Photo by Brian carless
This EVO X is the only one in the Western Hemisphere.

Brian Carless, Gleaner Writer

All motor-racing enthusiasts and Mitsubishi lovers like myself converged on the show-room of Motor Sales on Friday January 18, to witness the launch of Douglas Hollywood Gore's Mitsubishi Evolution Lancer X RS. The showroom was filled with about 250 persons - from senior police cop Renato Adams who, by the way, currently owns one of two EVO IX.5 in Jamaica, to olympian Aleen Bailey.

This EVO X is the only one in the Western Hemisphere, bearing the chassis number 993. The car is sold for J$5,000,000. Also on hand was the other Lancer, a GT, which will be driven by Bobby Marshall, the teammate of Gore. There have been 10 versions to date, and the numerical designation of the model is most commonly a roman numeral.

The Lancer Evolution X will feature a newly designed 4B11T 2.0 L DOHC intercooled and turbocharged MIVEC (Mitsubishi innovative valve-timing-and-lift electronic control) all-aluminum Straight-4 engine. Power is rated at 300hp.The car has also a new full-time four-wheel drive system named S-AWC (super all-wheel control), an advanced version of Mitsubishi's AWC system used in previous generations.

Torque vectoring technology

The S-AWC uses torque vectoring technology to send different amounts of torque to any wheel at any given time. Mitsubishi claims that the five-speed manual transmission has always been preferred in rallying and should be very refined, resulting in a more satisfying drive.

The colour of the car is wicked white and it is fitted with 345-40-18 wheels, the car is capable of a top speed of 150mph, zero to 60mph in five seconds and can go down the quarter mile in 13 seconds. The car is said to be the fastest stock production car in Jamaica. It is visually distinguished by a more aggressive styled front bumper and rear bumper cover dual outlet bumper and a lightweight aluminium ducted bonnet that delivers cool air to the turbo charger.

Dirt rally circuit

I was given the pleasure of being taken for a drive in the EVO X, and I have never been driven in an EVO before. The Caribbean Champ of 2007 drove in the parking lot of Motor Sales and along South Camp Road. To be sitting next to the 'big man' himself was something special, words cannot describe what driving with a legend in Jamaica's motorsport is like.

Hollywood didn't do too much on the test drive because the car is new and the engine has not been broken in as yet. I was also told by Hollywood Gore that he went to the wharf at 3.30 a.m. on the morning of the car's arrival to drive it off the dock himself so the stevedores would not get their hands on it before the 'big man'.

The EVO X RS will only see action in the dirt on the rally circuit, no dual duties like the old car. According to Doug Gore, this is his fifth EVO he has been sponsored by Motor Sales for 15 years now. All things being equal, the car will be competing in the NACAM series in 2009. The car will take part in it first event in March '08. So the star himself will be putting his mark again in the motor racing hall of fame. What an Evolution X this is, it has surely evolved.