Project WRX V08

Project WRX V08

We've gone through a few WRX projects in recent years. It seems as though right when we start getting one sorted out, an updated version comes along to replace it. Our last one didn't make it very far past its introduction before it was hauled off. Well, we just took delivery of an all-new 2008 Impreza WRX from Subaru. To avoid any confusion, we'll call it Project WRX V.08. This one is slated to stay in our fleet for a few years and we're not wasting any time. Research and development are already well under way.

It might appear as if this project is moving a little too fast. Normally, the speed of development is governed by the need to test the car after each modification. But this time, our short-term objective is a little different-and coming up really quickly. We have to prepare the car to be displayed in Subaru of America's booth at the 2007 SEMA show, which will have passed by the time you read this.

If it looks like we've gone to full-on Pimp My Ride status, don't worry. There'll be plenty of time to reverse-engineer and test everything after the show. But for now, we're blazing forward. At the time of writing, we've had the car for a little less than a month and we only have a couple of weeks left to get it ready. Here's a brief rundown on what we've done so far.

To save time and avoid future embarrassment, we've taken a fairly conservative approach. Instead of loading up with unfamiliar products, we're working with aftermarket companies that have already proven their worth within the Subaru tuning community. Without taking the time to really shake the car down, it's hard to say if certain modifications are really necessary. But going with established tuners gives us the best shot at making our WRX better.

The first stop for Project WRX V.08 was Stillen subsidiary Brake Pros. With the entire staff of SCC being track junkies, we knew this project would be spending a good deal of time doing threshold braking. After a few hot laps, the brakes are usually the first things to go away. The crew at Brake Pros took measurements and put together a front brake kit using 13-inch diameter two-piece rotors and four-piston AP Racing calipers. The front mounting points on 2008 WRXs are exactly the same as older 2002-on WRXs, so many existing brake kits will fit the new model.

A big plus for the AP Racing kit is that, amazingly, the larger brakes manage to fit under the stock 17-inch wheels. This will be great, as we will still be able to use the stock wheels and tires on rainy days. While Brake Pros finished the rear kit, we grabbed the car to get the next group of parts started.

Aside from the obvious association between K&N Engineering and rally racing, the company really made its mark in the Impreza community with its Typhoon intake system. Powder-coated in wrinkle red, to match the STI's intake manifold, the Typhoon drew plenty of attention. However, power increases proved that it was more than just a showpiece. After two days of prototyping, K&N adapted its Legacy 2.5 GT cold-air intake to our Impreza, netting impressive peak horsepower and torque gains of 27 wheel-hp and 32lb-ft, respectively. FThe K&N intake doesn't affect driveability at all, but it does raise the 'wooshing' noise of the turbocharger compressor and the stock bypass valve significantly.

The car was becoming more fun to drive as we headed from K&N over to APR Performance. While the car still looked bone stock, the turbo was now screaming "I am not a Camry." Still, you couldn't help but notice that no one else found our WRX worth a second glance. That was about to change.

KC Chow handles all the R&D at APR. His work can be seen on several former USCC entrants and on many current time attack cars. Our car got the usual treatment, included a large 3D carbon fiber rear wing, relatively small carbon fiber side-view mirrors, plus a front splitter and subtle air dam insert that fit just right.

Our conservatively styled sedan (on stock wheels, at full ride height and with a giant wing) now turned lots of heads, but not in a good way. It was also difficult to see out the back. Perhaps one could adapt to the mirrors eventually, but we had a hard time judging closing speeds out of them. Before going to paint, we pulled off the mirrors and wing-though we'll keep them to test on the track later down the line.

In keeping with SCC's heritage, we decided to paint our new WRX flat black. But this car was going to be displayed in the Subaru booth at SEMA. We really couldn't get away with another rattle-can Krylon job like on our old Project STi.

Our good friend Marc Maksimow has a reputation for knocking out SEMA-quality paint jobs on tight SEMA-car timelines. He welded up the holes in the trunk (from both our stock and APR wings), then sanded and masked the body. During the prep phase, we decided to dump some of the hideous side body molding and added the must-have, Subaru dealer-option mesh grille. For paint, we went with a real spray gun and paint booth, and shot Project WRX V.08 with the R-M Carizzma Flat Black satin finish from BASF. The results came out better than anyone expected (other than the BASF guys). Maintenance is extremely low as well; the paint doesn't require any color sanding after being shot (just let it dry and it's ready to go), and cleaning the car doesn't require any waxing. Even Coleman is now considering having Project Silvia shot with the stuff.

