Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution not dead, yet

Perhaps as a reward to the public for buying its Mirage,* Mitsubishi has disclosed that it will not, in fact, kill off the gravel road-loving Lancer Evolution as soon as we thought. According to Mitsubishi, the Lancer Evolution will -- at the very least -- live out the 2015 model year, with North American-spec cars going into production this July. We're fairly sure it's not going to be a hybrid, either.

Whew. We were worried for a moment there.

The Lancer Evo is not without its faults, but it's one of the most straightforward tools available to the enthusiast eager to drive off the dealer lot and onto a lonely stretch of twisting trail. Things feel right when you're kicking up clouds of dust in the Lancer Evo. We don't even mind the colossal rear wing.

We'll be sure to bring you all the details about any possible updates for the 2015 model year once we hear back from Mitsubishi. In the meantime, we can think of a few improvements that would really help goose interest in the aging-but-fun all-wheel-drive car. A mildly refreshed interior (one that distinguishes it from its economy-priced foundation) would help justify its price tag, especially with the better-trimmed Subaru WRX STi on the market. And a sixth gear for the manual-equipped car would help this back-road rocket feel a lot more comfortable cruising down the expressway.

As for the slightly cartoonish looks and irreverent attitude? We'd leave those exactly as they are.

* We kid, we kid. Read our surprisingly balanced review here.

By Graham Kozak