Evo X FQ-400

[Evo-Man]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cvHHyFBQ4

This is the kind of call you like to receive. Mitsubishi here - we've finally finished our new Evo X FQ-400; would you like to drive it?

There aren't many cars I've been as keen to drive as this one. I well remember the old Evo VIII FQ-400, a 404bhp monster with an ultra-sharp clutch and almost unusable on-off turbo response. Well, I can report that, having driven the new Evo X FQ-400, it's the polar opposite. Despite its 403bhp output (and reputedly kicking out more like 415bhp on the dyno), it's actually easy to drive - yet still unbelievably quick (try 0-60 in 3.5 secs). The torque response is much flatter than the old VIII. It also looks fantastic with its new bonnet, carbon goodies, new wheel-and-tyre set-up, lowered suspension and wider tracks. It's a genuine new Japanese performance star. The only downside is the price: a cool £49,999.

As one reader has already pointed out, it's possible to achieve 400bhp from many Japanese performance cars on a much tighter budget. Mitsubishi has proved you can get 403bhp from an Evo X engine without changing the internals - but so have many independent tuners on engines like the Subaru EJ25 2.5-litre flat-four, the old Evo 4G63 2.0-litre turbocharged four and of course Nissan's RB26 turbocharged straight-six. Perhaps the most impressive of all is Toyota's 3.0-litre 2JZ six in the Supra - it's a doddle to reach well above 400bhp with simple, and very cheap, bolt-on parts. So if you fancy a slice of the 400bhp club, check out the pages of JP and find out how to do it for a lot less than £50k!