The BASF paint made all the difference. Project WRX V.08 finally felt like a real SCC car. Something had to be done with the suspension, though. Despite the updated design (see Nov 2007, p104) the stock suspension still allows a lot of roll, squat and dive when the car is driven hard.

But, with an all-new suspension design and a tight time frame, we knew we'd have to go with a Japanese set-up, taking advantage of their earlier Impreza release date and resultant aftermarket R&D lead time. TEIN Japan had just finished developing one of its (unfortunately named) Super Street coilover systems and Katsuma Nakai, R&D manager at TEIN USA, was eager to test it out. He installed and adjusted the new springs and dampers. Our initial impressions are that it's a good compromise between comfort and performance on the street, but we'll save final judgment until after we test it at the track. The beauty about working with TEIN USA is that the company can re-valve the dampers in-house. It also has a wide assortment of spring rates in stock, so we can stiffen things up as we increase power and tire sizes later.

The final upgrades for this installment are the wheels and tires. For wheels, we chose Prodrive's forged GC-06H and selected the widest 5x100 bolt pattern size that was confirmed to fit-18x7.5 with a +48mm offset. Prodrive has a long history with Subaru through rally competition and we really wanted to bolt some of that mojo onto our car. Besides, the wheels just look good. They are readily available in gold and gunmetal, but white can be ordered specially. We wanted our set in white, but Prodrive was out of stock. Believe it or not, the wheels on our car were originally British Gold. We dropped them off with Sander Huang at The Wheel Supply in Walnut, California, to have them acid-dipped and powder-coated in white.

We really weren't sure how much tire could fit under the stock fenders. We eyeballed it and measured the wheel wells, but with only a stock 205-width tire, we went with a conservative 225/35/18 Advan Neova from Yokohama. Editor-in-chief Leh has us under strict orders not to crash the car before SEMA, so, like so much else, you'll have to wait for the next update to see how well the tires perform.

In the next installment of Project WRX V.08, we'll let you know just how much we got done before SEMA. You can look forward to rear spoiler number three, a little more pep under the hood and some fine touches to the interior. Shortly after that, engineering editor Chen and I will get this puppy out to the track and find out how well everything works together.

Photo Gallery: Project 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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Project EVO IX

Project EVO IX

When we first decided to embark upon another Lancer Evolution project, we had to take a step back and think. The Evo is a fantastically fun car to drive, regardless of generation. It's blessed with quick-spool turbo power, loads of grip and an untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed. But the Evo is also well balanced from the factory and, like the Honda S2000, is easily corruptible with the wrong parts. So when we drew up the plans for our Evolution IX project, we knew we would have to have a game plan going in.

We wanted more than our mildly tuned red Evo VIII (our first Lancer Evolution project) delivered and we didn't want to go with a massive turbo like our old grey Evo VIII MR. No, the plan for Project Evo IX was to build a capable and fast street machine that still utilized the stock turbo, yet provided a wickedly fast driving experience. And some competition couldn't hurt either. We're going autocrossing.

For those unfamiliar, autocrossing is an event where cars are timed as they run through a cone-lined course, which is usually set up in a generously sized parking lot. Cars are broken down by class, based on platform and modifications. Times between competitors usually split hairs based on tenths, if not hundredths, of a second. All that's needed to run is a helmet, four tires and a steering wheel. Autocross courses are tighter and smaller than typical road courses, which means lower speeds and the ability to be constantly at the limit of adhesion. The lower course speeds also mean less danger, nearly zero chance of rollover (although anything is possible if a driver is talented enough) and no need to worry about high-speed aerodynamics or instability. We're still going to take Project Evo IX out to a track day here and there, so there'll have to be some concessions made in terms of low- versus high-speed balance, and with heat dissipation in the brakes, but the primary focus will be on cone dodging.

The first step to entering autocross events is finding out where the hell they take place. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is the largest sanctioning body in the US. Unfortunately, they don't hold open track events for street cars in our region, like the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) HPDE program, but they do have the most detailed and structured autocross competitions around, known as Solo and ProSolo. ProSolo differs from the normal Solo autocross in that ProSolo is run head-to-head between two drivers using two mirrored courses. Both cars are sent off using a drag-style Christmas tree and the top times from each course are combined for each driver. The fastest Schumacher-esque cone masters at the end of competition are then run head-to-head in a series of extra 'challenge' events.

