Will Mitsubishi kill the EVO?

That question has been lighting up the automotive forums for days now, ever since Gayu Eusegi (Mitusbishi’s Global Product Director) told Autocar that, although “there is still a demand … we must stop (building the EVO).”  One week on, and it seems like the answer is a definite “Yes.”, and the 2012 version of Mitsubishi’s famed rally monster will – indeed – be the last.

Should Mitsubishi kill the EVO?

That question, which is (perhaps) more relevant, hadn’t been getting as much airplay … until this morning, that is, when Jalopnik editor Mike Spinelli posted an excellent op-ed piece titled “Why the Evo Must Die“.  In it, Spinelli takes a look at Mitsubishi’s motorsports past and determines that “It was fun while it lasted, kids, but it’s time to end it.”  He goes on to say that, “Whatever you think about electric cars, or how many Evo snaps you once taped into your locker, Mitsubishi is correct to bow out of motorsports and ostensibly phase out its mo-sport halo car. Not because racing is anathema to today’s car business, but because racing and building series-production cars spawned from motorsports development isn’t for dabblers.”

Neither is electric car technology for dabblers, however, as Tesla, Fisker, and Ford will likely agree.  Mitsubishi, then, seems to be betting the farm on electric.

Let’s hope it pays off.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Spinelli’s excellent post.

SourceJalopnik.



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