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| Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution : Over 25 years old are legal to import to the US by Toprank Importers |
Vehicles over 25 years old are NHTSA exempt for import to the US. Vehicles over 21 years old in original configuration are EPA exempt for import to the US. The first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions were sold in November 1992 in Japan, and are legal to import to the US starting in September 2017
Evo 1. October 1992 to January 1994 (first cars turn 25 years old in September 2017)
The first Lancer Evolution used the 2.0 L turbocharged DOHC engine and AWD drivetrain from the original Galant VR-4 in a Lancer chassis, and was sold in GSR and RS models. This engine was also used in theMitsubishi RVR with the Hyper Sports Gear trim package, and the Mitsubishi Chariot Resort Runner GT. The RS was a stripped-down version that lacked (power) windows and seats, anti-lock brakes, a rear wiper, and had steel wheels to weigh approximately 70 kg (154 lb) less than the 1,238 kg (2,729 lb) GSR, ready for racing or tuning. The RS version was released with a mechanical plate type rear Limited-slip differential (LSD). The GSR came with all of the conveniences of a typical street car, including a digital screen climate control system. It came with Mitsubishi's 4G63 engine producing 247 PS (182 kW; 244 hp) at 6000 rpm and 309 N·m (228 lb·ft) at 3000 rpm. 5,000 of the first generation Evolutions were sold between 1992 and 1993. Top speed was 228 km/h (142 mph). The GSR version of the Evolution I was the only Evolution Lancer released with a Viscous Limited Slip Rear Differential (VLSD). The subsequent Evolution Lancer models all featured rear mechanical plate type LSD's.
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| 1993 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution legally imported to the US by importavehicle.com |
Evo 2. January 1994 - February 1995. (NHTSA exempt starting in January 2019)
The Evolution II was upgraded in December 1993, and was produced until February 1995. It consisted mainly of handling improvements, including minor wheelbase adjustments, lighter front swaybar that connected via swaybar links to the front struts, bodywork tweaks including a larger spoiler, and tires that were 10 mm (0.4 in) wider. This Evolution also has a 50 l (13.2 US gal; 11.0 imp gal) fuel tank. Power output was increased to 256 PS (188 kW; 252 hp) from the same engine and torque was unchanged for both GSR and RS models.
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| USA Legal Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution - JDM Import over 25 years old |
Evo 3. February 1995- August 1996 (NHTSA exempt starting in February 2020)
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| 1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III imported by Toprank Importers |
Evo 4. August 1996 - January 1998 (NHTSA exempt starting in August 2021)
The Lancer platform was completely changed in 1996, and along with it, the Evolution, which had become extremely popular throughout the world. The engine and transaxle were rotated 180° to better balance the weight and eliminate torque steer. There were two versions available, The RS and GSR. The RS version was produced as a competition car with a limited-slip front differential and a friction type LSD at the rear. It also came with GLX seats and a choice of either 16" or 17" OZ light weight racing wheels. The RS also had wind up windows, optional air conditioning in some models, and a few extra brace bars to strengthen the chassis, one behind the front grill and the other across the boot floor. The GSR and the RS shared a new twin scroll turbocharger which helped to improve response and increase power to 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp) at 6,500 rpm and 330 N⋅m (243 lb⋅ft) torque at 4,000 rpm. Mitsubishi's new Active Yaw Control appeared as a factory option on the GSR model, which used steering, throttle input sensors and g sensors to computer-hydraulically control torque split individually to the rear wheels and as a result the 10000 Evolution IVs produced all sold quickly. The Evolution IV can be distinguished by its two large fog lights in the front bumper (option on RS version), and the newly designed tail lights on the rear, which became a standard design to Evolution V, which would become yet another trademark of the Evolution series. This new generation was slightly heavier than previous Evos—the GSR in particular due to the added technology systems—but to counter this the car produced even more power—the weight of the RS being 1,260 kg (2,778 lb) and the GSR being 1,345 kg (2,965 lb). Much of the technical improvements for this generation were also used in the second generation Mitsubishi RVR sold only in Japan.
- RS – "rally sport" Close-ratio 5-speed, minimal interior, rally suspension, 1.5 Way LSD, (Shortened close-ratio 5-speed transmission, Auto Air Conditioner, Enkei Wheels, Recarobucket seat, Brembo brakes, power windows are available as options).
- GSR – 5-speed, gauge pack, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Anti-Lock Braking System, Recaro front bucket and rear seat, auto air-conditioner, double-din audio, power window.