One cruise through SCCA's website will track down your local regional SCCA car club, which will feature the calendar of events in your area. Some regions run events that require SCCA membership and some don't. Our local events currently don't require SCCA membership to run, but to accrue points and compete at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships, membership and dues are required. A course walk, which is exactly what it sounds like, is done once or twice a day, but the glory of autocross is its ability to force you to learn course recognition and adaptation in just a few runs. Drivers such as World Challenge competitor Randy Pobst and Formula Drift pilot Calvin Wan got their start driving around cones in mall parking lots and, hey, if it worked for them, it's got to be worth a set of tires or two.

In contrast to a two-hour drive to the racetrack, our local autocross events only require a quick half-hour blast down the freeway and often have a semblance of civilization nearby. So they give the perfect battleground to run a street tire-shod project car that doesn't require a tire swap after arriving. We will no doubt become embroiled in the downward spiral of stiffer springs, triple-digit octane and race tires, but for now, we just want to get our foundation straight. Our aim is the Street Touring U (STU) class.

STU rules allow pump gas only, auxiliary gauges, racing seats (seat and bracket must weight 25 pounds), body kits, 245-width tires for all-wheel-drive cars, the use of only one high-flow cat, eight-inch wide wheels, reprogrammed ECUs (but no increase in boost), urethane bushings, camber kits, coilovers, anti-roll bars, turbo-back exhausts and brake pads. The cars are limited to 3.1 liters of engine displacement for forced induction cars and are unlimited for naturally aspirated machines. But before you go and build a stroker Evo motor, Street Touring rules specifically forbid built engines and engine swaps. Popular cars in STU include the Evo VIII, Evo IX, E36 M3, RX-8, Mustang, Camaro, Neon SRT-4 and WRX STI.

With the Lancer Evolution IX wearing 17x8 Enkei wheels straight from the factory, we knew we'd be in good shape for STU. We could have gone with an 18x8 wheel and eliminated the extra squish of tire sidewall flex, but didn't feel our hard-earned cash was worth the benefit, if any. Our piggy banks are staying locked until 9.5-inch wide wheels and 265-width tires find their way under our Evo's fenders. We'll be tackling the whole issue of unsprung weight and rotational mass versus eating top ramen in a future test article, but for now, we're just left dreaming about which bitchin' forged gems we'd get to match this car.

The stock Yokohama A046 tires lasted almost 20,000 miles and two track weekends before showing cords, which is apparently a pretty decent amount of time for an Evo. We've heard of some cars running out of tread in as little as 12,000 miles. With a tire this soft and sticky from the factory, we knew we couldn't go for a drop in quality. Looking through the entrant list for our local events, there seemed to be two tires used predominantly on front-running cars, the Yokohama Advan Neova and the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R. Having already experienced the Neova on an Evo VI in our October 2007 issue cover story, we decided to sample the other variety and went with the RE-01R in the widest STU-allowed size that could fit an Evo: 245/45/17.

Bridgestone's RE-01R features a semi-slick shoulder block, large tread blocks, sculpted water evacuation channels and a wide center rib. Once the RE-01Rs hit the pavement, we were impressed. The tire delivers loads of grip and, most importantly, plenty of feedback in quick transitions. It obviously doesn't have the heat capacity of a race tire, but it's an excellent street tire that works well in autocross situations, where there is plenty of cooling time between runs.

The stock Evo brake line is well designed for a factory piece, with this spiral outer line to protect from damage, but it doesn't have the consistent feel and expansion resistance of the Goodridge.

With new sticky rubber mounted, it was time to address the brakes. The Evo IX is blessed with a highly capable set-up, featuring four-piston fixed Brembo calipers up front (with 12.6-inch rotors) and two-piston fixed Brembos out back (with 11.8-inch rotors). They do a good job of stopping all 3260 pounds of the Evo IX's mass, but the stock brake pad feel is far from adequate. We're sure Mitsubishi engineers designed a special brake backing plate that could accept chopped and formed cardboard, because the stock pads seem to have no initial bite at all. In any situation, to slow a stock Evo, mash the middle pedal all the way down and keep it there, with no modulation to speak of. It's like having an on/off switch for brakes.

We swapped in a set of Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and the difference was dramatic. These are the pads Mitsubishi should have included from the factory. A good street-tire pad, the DS2500 provides extra bite and feel, and has a higher heat capacity range than stock. This is important to us because we'll be using our Evo IX at NASA HPDE days as well as autocross events. To that end, we also threw on a set of Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines and then bled the system with Motul RBF600 brake fluid. The Goodridge lines are simple, direct-fit factory replacement pieces that give a much more consistent pedal feel during track days. Combined with the high boiling point of the RBF600 fluid, the Goodridge lines allowed us to go through an entire weekend with a hard, solid brake pedal where before we'd be bleeding our brakes trackside after just a couple of lapping sessions.

