Most striking is the new exterior dress. Gone are the Evo VI's fat wheel arches, replaced by smart-looking blistered fender aluminum bodywork. A ducted aluminum hood is also part of the car's careful Jenny Craig approach toward construction of a rally-inspired, homologation special, ultra-performance sedan. Close attention was given to weight reduction on the new Evo to keep it equal to the 1,400 kg mass of the previous Evo VI in spite of increases in dimensions. In addition to the use of lighter aluminum panels, the front and rear door glass thickness has been reduced by 10 percent. The power-steering bracket is aluminum instead of steel and the valve cover is cast in ultra-lightweight magnesium to save a few ounces. The excess fat of a stereo and speakers has been omitted on the VII-probably a wise move as music would just be a distraction from the driving. The lightened body panels all hang on a revised and reinforced Lancer unibody that is 50 percent more rigid than the platform used for the previous Evo. The VII's longer 115mm wheelbase and 5mm wider track enhance straight-line stability and cornering. Its front and rear lights are unique to the Evo, offering a not-to-be-confused-with-IS 300-looking, 3-lamp cluster in a pod configuration on the car's hind quarters. The front lamps and restyled fascia flow more smoothly into the body lines from the nose through to the A-pillar, and into a steeper rear slope at the rear window of the Lancer. The "lumpier" rear roofline hints at the voluminous rear cabin space tucked within this new-generation Lancer, which we suppose is what everyone was clamoring for in their ultra-performance compact sedans in the first place.
The Evo VII is still powered by the competition-proven 4G63 2.0L, transversely-mounted, four-cylinder engine. This latest version is treated to an improved turbocharger (with an Inconel compressor wheel on GS-R models, and a titanium alloy wheel on the RS model), a larger auto-sprayed intercooler, and a more efficient oil cooler to help increase the engine's torque band and longevity. For the Evo VII, the 4G63 also receives hollow camshafts that help reduce valvetrain mass and improve engine response. The new intercooler is 20mm thicker and features optimized tank position and fin angles. These details, added to an already proven and durable engine design, create a motor with a flatter torque curve that is more responsive when you hit the gas.
Behind the engine is a beefed-up version of the W5M51 five-speed gearbox which now has higher grade steel in its gear construction to better cope with the VII's additional torque. The revised gearbox, with extra strengthening ribs on its case, uses a 2.928 First gear ratio (2.785 in VII) for faster acceleration. A numerically lower Fifth gear (.72) improves highway cruising speed and fuel economy. Aiding clutch feel, the pressure plate and flywheel have been enlarged for more contact surface.
Replacing the viscous coupling center differential on the previous Evo is a new electronically-controlled, hydraulically-operated multi-plate clutch unit. The ACD (active center differential) distributes the torque more effectively between the front and rear wheels. In a nutshell, the ACD helps this Evo respond more quickly and effectively to changing traction demands and works to optimize tire adhesion in either tarmac, gravel, or snow modes. The new electronic unit enhances steering response and traction. Electronics govern the cover clamp pressure placed on the center differential clutch pack to match driver input and vehicle condition. Under hard acceleration, the ACD is in a near locked state, transmitting the most torque to the road surface for traction. As the driver makes rapid steering inputs, the center diff operates virtually as an open differential to improve the steering response while retaining the 4WD stability. One of the VII's coolest features occurs when the parking brake is engaged-the ACD will operate as an open diff for quick side brake turns. In addition to the ACD, the EVO VII still integrates the active yaw control that has proven so successful in previous versions. A computer integrates the functions of the AYC and the ACD so that optimum control and traction are maintained at all times, creating the aura of a car that's almost idiot-proof to drive and as confidence-inspiring as a beer stein full of Jim Beam.