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Evo 5. January 1998- January 1999 ( NHTSA exempt starting in January 2023)
Many aspects of the car were changed such as:
- The interior was upgraded in the GSR version with a better class of Recaro seat.
- The body kit had flared arches at the front and rear and a new aluminium rear spoiler replaced the IV FRP version and gave an adjustable angle of attack to alter rear down force.
- The track was widened by 10 mm (0.4 in), the wheel offset changed from ET45 to ET38 along with the wheel diameter which rose from 16" to 17" to accommodate Brembo brakes which were added to enhance braking.
- In addition the brake master cylinder bore increased by 0.3 millimetres (0.01 in).
- The engine was strengthened in a few areas and the cam duration was increased. The pistons were lighter with a smaller skirt area. 510 cc injectors were replaced with 560 cc injectors for better engine reliability due to more electrical "headroom" and the ECU was changed to include a flash ROM, allowing more boost pressure to the same TD05-HR as the Mitsubishi Evolution IV.
Furthermore, the turbocharger was again improved. Torque was increased to 373 N⋅m (275 lb⋅ft) at 3000 rpm. Power officially stayed the same, at 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp), though some claim horsepower was actually somewhat higher.
- RS – "rally sport" Close-ratio 5-speed, minimal interior, rally suspension, 1.5 Way LSD, (Shortened close-ratio 5-speed transmission, Auto Air Conditioner, Enkei Wheels, Recarobucket seat, Brembo brakes, power window are available as option).
- GSR – 5-speed, gauge pack, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Anti-Lock Braking System, Recaro front bucket and rear seat, auto air-conditioner, double-din audio, power window, Brembo brakes.
.jpg "1998 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION V GSR FOR SALE IN CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA")
Evo 6. January 1999- February 2001 (NHTSA exempt starting January 2024)
The Evolution VI's changes mainly focused on cooling and engine durability. It received a larger intercooler, larger oil cooler, and new pistons, along with a titanium-aluminide turbine wheel for the RS model, which was a first in a production car. Output was rated at 280 PS (276 hp; 206 kW) @ 6500 rpm and maximum torque of 373 N⋅m (275 lb⋅ft) @ 3000 rpm [6]. The Evolution VI received new bodywork yet again, with the most easily noticeable change being within the front bumper where the huge fog lights were reduced in size and moved to the corners for better airflow. A new model was added to the GSR and RS lineup; known as the RS2, it was an RS with a few of the GSR's options. Another limited-edition RS was known as the RS Sprint, an RS tuned by Ralliart in the UK to be lighter and more powerful with 330 hp (246 kW).
Yet another special edition Evolution VI was released in December 1999: the Tommi Mäkinen Edition, named after Finnish rally driver Tommi Mäkinen who had won Mitsubishi four WRC drivers championships. It featured a different front bumper, Red/Black Recaro seats (with embossed T. Mäkinen logo), 17" Enkei white wheels, a leather Momo steering wheel and shift knob, a titanium turbine that spooled up more quickly, front upper strut brace, lowered ride height (with tarmac stages in mind), and a quicker steering ratio. Amongst other colours, the Evo VI came in either red (Tommi Mäkinen Edition only), white, blue, black or silver with optional special decals, replicating Tommi Mäkinen's rally car's colour scheme. This car is also sometimes referred to as an Evolution 6½, Evolution 6.5, or TME for short.
Standard Models[edit]
- RS – "rally sport" Close-ratio 5-speed, minimal interior, rally suspension, Rear 1.5 Way LSD as opposed to AYC, (Shortened close-ratio 5-speed transmission), (Optional Enkei Wheels, Optional Recaro Seats, Optional Air Conditioner, Optional Brembo brakes, Optional power windows).
- GSR – 5-speed, gauge pack, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Anti-Lock Braking System, Recaro front bucket and rear seat, auto air-conditioner, double-din audio, power windows, Brembo brakes.
Tommi Mäkinen Edition Models[edit]
- RS – same as standard RS with close-ratio 5-speed, lowered ride height, Tommi Mäkinen Edition front bumper, and titanium turbine (same option with standard RS).