Although we have an 80mm GReddy SP2 street exhaust waiting to go on, we have yet to touch the engine in Project Evo IX. So we figured this was as good a time as any to try out a few stock engine tricks. After seeing too many aftermarket intakes run into air turbulence issues through the MAF, we decided to keep the stock intake box in place. We used a simple K&N Engineering drop-in panel filter and saw a peak horsepower gain of four wheel-hp and a peak torque loss of 0.5lb-ft from our baseline of 253.5 wheel-hp and 247lb-ft. We did, however, see a gain of 7.8lb-ft lower down, at about 4200rpm. The K&N filter won't give that bypass valve whoosh, but it will give you a car that can run past 300 wheel-hp with no driveability issues from the intake. We'll take that any day.

SCCA Solo rules part 14.10, E, #5 state that "VTEC controllers and other devices may be used which alter the timing of factory standard electronic variable valve timing systems." While you won't see any 'powered by VTEC' stickers on the back of Project Evo IX, there is a MIVEC badge on the valve cover. MIVEC, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system, is the Evo IX's variable intake cam phasing system. By altering the intake cam phasing and the resultant effect on overlap, Mitsubishi engineers were able to increase low-end power and boost response compared to the Evo VIII, without any loss of driveability.

GReddy recently released a new line-up of plug-and-play V-manage variable valve timing ECUs, and we installed one in all of three minutes. GReddy sells the V-manage as a kit, which includes a dummy-proof jumper harness and a pre-programmed V-manage ECU. Tuned in-house at GReddy for compatibility with USDM Evo IXs, the V-manage also includes software so that you can use a laptop to create your own valve timing program, based on engine load and revs. The V-manage doesn't have the ability to alter timing or fuel, that's what GReddy's E-manage and E-manage Ultimate are for, but the stock pre-programmed map is designed to work with most stock turbo Evo IXs. We drove GReddy's own Evo IX, which was equipped with a full titanium exhaust and a V-manage unit. Low-end gains were very noticeable, using the almighty ass-dyno, especially from 2500rpm and up.

Another interesting feature of the V-manage is its data logging. Once hooked up to a laptop, the V-manage software can sample data every 20ms and can record and save logged files. Possible sampled data includes rpm, throttle position, airflow adjustment percentage, airflow input and output, intake valve timing values, ignition timing, vehicle speed, and more. The required USB cable isn't included, but it's an easy purchase at any electronics store.

On the dyno, the V-manage managed (no pun intended) to coax out 3.3 wheel-hp and 6.1lb-ft of torque peak, using the stock paper filter. Once we put the K&N air filter back in, peak gains jumped up to 7.9 wheel-hp and 10.4lb-ft with the extra air. Most importantly, the combination of V-manage and K&N filter helped make 19 wheel-hp and 30.7lb-ft of torque at a very usable 3300rpm. We expect a V-manage will show even more gains with a turbo-back exhaust, a new set of cams, an increase in boost, and custom tuning.

With just a few choice mods, we've laid the foundation for our autocrossing all-wheel-drive machine. Next, we'll take Project Evo IX to the track for testing and then get down to the dirty business of putting together a lower, stiffer suspension that works properly.

Photo Gallery: Project 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX - Sport Compact Car

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Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Tire wars are nothing new. We've seen companies go head-to-head in everything from Formula One to our very own Ultimate Street Car Challenge. But the latest battle is not being fought on the racetrack. It's happening on rainy highways, in the new ultra-high performance all-season tire segment.

Traditionally, 'ultra-high performance' and 'all-season' have been at opposite ends of the spectrum. Tires designed for dry performance have just enough grooves to pass DOT certification. They have monstrous, heat-dissipating contact patches in the dry, but hydroplane in the shallowest water. In contrast, tires that maintain traction in the snow have a web of channels designed to pump out water and dig down to pavement. But their tiny tread blocks squirm and grease up when pushed hard in the dry.

Demands from drivers wanting to push the limits in the dry, yet still make it to work in the rain, have forced tire companies to step up their game. In the last few months, several manufacturers have released new models trying to capture this segment. We haven't done much wet-tire testing since Coleman stuffed the Cobb Tuning WRX into a water truck a few years back. But with all these new models coming out, we may need to have another go at it soon.

