Mitsubishi will launch the next generation Evolution this fall. While we know what the car will look like, details on its driveline have been a bit sketchy. To tide us over until the car is released, Mitsu has sent us a few morsels of information to savor regarding the transmission and AWD system of the super-sedan.
The Evolution will have new all-wheel drive system called S-AWC. Sound familiar? You may be thinking of Acura's SH-AWD, which works in much the same way. The Super All Wheel Control on the Mitsubishi regulates drive torque at each wheel by utilizing a number of related systems to keep tabs on driver input and how the vehicle is responding. S-AWC makes decisions on which wheel should be doing what based on input from the active center differential, the active yaw control, and the active stability control. All these active systems work together to micromanage each contact patch into submission, making even average drivers look like heroes on challenging roads.
Working with this drive system will be a new Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission). This twin clutch setup is, of course, comparable to the lauded Volkswagen DSG transmission. Like DSG, the Twin Clutch SST uses one clutch for gears one, three, and five; the other is used for two, four, and six. Three shift modes will be available: one for regular around town stuff, a more spirited setting for quicker shifts and higher rev holding, and a maximum sport mode for the quickest shifts and most aggressive settings. A regular six-speed manual transmission will still be available to those who prefer to do it themselves.