 |
| Photos by Ulysses Ang |
At first glance, the Lancer Ralliart looks
pretty much like the typical Lancer EX it’s based on. In fact, while the Lancer
Evolution takes the path of being a sophisticated, no-holds-barred flagship
that offers track-honed features and the capability of outperforming more
expensive sports cars, the Lancer Ralliart feels more like a well-done tuner
car—a reincarnation perhaps of the original Evolution.
Outside, the Ralliart’s dressed and
designed certainly for the younger set with its go-fast look complete with the
high-style rear wing and aggressive bodywork shared with the run-of-the-mill
EX. Upon closer inspection though, you know the Ralliart’s extra-special with
that light-weight aluminum hood with integral duct work (to keep the turbo cool),
dual exhausts shooting out from the back and the Ralliart graphics sprinkled
around the car.
Inside, the Ralliart shares a lot in common
with the EX which basically means it betrays its compact car origins. However,
the upholstery, accents, trims and even the steering wheel have been upgraded
to match those of the Evolution. Overall, the cabin works quite well and the
operation is pretty straight-forward. The instrumentation is absolutely
excellent with its full-color display panel and large, readable numerals. The
seats are mighty comfy and offer a good range of adjustments.
The Ralliart might look like the EX, but
it’s definitely pumped with steroids. The driving experience may not be as
aggressive and hard as the Evolution, but there’s still a lot to love in the
driving department. Packed with a 2.0-liter engine good for 240 horsepower, the
Ralliart is actually more suited to everyday traffic than the Evolution thanks
to its excellent low and mid-rev punch. And at full throttle, the Ralliart can
still deliver 90 percent of the whole Evolution experience. Mated to the engine
is a six-speed dual clutch automatic with Mitsubishi terms, “Twin Clutch-SST”. All
in all, this gearbox is a little hesitant to shift during gentler driving, but
manages to pull off snappy shifts during hard acceleration.
Like its bigger brother, the Ralliart comes
with a sophisticated all-wheel drive system called Super All-Wheel Control.
Together with an Active Center Differential and Active Yaw Control, it enables
this car to transmit the power smoothly to all four wheels, even when the
driver isn’t using finesse or the conditions aren’t ideal. In fact, this drive train
alone is enough to give the Ralliart tremendous agility, tractability and poise
to rival much more expensive machinery.
While the modern Evolution shares almost
nothing in common with its more pedestrian siblings, the Ralliart manages to
shove some of the Evolution components into a body structure that’s almost
essentially the Lancer EX. With that in mind, the Ralliart isn’t as precise and
unyielding as the Evolution, but it makes it all the more suited to everyday
driving—especially on bumpy roads. It can still feel harsh under certain
circumstances, but it’s not a deal breaker. The steering remains sharp and the
stout brakes deliver all the braking force the 18-inch tires can handle.
The Mitsubishi Lancer EX Ralliart comes surprisingly
equipped than the racy, tuner-car look and feel might suggest. Along with the
Fast Key keyless engine start/stop system, the Ralliart comes with HID
headlamps, a trip computer, automatic climate control, bucket seats, aluminum
pedals and a 9-speaker Rockford Fosgate system. Unfortunately, these extras
don’t come cheap: at P 2,348,000 (P 2,350,000 for the Limited), the Ralliart
finds itself treading into Subaru WRX STI category. And though you have to rock
the gears yourself in the STI (at least in sedan guise), it easily packs 60 more
horsepower and offers the very same standard equipment found on the Ralliart.
In the end, if you’re looking for an
everyday sports car with a three-diamond on the mesh grille, then the
decision’s pretty much made for you: get the Lancer EX Ralliart. If you can’t
drive a stick and still want a sporty sedan, get the Lancer EX Ralliart.
However, if you’re looking at bang-for-the-buck performance, you’ll be
hard-pressed to decide between this or the Subaru WRX STI. And unfortunately
for Mitsubishi, its steep price is ultimately its let down. A shame really,
since this car pretty much lives up to its illustrious heritage and can go
toe-to-toe with its formidable rival.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment or share your views. Comments that are derogatory and/or spam will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to moderate and/or remove comments.