Goodyear recently launched its ultra-high performance Eagle F1 All Season tire. It's the first all-season tire produced under the Eagle name and incorporates much of the company's latest technology. This includes carbon fiber reinforced sidewalls to reduce deflection under load. A DuPont Kevlar belt is layered beneath the tread for sound deadening and puncture resistance. To maintain appearances, the tire has a rim flange protector and a special compound called PermaBlack on the sidewall.

One of the more interesting features is Goodyear's TreadLock technology. This is a series of cups and domes cast vertically between the smaller tread grooves. Under load, claims Goodyear, these smaller tread blocks lock together for greater stability.

We acquired some driving impressions at Daytona International Speedway. The all-season Eagle F1 performed well in both wet and dry conditions. Where the tire really excelled was in the transition from dry to wet surfaces. After putting some heat into the rubber, the compound seemed to soften and really hook up through brief wet patches

Photo Gallery: Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Tire wars are nothing new. We've seen companies go head-to-head in everything from Formula One to our very own Ultimate Street Car Challenge. But the latest battle is not being fought on the racetrack. It's happening on rainy highways, in the new ultra-high performance all-season tire segment.

Traditionally, 'ultra-high performance' and 'all-season' have been at opposite ends of the spectrum. Tires designed for dry performance have just enough grooves to pass DOT certification. They have monstrous, heat-dissipating contact patches in the dry, but hydroplane in the shallowest water. In contrast, tires that maintain traction in the snow have a web of channels designed to pump out water and dig down to pavement. But their tiny tread blocks squirm and grease up when pushed hard in the dry.

Demands from drivers wanting to push the limits in the dry, yet still make it to work in the rain, have forced tire companies to step up their game. In the last few months, several manufacturers have released new models trying to capture this segment. We haven't done much wet-tire testing since Coleman stuffed the Cobb Tuning WRX into a water truck a few years back. But with all these new models coming out, we may need to have another go at it soon.

Goodyear recently launched its ultra-high performance Eagle F1 All Season tire. It's the first all-season tire produced under the Eagle name and incorporates much of the company's latest technology. This includes carbon fiber reinforced sidewalls to reduce deflection under load. A DuPont Kevlar belt is layered beneath the tread for sound deadening and puncture resistance. To maintain appearances, the tire has a rim flange protector and a special compound called PermaBlack on the sidewall.

One of the more interesting features is Goodyear's TreadLock technology. This is a series of cups and domes cast vertically between the smaller tread grooves. Under load, claims Goodyear, these smaller tread blocks lock together for greater stability.

We acquired some driving impressions at Daytona International Speedway. The all-season Eagle F1 performed well in both wet and dry conditions. Where the tire really excelled was in the transition from dry to wet surfaces. After putting some heat into the rubber, the compound seemed to soften and really hook up through brief wet patches

Photo Gallery: Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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Project EVO IX

Project EVO IX

When we first decided to embark upon another Lancer Evolution project, we had to take a step back and think. The Evo is a fantastically fun car to drive, regardless of generation. It's blessed with quick-spool turbo power, loads of grip and an untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed. But the Evo is also well balanced from the factory and, like the Honda S2000, is easily corruptible with the wrong parts. So when we drew up the plans for our Evolution IX project, we knew we would have to have a game plan going in.

We wanted more than our mildly tuned red Evo VIII (our first Lancer Evolution project) delivered and we didn't want to go with a massive turbo like our old grey Evo VIII MR. No, the plan for Project Evo IX was to build a capable and fast street machine that still utilized the stock turbo, yet provided a wickedly fast driving experience. And some competition couldn't hurt either. We're going autocrossing.

For those unfamiliar, autocrossing is an event where cars are timed as they run through a cone-lined course, which is usually set up in a generously sized parking lot. Cars are broken down by class, based on platform and modifications. Times between competitors usually split hairs based on tenths, if not hundredths, of a second. All that's needed to run is a helmet, four tires and a steering wheel. Autocross courses are tighter and smaller than typical road courses, which means lower speeds and the ability to be constantly at the limit of adhesion. The lower course speeds also mean less danger, nearly zero chance of rollover (although anything is possible if a driver is talented enough) and no need to worry about high-speed aerodynamics or instability. We're still going to take Project Evo IX out to a track day here and there, so there'll have to be some concessions made in terms of low- versus high-speed balance, and with heat dissipation in the brakes, but the primary focus will be on cone dodging.

