After nine generations the Mitsubishi Evo had gone about as far down the extreme rally replica route as it was possible to go. So for this all-new car Mitsubishi had to find a way of distilling this formidable heritage into a more usable package, without diluting what made it special in the first place. Mitsubishi’s cult car has an all-new chassis platform and an all-new engine, even Mitsubishi’s all-wheel-drive hardware has received a high-tech makeover.

The basics are as before – lunatic pace, a high-tech four-wheel drive chassis, aggressive looks and a wonderfully driver-focused feel. But it comes in a package far more resolved than ever before, both visually and functionally.

It takes just one glance at this car’s sleek exterior to realize that it’s no longer business as usual in the Mitsubishi’s design studio. Though it’s disguised by projector-beam headlights and fast-acting LED taillights, this is a new sort of Mitsubishi, far more European in character than ever before.

There’s plenty of aluminum in the bodywork, including the hood and roof, twin exhausts are an Evo first, and help improve the look. A tall rear wing has quickly become an Evo trademark, so it’s no surprise that it continues here (although it’s no longer made of carbon fiber). The same goes for the aerodynamic diffuser that peeks out from underneath the rear bumper. The wheels on the car are 18-inch rims, which certainly wont be cheap when it comes to buying tyres after all those four wheel drives slides!

Watch the Mitsubishi Evo X promotional video below

Toyota is to delay its rear-wheel drive coupe collaboration with Subaru until 2012, it has been reported. The collaboration was first announced in February this year and it was originally pencilled in to arrive some time this year – 2009.  

Sadly dwindling sales and the global economic crisis have claimed another victim and the compact rear-drive two-door has been delayed for at least three years. The coupe was expected to be branded the next-generation Scion tC in the US and if it is to be delayed the company will be forced to make substantial updates before its release to keep it fresh, which will mean more work in the factory, including even more tp be spent on the model than was first planned. 

No word yet on a delay for the Subaru version of the car but considering the carmaker has just been forced to pull out of WRC rest assured that it won’t be arriving any time soon, these current times are seeing so many amazing plans for new cars being scrapped, which is such a shame for both us as potential buyers and the industry itself as we are slowly starting to see the development of new and improved cars grinding to a halt.

It has been reported that Suzuki has pulled out of world rallying due to the global economic downturn. The carmaker only survived one season in the World Rally Championship having started in the junior WRC in 2002. 

In a statement the Japanese manufacturer said it had ‘decided to focus on the core business functions’. Like Honda, which recently withdrew from F1, Suzuki said its decision was based on the recent economic crisis.

‘In responding to the contraction of the automotive sales caused by recent global economic turmoil, Suzuki has been promptly taking possible countermeasures, including the reassessment of its global production output,’ said Suzuki’s statement.

‘To secure its own business environment for tomorrow, the organisation reviews every aspect of the operations and decided to focus on the core business functions such as the manufacturing system, environment technologies and development of new-generation powertrains. As a result, Suzuki concluded to suspend the WRC activities from 2009.’

Subaru has pulled out of the world rally championship citing the global economic crisis. The manufacturer joins Suzuki, which announced its exit from the championship yesterday. Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, said on Tuesday it would exit WRC, leaving just Ford and Citroen for the 2009 season.

Carmakers are under serious pressure to reduce spending and motorsport is one of the more obvious cost-cutting measures, although the sudden departures of two manufacturers will be a serious blow for rallying. Subaru has been involved with the sport since the nineties and built much of its reputation for Subaru road cars on its rallying glory.

Prodrive have led the Subaru team to six world titles, so it will be a massive blow for them. The Prodrive company is based in Bandbury has said it will look to redeploy as many of the rally team as possible in other areas of its business operations.

Prodrive chairman, David Richards, said: ‘Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over.  Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our focus now turns to the future.’