Mitsubishi Evo - No Compromise - Race Car

Running 900 bhp through the old car meant the transmission took a severe pounding and quite often lost the battle, so the new car is fitted with a Hewland rear differential and an Evo IX transfer box, and so far these both seem to be able to cope with the power although the engine has yet to be able to run to the excess of the previous car. The car is fitted with a Hollinger dog box, combined with paddle controls and an Ikeya sequential shifter. "We'll soon be taking the transmission to the next step and the ECU will make the shift, rather than me having to push the paddle," explained Clive. "I found that at Santa Pod it was so easy to hit the rev limiter in first or second [gear] because it happens so quickly; it's like playing a computer game. It's easy to program the AEM to shift at a certain revs/boost pressure." In effect, it will be like running an auto box with full throttle changes and times up the drag strip should start to tumble; Clive will only need the clutch/gearstick for first, then it will all be electronically controlled. Of course, he'll switch back to human control on the track.

So what's powering this beast? Well it's the new, improved version of the 2.4L RCD stroker kit, which Clive ran in his last Evo, only this latest engine is fitted with CP pistons and is topped off with an Evo IX MIVEC head to allow the company to do some development work on the new head. Feeding enough air into the engine to produce the extreme power levels-currently 750 bhp with the ability to make at least 900 bhp-is a monster Garrett GT42R turbo which pumps air through a GReddy R-SPL intercooler (apparently no longer in production, but they asked GReddy very nicely). Notice the lack of silicone hoses? Custom-fabricated hard piping is the secret; this car will not be blowing hoses. To ensure the engine doesn't run lean at high revs, Clive is using eight 560cc injectors and the entire set-up is all under the watchful eye of an AEM UEGO engine management system.

So far the car has run on the drag strip twice, still in its Time Attack spec and running road tires. "We don't get peak power until 5,500 rpm," said Clive. " We launch at 6,200 rpm, and it's all sorted by the launch control so I always leave the line at the same power; I change up at 8,500 rpm." Times? So far a 9.9-second run at 145 mph is the best result, and it's a very promising benchmark. Bear in mind the terminal speed for the older car was 150 mph and this '07 car is currently running with at least 200 bhp less. The potential is obvious. With plans to turn up the power and get a professional race driver to help fine-tune the handling on the track, this car is just going to get better and better. Bring it on.

How RC Developments Killed Time Attack In '07
Round 1 Donington Park
Various delays meant the team only finished building the car the day before qualifying started. Then oil feed/starvation problems fried the engine while the car was out on the track-not a good start. The head was the only part that survived.

Round 2 Silverstone
With the oil problem hopefully sorted, the engine rebuilt and some testing under his belt, Clive took the car to the high speed Grand Prix circuit with high hopes; he'd won there twice before with his other Evo. "I quickly got used to the new car," said Clive. "My personal best with the old car was a 1.011 second lap, but I could only manage a 1.014 this year-the old car was more powerful and much more stable than this year's car is at the moment." Mind you-that lap time was still quick enough for Clive to win the round; his season's attack was back on track.