The first step to entering autocross events is finding out where the hell they take place. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is the largest sanctioning body in the US. Unfortunately, they don't hold open track events for street cars in our region, like the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) HPDE program, but they do have the most detailed and structured autocross competitions around, known as Solo and ProSolo. ProSolo differs from the normal Solo autocross in that ProSolo is run head-to-head between two drivers using two mirrored courses. Both cars are sent off using a drag-style Christmas tree and the top times from each course are combined for each driver. The fastest Schumacher-esque cone masters at the end of competition are then run head-to-head in a series of extra 'challenge' events.

One cruise through SCCA's website will track down your local regional SCCA car club, which will feature the calendar of events in your area. Some regions run events that require SCCA membership and some don't. Our local events currently don't require SCCA membership to run, but to accrue points and compete at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships, membership and dues are required. A course walk, which is exactly what it sounds like, is done once or twice a day, but the glory of autocross is its ability to force you to learn course recognition and adaptation in just a few runs. Drivers such as World Challenge competitor Randy Pobst and Formula Drift pilot Calvin Wan got their start driving around cones in mall parking lots and, hey, if it worked for them, it's got to be worth a set of tires or two.

In contrast to a two-hour drive to the racetrack, our local autocross events only require a quick half-hour blast down the freeway and often have a semblance of civilization nearby. So they give the perfect battleground to run a street tire-shod project car that doesn't require a tire swap after arriving. We will no doubt become embroiled in the downward spiral of stiffer springs, triple-digit octane and race tires, but for now, we just want to get our foundation straight. Our aim is the Street Touring U (STU) class.

STU rules allow pump gas only, auxiliary gauges, racing seats (seat and bracket must weight 25 pounds), body kits, 245-width tires for all-wheel-drive cars, the use of only one high-flow cat, eight-inch wide wheels, reprogrammed ECUs (but no increase in boost), urethane bushings, camber kits, coilovers, anti-roll bars, turbo-back exhausts and brake pads. The cars are limited to 3.1 liters of engine displacement for forced induction cars and are unlimited for naturally aspirated machines. But before you go and build a stroker Evo motor, Street Touring rules specifically forbid built engines and engine swaps. Popular cars in STU include the Evo VIII, Evo IX, E36 M3, RX-8, Mustang, Camaro, Neon SRT-4 and WRX STI.

With the Lancer Evolution IX wearing 17x8 Enkei wheels straight from the factory, we knew we'd be in good shape for STU. We could have gone with an 18x8 wheel and eliminated the extra squish of tire sidewall flex, but didn't feel our hard-earned cash was worth the benefit, if any. Our piggy banks are staying locked until 9.5-inch wide wheels and 265-width tires find their way under our Evo's fenders. We'll be tackling the whole issue of unsprung weight and rotational mass versus eating top ramen in a future test article, but for now, we're just left dreaming about which bitchin' forged gems we'd get to match this car.

The stock Yokohama A046 tires lasted almost 20,000 miles and two track weekends before showing cords, which is apparently a pretty decent amount of time for an Evo. We've heard of some cars running out of tread in as little as 12,000 miles. With a tire this soft and sticky from the factory, we knew we couldn't go for a drop in quality. Looking through the entrant list for our local events, there seemed to be two tires used predominantly on front-running cars, the Yokohama Advan Neova and the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R. Having already experienced the Neova on an Evo VI in our October 2007 issue cover story, we decided to sample the other variety and went with the RE-01R in the widest STU-allowed size that could fit an Evo: 245/45/17.

Bridgestone's RE-01R features a semi-slick shoulder block, large tread blocks, sculpted water evacuation channels and a wide center rib. Once the RE-01Rs hit the pavement, we were impressed. The tire delivers loads of grip and, most importantly, plenty of feedback in quick transitions. It obviously doesn't have the heat capacity of a race tire, but it's an excellent street tire that works well in autocross situations, where there is plenty of cooling time between runs.

The stock Evo brake line is well designed for a factory piece, with this spiral outer line to protect from damage, but it doesn't have the consistent feel and expansion resistance of the Goodridge.

With new sticky rubber mounted, it was time to address the brakes. The Evo IX is blessed with a highly capable set-up, featuring four-piston fixed Brembo calipers up front (with 12.6-inch rotors) and two-piston fixed Brembos out back (with 11.8-inch rotors). They do a good job of stopping all 3260 pounds of the Evo IX's mass, but the stock brake pad feel is far from adequate. We're sure Mitsubishi engineers designed a special brake backing plate that could accept chopped and formed cardboard, because the stock pads seem to have no initial bite at all. In any situation, to slow a stock Evo, mash the middle pedal all the way down and keep it there, with no modulation to speak of. It's like having an on/off switch for brakes.

