Hitting the start button and igniting the 291-horsepower twin-scroll turbocharged four, then slipping the gear selector to D, and I knew I was strapped into a road rocket that had little in common with the ES.

Mitsubishi's marketing folks go to great lengths to explain that the Evolution isn't simply a sporty version of the Lancer--that it is a completely re-engineered high-performance vehicle.

Probably the most important component, other than the engine, is the Evolution's Twin-Clutch Sporttronic Shift Transmission: an automated manual that uses two clutches to combine the efficiency of a manual transmission while allowing quick shifts via the console mounted shifter or the paddle shifters. It features three modes, Normal, Sport, and S-Sport, selected via a toggle next to the shifter.

Normal works fine for most conditions. Sport changes the parameters, keeping the revs higher before up shifting, with more abrupt shifts. S-Sport takes things to the extreme, with revs above 5,000 r.p.m. most of the time, resulting in harsh, almost abusive shifts.

Most drivers would find it too much for all but the track, where its abilities