- GSR – same as standard GSR with lowered ride height, Tommi Mäkinen Edition front bumper, Red/Black Recaro seats (with embossed T. Mäkinen logo), 17" Enkei white wheels and titanium turbine
Evo 7. March 2001 - January 2003 (NHTSA exempt starting March 2026)
In 2001, Mitsubishi was forced by the FIA to race in the WRC using WRC rules for building a car instead of the Group A class rules, and thus did not need to follow homologation rules. The Evolution VII was based on the larger Lancer Cedia platform and as a result gained more weight over the Evolution VI, but Mitsubishi made up for this with multiple important chassis tweaks. The biggest change was the addition of an active center differential and a more effective limited-slip differential, while a front helical limited-slip differential was added. Torque was increased again to 385 N⋅m (284 lb⋅ft) with engine tweaks that allowed greater airflow, and horsepower officially remained at 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp).
The introduction of the Evolution VII also marked the first time an automatic drivetrain was included within the model lineup—the GT-A. Seen as the 'gentleman's express' version of the visually similar VII GSR and the RS2, the GT-A model was only produced in 2002 and had the following distinguishing interior and exterior specification: GT-A-only diamond cut finish 17-inch (430 mm) alloy wheels, clear rear light lenses and all-in-one style front headlights (later used on the Evolution VIII). The GT-A had the option of either no spoiler, the short spoiler (as per the Lancer Cedia; and later used on the Evolution VIII 260) or the thunderspoiler as used on the standard Evolution VII models. The most distinguishing feature was a smooth bonnet with no air-grills on it at all and the revised front bumper. Although offering inferior cooling capabilities, the bonnet was designed to give a cleaner line through the air with less air resistance at motorway speeds.
Interior could be specified with factory options of a deluxe velour interior, full leather or the Recaro sports seats. The GT-A interior was different in that it had chromed door handles, a different instrument panel (to show the gear selection) and chrome edged bezels around the speedo and tach. The GT-A also had additional sound deadening installed from the factory and the engine manifold and downpipe had been engineered to be quieter.
The 5-speed automatic gearbox had what Mitsubishi called "fuzzy logic", which meant that the car would learn what the driver's driving characteristics were like and would adapt the gear change timings and kick down reactions accordingly. The gears could be manually selected as with most Tiptronics via steering wheel + and – buttons (a pair both sides) or via selecting the tiptronic gate with the gear lever. Power was down a little from the standard manual cars with 272 PS (200 kW; 268 hp). The GT-A gearbox did not appear again in the Evolution VIII but has been installed in the estate version of the Evolution IX Wagon. It was replaced by the Twin Clutch SST gearbox since the introduction of Evolution X.
- RS – "rally sport", close-ratio 5-speed, minimal interior, rally suspension, LSD, (Enkei Wheels, Recaro bucket seat, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Sports ABS (Anti-Lock braking system), Brembo brakes, double-din audio, power window are available as option).
- GSR – 5-speed, gauge pack, AYC (Active Yaw Control), Sports ABS, Recaro front bucket and rear seat, double-din audio, power window, Brembo brakes, Momo sports steering wheel.
- GT-A – Same option with GSR with 5-speed automatic transmission, gauge pack, deluxe velour interior, full leather or the Recaro sports seats, GT-A-only diamond cut finish 17-inch (430 mm) alloy wheels, clear rear light lenses and all-in-one style front headlights, and short spoiler option.
This model of Evolution was used on the film 2 Fast 2 Furious as the car driven by the late Paul Walker. He drove a yellow Evolution 7 which was lightly modified performance wise but heavily modified when it comes to the aesthetics. However, one of the producers claimed that they used a 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart edition instead of an Evo as the car used for production and stunt scenes.
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All vehicles are As/Is No warranty. Imported vehicles can not be registered in California until brought into California compliance. Please check all local state laws for information on title and registration. 25 year old vehicles are exempt from FMVSS requirements. Vehicles over 21 years old are exempt from EPA compliance requirements for importation.
When do these JDM vehicles start to turn 25 years old?
Japanese (JDM) cars turning 25 years old in 2024 and beyond (https://toprankjdm.com/2024) Nissan Skyline R34(non GT-R) May 1998= May 2023
Nissan Silvia S15 Jan 1999 = Jan 2024
Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 Jan 1999 = Jan 2024
Mitsubishi Evolution VI Jan 1999 = Jan 2024
Honda S2000 AP1 April 1999 = April 2024
Toyota MR-S Oct 1999 = Oct 2024
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Based on the title, does this mean that all will be available to import as of October 2017 or just the Evo 1?
ReplyDeleteTry reading past the title. Cars have to be over 25 years old to be legally imported.
ReplyDelete