When it comes to classic names in rally racing, despite the decades-old history of the sport, only two manufacturers tend to come to mind. Those of course are Subaru and its bitter rivals at Mitsubishi. With their Lancer Evolution and Impreza STI respectively, these two rally titans put on a spectacle, unlike anything the world of motor racing had ever seen before.
But how did these two marquee Japanese manufacturers come to be such bitter enemies on rally circuits and highways across the world? It's a story rooted in the pursuit of pushing the boundaries of technology as far as they can possibly go. In the end, the STI is still going strong today, but in our minds, the Evo's absence has only made us lust for it even more, let's take a look at the history behind the greatest rivalry in rally racing history.
It's the classic battle of titans we've all no doubt debated. In the end, Subaru won the battle, but in our minds, we think the Evo won the war. Let's show you why.
Forged In The Fires Of Rally Racing
Even in the late 80s and early 90s, the concept of advanced all-wheel-drive systems with computerized controls was still a bit of a novel concept in rallying. After the Evo and STI both unveiled in 1992, the question of whether all that tech was worth it was promptly put to bed forever. Today, the Subaru Imprezza STI is tied for first place with the Lancia Delta for the most rally wins in history by a single make and model, with the Evolution trailing close behind.
With greats like Colin Mcrae driving the Imprezza and Tommi Mäkinen behind the wheel of the Evo for much of the 1990s, it made for spectacularly exciting and competitive racing. It was these two cars that became the perennial face of rally racing for the next 30 years, being featured in video games, television, and movies. But this only tells a small portion of the story. If either Subaru or Mitsubishi really wanted to win this battle, they'd have to win over the masses on the street.
Let's Take It To The Streets
In Japan, the Evo and the STI had been battling it out on both rally tracks and on the streets since the very beginning. In fact, the first through the seventh generation Lancer Evos were never offered in western markets. It wasn't until the awesome Evo 8 that North Americans finally got to experience just what a turbocharged four-wheel-drive rally sedan can do.
Meanwhile, Subaru made a great effort in the early 2000s to try and change the face of the STI, going through a series of facelifts and redesigns that changed the headlight shape from bug-eyed to the blob-eyed band then back to the shape of normal headlamps. Some Subaru fans adore these quirky redesigns but compared to the folks at Mitsubishi who hardly had to touch the Evos looks for years at a time, it made for a confusing experience for people trying to pick which Imprezza they'd rather buy.
The Evo X, the last of the Lancer Evo series remained largely untouched for a staggering nine model years between 2007 and 2016. At the end of the day, it's entirely up to personal tastes, but only one of these cars is still being produced today. Depending on who you talk to, they might say the wrong team won.
RIP Mitsubishi Evo 1992-2016
The decision to discontinue the Evo series in March 2014 was one that took many petrolheads by complete surprise. "How could Mitsubishi just bow out and admit defeat to Subaru like this?" is a question many petrolheads asked themselves at the time. In truth though, Mitsubishi had been trying to transition into selling crossover SUV vehicles since the turn of the 2010s. The final Evo rolled off the assembly line in 2015. Leaving a gaping hole in the hearts of rally fans around the world.
Meanwhile, the Subaru Imprezza STI carried on, getting softer and heavier whilst also getting its own spinoff WRX model in 2014. But alas, none of these Subarus could capture the same essence that made their older counterparts so special. It had lost that special something that made road-going rally cars so special, and we think that has something to do with no longer having any competition.
We Still Long For The Mitsubishi Evo Today
If anything, the absence of the Lancer Evo has only made our lust after them even stronger. As Subaru STIs continue to get softer, heavier, and slower with the passing of time, the old Evos continue to stay the same, just as we remembered them. This is a trait that endears the Evo to petrolheads today even more so than they already would in these trying and difficult times. Even as the world changes at a break-neck pace around us, the Evo will always be the same riot to drive it always was. It's a bit of consistency that's very much welcome today.
Sources: World Rally Archive