We swapped in a set of Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and the difference was dramatic. These are the pads Mitsubishi should have included from the factory. A good street-tire pad, the DS2500 provides extra bite and feel, and has a higher heat capacity range than stock. This is important to us because we'll be using our Evo IX at NASA HPDE days as well as autocross events. To that end, we also threw on a set of Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines and then bled the system with Motul RBF600 brake fluid. The Goodridge lines are simple, direct-fit factory replacement pieces that give a much more consistent pedal feel during track days. Combined with the high boiling point of the RBF600 fluid, the Goodridge lines allowed us to go through an entire weekend with a hard, solid brake pedal where before we'd be bleeding our brakes trackside after just a couple of lapping sessions.

Although we have an 80mm GReddy SP2 street exhaust waiting to go on, we have yet to touch the engine in Project Evo IX. So we figured this was as good a time as any to try out a few stock engine tricks. After seeing too many aftermarket intakes run into air turbulence issues through the MAF, we decided to keep the stock intake box in place. We used a simple K&N Engineering drop-in panel filter and saw a peak horsepower gain of four wheel-hp and a peak torque loss of 0.5lb-ft from our baseline of 253.5 wheel-hp and 247lb-ft. We did, however, see a gain of 7.8lb-ft lower down, at about 4200rpm. The K&N filter won't give that bypass valve whoosh, but it will give you a car that can run past 300 wheel-hp with no driveability issues from the intake. We'll take that any day.

SCCA Solo rules part 14.10, E, #5 state that "VTEC controllers and other devices may be used which alter the timing of factory standard electronic variable valve timing systems." While you won't see any 'powered by VTEC' stickers on the back of Project Evo IX, there is a MIVEC badge on the valve cover. MIVEC, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system, is the Evo IX's variable intake cam phasing system. By altering the intake cam phasing and the resultant effect on overlap, Mitsubishi engineers were able to increase low-end power and boost response compared to the Evo VIII, without any loss of driveability.

GReddy recently released a new line-up of plug-and-play V-manage variable valve timing ECUs, and we installed one in all of three minutes. GReddy sells the V-manage as a kit, which includes a dummy-proof jumper harness and a pre-programmed V-manage ECU. Tuned in-house at GReddy for compatibility with USDM Evo IXs, the V-manage also includes software so that you can use a laptop to create your own valve timing program, based on engine load and revs. The V-manage doesn't have the ability to alter timing or fuel, that's what GReddy's E-manage and E-manage Ultimate are for, but the stock pre-programmed map is designed to work with most stock turbo Evo IXs. We drove GReddy's own Evo IX, which was equipped with a full titanium exhaust and a V-manage unit. Low-end gains were very noticeable, using the almighty ass-dyno, especially from 2500rpm and up.

Another interesting feature of the V-manage is its data logging. Once hooked up to a laptop, the V-manage software can sample data every 20ms and can record and save logged files. Possible sampled data includes rpm, throttle position, airflow adjustment percentage, airflow input and output, intake valve timing values, ignition timing, vehicle speed, and more. The required USB cable isn't included, but it's an easy purchase at any electronics store.

On the dyno, the V-manage managed (no pun intended) to coax out 3.3 wheel-hp and 6.1lb-ft of torque peak, using the stock paper filter. Once we put the K&N air filter back in, peak gains jumped up to 7.9 wheel-hp and 10.4lb-ft with the extra air. Most importantly, the combination of V-manage and K&N filter helped make 19 wheel-hp and 30.7lb-ft of torque at a very usable 3300rpm. We expect a V-manage will show even more gains with a turbo-back exhaust, a new set of cams, an increase in boost, and custom tuning.

With just a few choice mods, we've laid the foundation for our autocrossing all-wheel-drive machine. Next, we'll take Project Evo IX to the track for testing and then get down to the dirty business of putting together a lower, stiffer suspension that works properly.

Photo Gallery: Project 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX - Sport Compact Car

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Project WRX V08

Project WRX V08

We've gone through a few WRX projects in recent years. It seems as though right when we start getting one sorted out, an updated version comes along to replace it. Our last one didn't make it very far past its introduction before it was hauled off. Well, we just took delivery of an all-new 2008 Impreza WRX from Subaru. To avoid any confusion, we'll call it Project WRX V.08. This one is slated to stay in our fleet for a few years and we're not wasting any time. Research and development are already well under way.

