Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI Rendered: A Dream That Won’t Come True
Don’t get too excited — no, Mitsubishi hasn’t suddenly revived the Lancer Evolution. What you’re looking at lives strictly in the world of pixels and imagination, courtesy of well-known digital artist Kelsonik, who recently shared this striking rendering on social media.
The proportions, the massive rear wing, and that eye-catching yellow paint leave little doubt: this is imagined as the long-lost Lancer Evolution XI. While the front fascia might split opinions, it’s far from offensive — and honestly, if Mitsubishi ever brought the Evo back looking like this, many fans would happily embrace it.
A Legacy That Refuses to Fade
Contrary to popular belief, the Lancer nameplate isn’t entirely dead. In certain Asian markets, the Grand Lancer is still alive, built in Taiwan on Mitsubishi’s aging GS platform. But that’s a far cry from the rally-bred Lancer Evolution models enthusiasts still pine for.
The Evo X, the final chapter in the story, rolled out of the Kurashiki plant in Japan until production ended in 2016. It wasn’t just another sports sedan — it was a rally-derived machine built to devour loose surfaces with confidence, standing toe-to-toe with the Subaru WRX STI.
Before pulling the plug, Mitsubishi released one last hurrah: the Lancer Evo X Final Edition. Limited to 1,000 units for Japan, it featured subtle upgrades like Brembo brakes, BBS lightweight alloys, Recaro sports seats with red stitching, and bespoke badging. Output remained at 291 hp and 300 lb-ft, identical to the standard Evo X, but the package marked a bittersweet farewell to a performance icon.
The Harsh Reality for Mitsubishi
Unfortunately, hopes for a true Evo successor have faded into the background. Mitsubishi is struggling financially, with parent company Nissan even offloading over 149 million shares in the automaker recently. In today’s industry climate, with electrification dominating development, a high-performance rally homologation sedan simply doesn’t fit the brand’s strategy.
What we’re more likely to see from Mitsubishi are partially or fully electrified crossovers — a sobering thought for those who grew up idolizing the Evo’s raw, rally-bred character. Even if the badge ever returned, chances are it would be attached to an EV. For many purists, that would feel like sacrilege.
Forever a Dream
So, while Kelsonik’s renderings let us imagine what an Evo XI might look like, the truth is the Lancer Evolution is gone — and unlikely to come back in its true form. Enthusiasts can keep dreaming, but for now, Mitsubishi’s future looks far more electrified and SUV-heavy than turbocharged and all-wheel-drive.
But here’s the question: if Mitsubishi built the Lancer Evolution XI to look like this rendering, would you welcome it, even if it wasn’t the same rally-bred beast from the past?
