Lancer Evolution on Hiatus for 2009
You should probably get used to seeing posts like this – we’re sure more are coming. Like the Saturn Astra, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will take a breather for 2009.
According to Mitsubishi spokeswomen Christine Jew, there were no changes planned for a 2009 Evo, and there was enough inventory to last until the 2010 model is released later this year. Cars.com’s listings show 887 Lancer Evolutions from the 2008 model year still available.
While Mitsubishi doesn’t break down sales by model, we concur with the automaker that its supply of Evos should suffice; at $30,000-$40,000 the Evo is Mitsubishi’s most expensive offering.
Don’t think this means the Evo is a sales laggard, however; sales were up 50.9% for 2008, Mitsubishi says. When the 2010 Lancer Evolution goes on sale, there will be a few minor changes, Jew said.
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I love the EVO MR and am looking to possibly purchase one when they resume in 2010. However Mitsubishi has no one to blame but themselves.
Sure the economy went down, but they introduced the EVO X (aka 2008 Evolution) so late in the year, that they have inventory (800 cars) remaining and left over.
DO NOT make the same mistake twice! Release the new 2010 Evolution GSR and MR in late summer (at the latest) or else you might find yourself in the same situation. When I called Mitsubishi, they stated that production on the MR was slated to begin in APril, so there is no reason why the first batch of 2010s shouldn't be here by July or August.
Secondly to Mitsubishi: people love this car, but car and driver timed the 0-60 for the 40K MR as 5.2. They then tested the 25K ralliart as running 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. Don't run into the same problem as Subaru when they upgrated the WRX: spped up the MR with some ECU tuning or improved maps (so as to keep sale price from increasing beyond 40k) so you're not stuck like Subaru having to sell STIs for thousands under invoice because a 25K car is a tenth of a second behind it!
Just some thoughts forma future consumer who cares.
Please keep us posted!
This is a weird policy, as most companies are selling 2010 models already. It does not even seem that Mitsubishi is doing anything extra to move the remaining 08 cars.
Mitsubishi is one more example that there are too many car companies trying to get a mini-slice of the American car market. It they went home tomorrow, nobody would notice. It would be a good riddance.