Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Evolution IV CN9A

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Evolution IV CN9A

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV, designated CN9A, arrived in 1996 as the most significant evolutionary step yet in the Evolution lineage. Based on the new CP Lancer platform, the Evo IV introduced technologies that would fundamentally change the way performance cars managed power delivery and chassis dynamics.

The headline feature was Mitsubishi's Active Yaw Control (AYC) system — a revolutionary electronically controlled rear differential that could actively vary torque distribution between the left and right rear wheels. By sending more torque to the outside rear wheel during cornering, AYC reduced understeer and improved corner exit speeds dramatically. This was the world's first production application of active torque vectoring, a technology that would eventually be adopted by virtually every premium performance car manufacturer.

The 4G63T engine received a new twin-scroll turbocharger (TD05HR) that improved both response and peak power delivery. Official output remained at 280 horsepower — the Japanese industry gentleman's agreement ceiling — but the Evo IV's power delivery was noticeably stronger and more immediate than its predecessors. The twin-scroll design separated exhaust pulses from adjacent cylinders, reducing turbine interference and virtually eliminating turbo lag below 3,000 rpm.

The suspension was redesigned with inverted MacPherson struts at the front — a technique borrowed from rally cars that improved unsprung mass and provided more precise wheel control over rough surfaces. The multi-link rear suspension was similarly refined, with new geometry optimized to work with the AYC system. Brembo brakes were fitted at all four corners, providing dramatically improved stopping power.

The Evo IV was also the generation that transformed the Evolution from a Japan-only curiosity into an international phenomenon. The car's dominance in the World Rally Championship, driven by Tommi Makinen, captured the imagination of performance car enthusiasts worldwide. The fierce rivalry with the Subaru Impreza WRX STI became one of the defining stories in motorsport and enthusiast culture during the late 1990s.

The wider bodywork accommodated larger wheels and wider tires, while the more aggressive aerodynamic package included a larger rear wing and revised front bumper with enlarged air intakes. Despite the additional equipment, weight was kept in check through careful material selection and engineering.

The Evo IV is considered by many enthusiasts to be the generation where the Evolution truly came of age. The combination of AYC, twin-scroll turbocharging, and improved chassis dynamics created a car that was not just faster than its predecessors but fundamentally more sophisticated and capable.