EVOLUTIONARY DEAD END? (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 119

Some car manufacturers have five year plans so rigid that Stalin would have given them the seal of approval. Every model is succession planned, facelifts are scheduled well in advance and every national importer has to rely on a fixed schedule. Then there's Mitsubishi. In this country, the importers take what they can get and if it sells, all the better. Every now and then they'll bring in an end of line special that's offered at almost ridiculously cheap prices. Such a car is the non-Evo version of the Mitsubishi Lancer that sold here between 2005 and 2007. As a used buy, it's not bad because the cars were so inexpensive from new that used examples go for peanuts.

Modelsword count: 12

Models Covered: (4dr saloon, 5dr estate 1.6, 2.0 petrol [Equippe, Elegance, Sport])

Historyword count: 155

The way things used to work for Mitsubishi was that they offloaded their ageing stock to Proton who re-badged the old Lancers as Personas and Wiras. Come 2005, with Proton now building more modern tackle of their own such as the Savvy and the Gen-2, Mitsubishi found itself with a surplus of right-hand drive Lancers, these the humble non-Evolution models with normally aspirated 1.6 or 2.0-litre petrol engines offering no more than 133bhp. The UK importers had done pretty well in selling non-Evo Lancers before, shifting a respectable number of Lancer Estates between 1999 and 2001. Could it work again? This time, there were saloons as well as station wagons to sell and that choice of engines. However, this time, there was also a great deal more competition from cars like Chevrolet's Lacetti, Kia's Cerato and Hyundai's Elantra. As a result, the Lancer struggled until it was replaced by a new generation model in 2007.

What You Getword count: 260

The Lancer certainly has keen pricing on its side, if not a wide variety of engine choices. Saloon buyers get a choice of Equippe or Elegance models, both powered by the same 1.6-litre engine. Plus there's a 2.0-litre Sport variant for those seeking a kind of Evo-lite feel. Mitsubishi haven't been shy when it comes to equipping the Lancer and this ninth-generation car features fifteen-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, air conditioning, a CD player, keyless entry, colour keyed electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors and front fog lights. There's also a height adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split rear seat and adjustable rear headrests. Both the Lancer estate and saloon models are fitted with a colour keyed rear spoiler. The flagship Lancer Sport models get sixteen-inch alloys, a Momo 3-spoke leather trimmed wheel, sports front seats, a CD auto changer, a sportier grille and lowered suspension. It's a lot of car for the money, especially when you consider the fact that it packs a 133bhp punch. Solely available with a five-speed manual gearbox, the Sport models will get to 60mph in 9.8 seconds and top out at 124mph. If you want to go quicker in a Lancer, the next step is an Evo with all its attendant high-maintenance issues. There's a lot to be said for the Lancer. It'll be brilliantly reliable, is very well screwed together and has been developed to a point whereby nothing about the car is intrinsically annoying or ill designed. The interior is neatly styled although some of the materials aren't anything to write home about.

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