the GT.
Actually – Evo is a hopped up Lancer, hence a lot of the beater comments.
At those prices I wouldn’t consider it.
Orian> I think you got to the heart of the problem. An EVO (or STI) are variations of pedestrian economy cars and that tends to ruin the exotic/sexy factor. It doesn’t help when ricers buy a base model and tack on the appearance items later.
Stop this nonsense. The Lancer Evolution has nothing in common with the Eclipse/Talon/Laser besides the engine block, which is also used in about a dozen other Mitsubishi products.
tentacles…I already said that, lol.
Stop this nonsense. The Lancer Evolution has nothing in common with the Eclipse/Talon/Laser besides the engine block, which is also used in about a dozen other Mitsubishi products.
Quite true. Take it from me, I’ve owned both a 1997 GSX and a 2006 Evo IX GSR. Completely different cars. I even put a larger turbo on the GSX and although it made it a hella quick car, the driving dynamics do not come close to those of the Evo.
Also, I love the fact that I can seat five people comfortably in it . . . :)
However, $39k for the Evo X? That’s not much of a bargain. Dunno if I’d go for that.
Virtual Insanity, I know you did, but that kind of absurdity needs to be quashed with more force. Evo is just an Eclipse standing still? That’s like saying a Camaro is just a Chevette standing still (or is it the other way around….).
Funny the positioning of this article against the German Lottery winner’s piece. Everything’s relative, eh? Petra probably wouldn’t go for either the Evo, GT-R or any Bimmer. :-)
Virtual Insanity, I know you did, but that kind of absurdity needs to be quashed with more force. Evo is just an Eclipse standing still? That’s like saying a Camaro is just a Chevette standing still (or is it the other way around….).
I know damn well the Evo is a Lancer. I carelessly took quasimondo’s lead with the Eclipse thing because I was being distracted mightily by skinjobs today. The correction only strengthens my argument. If you want to build a great car at the $39K mark, you don’t start the process with a compact economy car and build up from there. Because in the end that’s all you’ll get – a $39K economy car that goes like stink.
With the way this market segment is going, you may as well buy an Echo and put a jet turbine behind it.
dolo54 :
December 13th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I wouldn’t call an Evo a “beater” except that it’s made to be beaten on. But still, it’s not like they make any money off these cars. They just have em to sell more base lancers.
Are you kidding? They are making a killing on the EVO. In Japan a standard EVO 8 was going for around $22,000 IIRC while the same car here with a 5 speed transaxle (vs 6 JDM) and no electronically controlled diffs etc was going for near $28k back in 03.
Even Mitsubishi said they are doing well with these cars in a C&D article.
1. The Evo was never the off shoot of the DSM program. It shares more in common with the Galant VR-4
And the DSM’s (at least the 90-94’s) share the GVR-4’s chassis, and nearly every engine and drivetrain part is interchangeable. That’s why I said it’s lineage is indirectly from the DSM.
Actually – Evo is a hopped up Lancer, hence a lot of the beater comments.
At those prices I wouldn’t consider it.
Following this logic, one should disregard the M3 (since that’s just a hopped up 3-series), the RS4, (since that’s just an A4 with twice the cylinders), and the C63 (since that’s just a C-class with a monstrous engine).
Oh, the absurdity of paying over $50K for any of these starter cars.
I bet lease + insurance will be quite a lot higher than for a 135i, at least if BMW financial keeps propping up residuals for the benefit of their CPO program. And even though the two will be very different cars, I bet many will cross shop.
Following this logic, one should disregard the M3 (since that’s just a hopped up 3-series), the RS4, (since that’s just an A4 with twice the cylinders), and the C63 (since that’s just a C-class with a monstrous engine).
Oh, the absurdity of paying over $50K for any of these starter cars.
The difference is that in each case you’re starting off with a car that’s perfectly acceptable as a personal vehicle for someone who can buy pretty much any car they want. Someone willing to spend $39K for a car isn’t going to want to settle for a Lancer – well, not unless they’re made of money and the Evo isn’t their only ride. In which case the Evo is indeed a “beater” in a broad sense. Why anyone in that situation would prefer a rally car over, say, a Lotus Elise is beyond me.
Having said that, well of course spending well over $50K for an M3, RS4, or C63 is absurd. But their owners tend to have absurd amounts of money lying around. Those who would aspire to own a top of the line Evo? Not so much.
Why anyone in that situation would prefer a rally car over, say, a Lotus Elise is beyond me.
Because for one thing, as good as the Elise is, it’s still a one-trick pony that’s barely liveable on the street and can only be enjoyed on dry streets with clear skies.
The only arguments I’ve heard so far against this car is, “Oh, but it’s still a Lancer,” as if this car was a base Lancer given the HKS/Greddy treatment. In my opinion, that’s just horses**t. To say any Evo is just a Lancer with a turbo and AWD is to say, “I’ve never driven one hard,” and honestly, I have yet to hear a convincing argument for why this car does not justify its price.
The only arguments I’ve heard so far against this car is, “Oh, but it’s still a Lancer,” as if this car was a base Lancer given the HKS/Greddy treatment. In my opinion, that’s just horses**t. To say any Evo is just a Lancer with a turbo and AWD is to say, “I’ve never driven one hard,” and honestly, I have yet to hear a convincing argument for why this car does not justify its price.
The point is not whether its price can be justified in a “this is what we have to charge you for this car configured this way if for it to be worth our while” kind of way, but rather whether a market for such a beast exists. The only reason Mitsu is offering a rally car at this price point is to give its stripper Evo gravitas relative to its competition. Otherwise there is no business case to be made for this thing. It’s a halo car, not a money maker.
The price isn’t that much more than what they were selling for in 06 (not including the stripper (as in no sound deading and even parts unpainted) RS) so I think they will still sell. When Mitsu comes out with the Ralliart in the $20’s I think that will do well.
Strippo: Why anyone in that situation would prefer a rally car over, say, a Lotus Elise is beyond me.
Because I don’t live or drive the Nurburgring on my way into work.
Strippo: Why anyone in that situation would prefer a rally car over, say, a Lotus Elise is beyond me.
Because I don’t live or drive the Nurburgring on my way into work.
The assumption I’m working with is you’re buying a $39K-ish toy. I was expressly referring to the “made of money” driver in that quote. The Elise is the better toy from the “gentleman’s” perspective. If you’re buying an Elise or a paddle shifting Evo as a commuter vehicle and not just a toy, as you’re now implying, and you’re made of money, then you’re a sadist. For weekend fun, I’ll take my g-forces in the horizontal rather than the vertical variety. And if it’s raining, I have other pastimes that I prefer over driving.
I still think the market is pretty thin for $37K+ dirt bikes on four wheels. It’s thin for $45K sport bikes on four wheels, too, no doubt. But the latter is more my idea of kidney-friendly weekend fun. That’s all I’m saying.