The Fastest Mitsubishi Cars Ever Made

Mitsubishi's roots can be traced back to the 1870s when Yataro Iwasaki founded a shipping company in Japan. The name "Mitsubishi" is a combination of "mitsu," meaning three, and "hishi," meaning water chestnut, symbolizing the three-leaf family crest. The company began with shipping and gradually expanded into various industries.

Here is a sneak peek of the Mitsubishi Lancer EX:

Despite being a smaller brand than its other Japanese counterparts, Mitsubishi has provided the automotive industry with some of the most fun, innovative, reliable, and performance-oriented cars ever. Mitsubishi sports cars were usually small, affordable, and easy to drive.

However, in recent decades, the automaker has suffered a tragic loss, and a big chunk of its share has been acquired by Nissan, which is also a company known to struggle in the 21st century. This article talks about the fastest Mitsubishis ever made, and it’s no wonder space has been dominated by the Lancer. 

This was the fastest sedan Mitsubishi ever made until the company decided to stop production to focus on crossover vehicles and more efficient electric cars. The production ended with the 440-hp (FQ-400) Lancer Evo X Final Edition, which was limited to 1,600 units in the United States.

10. 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

Our list of the fastest Mitsubishi cars kicks off with the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR Edition model, an upgrade to the Evolution VIII Lancer. This compact sedan sprinted from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and recorded a top speed of 155 mph. The car was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that outputs 276 hp and 286 lb-ft of torque.

MR stands for Mitsubishi Racing. Over the standard Evolution VIII car, the MR edition added one extra gear, which shortened the gear ratios, thus helping with better performance, acceleration, and control. The MR edition also got Bilstein shocks, BBS one-piece forged alloy wheels, and an aluminum roof.

9. 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (FQ 330)

The 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII in the FQ330 version registers a 0-60 MPH acceleration time of 4.7 seconds but has a better top speed of 157 mph. The car was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that pumped out a strong 330 hp and had a torque output of 315 lb-ft. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.

Mitsubishi has always offered manual transmissions in their Lancer models to cater to enthusiasts who prefer a more engaged driving experience and have continued with the setup even in the Mitsubishi Lancer 2022 and 2023 models.

The FQ330 version was launched in the United Kingdom after the overwhelming response to the FQ300 model. The FQ330 was a better and more powerful version of the FQ300 Lancer and was sold by Ralliart dealerships. It added a supplementary ECU system and increased the turbocharger boost to 1.4 .

8. 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (FQ 340)

The FQ340 redefined the Lancer Evo VIII’s performance in terms of driving dynamics over the FQ330. The performance numbers for a 0-62 time stood at 4.7 seconds, but it had the same top speed of 157 MPH as the FQ330 model. The car also used the same 2.0-liter Inline-4 turbocharged engine, but it had an output of 345 hp and a torque of 320 lb-ft.

The FQ340 compact sedan was not very light, and hence the performance was quite impressive. The car weighed in at 3,086 lbs and had a fuel efficiency of 19 MPG combined. This Lancer seated five passengers and was also sold in the RS model. The FQ340 was facelifted in 2005 with the Lancer Evo IX FQ340 model.

7. 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (FQ 300)

The Lancer, in Evo X form as the FQ 300 model, had an electronically limited top speed of 155 MPH and sprinted from 0-62 in 4.5 seconds. The car used an all-new 4B11T turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that pumped out 295 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The engine was coupled with either a 5-speed or a 6-speed manual transmission and came with AWD as standard.

The Evo X was released after a one-year gap in 2008. This was the first time Mitsubishi’s S-AWC system was used, which used the principle of torque vectoring to send variable amounts of torque inputs to the rear wheel. The 6-speed manual gearbox was also new and used a dual-clutch setup seen on most modern cars.

6. 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (FQ 330)

The FQ 330 version of the Evo X used the same engine setup but made 34 hp and 22 lb-ft more torque than the FQ 300 version. As a result, the power upgrade improved the 0-62 MPG time to 4.4 seconds, whereas the top speed was restricted to 155 mph. However, this version was sold only in the United Kingdom. This version was one of the best Evo X models sold by Mitsubishi.

The FQ 330 borrowed its exhaust from the more powerful FQ 360 model and also got the automatic transmission that was only available on the FQ 300. Mitsubishi also ditched the torque limiter on the FQ 330 that was seen on the FQ 300 base model. This car was sold from 2008 to 2015.

5. 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (FQ 340)

The Evolution IX line debuted in 2005. The base FQ 340 model accelerated from 0-62 in 4.3 seconds and recorded a slightly higher top speed of 157 mph. The car’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine made 345 hp and 321 lb-ft of torque, coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission. This new model has a redesigned turbocharger that helps increase output levels.

The Evo IX was more of a mechanical upgrade to the Evo VIII, which also brought along some design changes. The car gained a reputation for how affordable it was, the driving dynamics it packed in, and the overall performance it offered. In the U.S., the Evo IX was sold in the IX, RS, and MR Edition models.

4. 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X (FQ 360)

The FQ 360 was the middle car in the Lancer Evo X lineup. It featured the same all-new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine but had an output of 359 hp with a torque rating of 363 lb-ft. This performance upgrade came from an ECU change, which made the car go from 0-62 in just 4.1 seconds. The Lancer Evo X FQ 360 registered a top speed of 155 mph.

The FQ-360’s engine was modified by HKS, a high-performance tuning company. On the outside, this car features a carbon-fiber chin spoiler with a vortex generator placed between the roof and the rear screen. On the inside, the only change was the use of better and more premium leather on the seats.

3. 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (FQ 360)

The FQ 360 is the most powerful model in the Evo IX lineup, featuring a turbocharged 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine that made 366 hp and pumped out 363 lb-ft. The car went from 0-62 in 3.9 seconds and registered a top speed of 160 mph. It. As standard, Mitsubishi equipped the FQ 360 with a 6-speed manual transmission.

This Evo IX FQ 360 was a successor to the Evo VIII FQ 400. Compared to the FQ 400, this model made less power but had a higher torque output. The FQ 360 used Bilstein monotube shocks for its suspension and ran on super unleaded gasoline only. Equipment changes included a Ralliart Sports meter kit, Speedline alloy wheels, and a carbon fiber front splitter.

2. 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (FQ 400)

A Lancer from the Evo VIII series has to be among the fastest Mitsubishi cars ever made. This FQ 400 model is the second on our list thanks to its 0-62 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph. The FQ 400’s 4G63 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine was specifically tuned by Rampage Tuning, Flow Race Engines, and Owen Developments. The changes gave it a solid 405 hp and 355 lb-ft, and the car was sold only through Ralliart in the UK.

Back then, the FQ400 was limited to 100 units and came at a price of $85,000. Mitsubishi built this Lancer FQ 400 to celebrate its 30th Anniversary in the United Kingdom. Mitsubishi also offered an impressive warranty of 3 years/ 36,000 miles on the car. Fun Fact: The Evolution VIII was the first Lancer to be officially sold in the United States.

1. 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (FQ 440)

Here is the fastest Mistubishi car ever made, the 2014 Lancer Evolution X. The 2014 Evolution X (FQ 440) is the fastest Mitsubishi car ever made, with a 0-62 time of 3.6 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The FQ 440 used a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine like all Lancers, but it made 440 hp with a torque output of 412 lb-ft.

Mitsubishi revealed the FQ 440 to celebrate its 40th Anniversary in the United Kingdom. As a result, this model was limited to 40 units and cost around $82,900. This special edition model was equipped with bi-xenon headlights, forged BBS alloy wheels, leather bucket seats, and a high-contrast LCD setup.