SCORE! Solid info on Mitsubishi Lancer surfaces

[evolutionVIII]

So here's the deal. We know Mitsubishi just held a long-lead introduction for its new Mitsubishi Lancer. Journalists were invited to sample the new car (not us, unfortunately), excluding the Ralliart and EVO models, in exchance for a promise not to publish pictures until late December and driving impressions until late January. Now, inviting a bunch of gear heads to drive the second coming from Mitsubishi and letting them loose on public roads is just asking for precious info to be leaked. And so it has to us in the form of a tip. Here's the long and short of it...

Wheelbase: 104 in.
Track, f/r: 60 in./60 in.
Length: 178 in.
Width: 71 in.
Height: 55 in.
Curb Weight: 2,800 lbs.
Engine: 140hp / 135ft-lbs. 2.0-liter I-4
Transmission: 5-speed Manual or CVT
These are most likely specs for the ES or SE model and reveal the base engine to be a 2.0-liter version of the World Engine that Mitsubishi co-developed with DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai. Also of note is the lack of an automatic transmission as an option, with only a CVT being offered to those who don't row their own boat with the optional 5-speed. Take a look at the Lancer's width, too: 71 inches. That figure dwarfs the 2006 model at 66.8 inches and nearly all of its main competitors, including the Honda Civic (69 in.) and Mazda3 (69.1). We're going to stop the speculation here for fear Mitsubishi agents have breached our perimeter and are planning a raid on the Autoblog HQ at any moment.