It might appear as if this project is moving a little too fast. Normally, the speed of development is governed by the need to test the car after each modification. But this time, our short-term objective is a little different-and coming up really quickly. We have to prepare the car to be displayed in Subaru of America's booth at the 2007 SEMA show, which will have passed by the time you read this.

If it looks like we've gone to full-on Pimp My Ride status, don't worry. There'll be plenty of time to reverse-engineer and test everything after the show. But for now, we're blazing forward. At the time of writing, we've had the car for a little less than a month and we only have a couple of weeks left to get it ready. Here's a brief rundown on what we've done so far.

To save time and avoid future embarrassment, we've taken a fairly conservative approach. Instead of loading up with unfamiliar products, we're working with aftermarket companies that have already proven their worth within the Subaru tuning community. Without taking the time to really shake the car down, it's hard to say if certain modifications are really necessary. But going with established tuners gives us the best shot at making our WRX better.

The first stop for Project WRX V.08 was Stillen subsidiary Brake Pros. With the entire staff of SCC being track junkies, we knew this project would be spending a good deal of time doing threshold braking. After a few hot laps, the brakes are usually the first things to go away. The crew at Brake Pros took measurements and put together a front brake kit using 13-inch diameter two-piece rotors and four-piston AP Racing calipers. The front mounting points on 2008 WRXs are exactly the same as older 2002-on WRXs, so many existing brake kits will fit the new model.

A big plus for the AP Racing kit is that, amazingly, the larger brakes manage to fit under the stock 17-inch wheels. This will be great, as we will still be able to use the stock wheels and tires on rainy days. While Brake Pros finished the rear kit, we grabbed the car to get the next group of parts started.

Aside from the obvious association between K&N Engineering and rally racing, the company really made its mark in the Impreza community with its Typhoon intake system. Powder-coated in wrinkle red, to match the STI's intake manifold, the Typhoon drew plenty of attention. However, power increases proved that it was more than just a showpiece. After two days of prototyping, K&N adapted its Legacy 2.5 GT cold-air intake to our Impreza, netting impressive peak horsepower and torque gains of 27 wheel-hp and 32lb-ft, respectively. FThe K&N intake doesn't affect driveability at all, but it does raise the 'wooshing' noise of the turbocharger compressor and the stock bypass valve significantly.

The car was becoming more fun to drive as we headed from K&N over to APR Performance. While the car still looked bone stock, the turbo was now screaming "I am not a Camry." Still, you couldn't help but notice that no one else found our WRX worth a second glance. That was about to change.

KC Chow handles all the R&D at APR. His work can be seen on several former USCC entrants and on many current time attack cars. Our car got the usual treatment, included a large 3D carbon fiber rear wing, relatively small carbon fiber side-view mirrors, plus a front splitter and subtle air dam insert that fit just right.

Our conservatively styled sedan (on stock wheels, at full ride height and with a giant wing) now turned lots of heads, but not in a good way. It was also difficult to see out the back. Perhaps one could adapt to the mirrors eventually, but we had a hard time judging closing speeds out of them. Before going to paint, we pulled off the mirrors and wing-though we'll keep them to test on the track later down the line.

In keeping with SCC's heritage, we decided to paint our new WRX flat black. But this car was going to be displayed in the Subaru booth at SEMA. We really couldn't get away with another rattle-can Krylon job like on our old Project STi.

Our good friend Marc Maksimow has a reputation for knocking out SEMA-quality paint jobs on tight SEMA-car timelines. He welded up the holes in the trunk (from both our stock and APR wings), then sanded and masked the body. During the prep phase, we decided to dump some of the hideous side body molding and added the must-have, Subaru dealer-option mesh grille. For paint, we went with a real spray gun and paint booth, and shot Project WRX V.08 with the R-M Carizzma Flat Black satin finish from BASF. The results came out better than anyone expected (other than the BASF guys). Maintenance is extremely low as well; the paint doesn't require any color sanding after being shot (just let it dry and it's ready to go), and cleaning the car doesn't require any waxing. Even Coleman is now considering having Project Silvia shot with the stuff.

The BASF paint made all the difference. Project WRX V.08 finally felt like a real SCC car. Something had to be done with the suspension, though. Despite the updated design (see Nov 2007, p104) the stock suspension still allows a lot of roll, squat and dive when the car is driven hard.

But, with an all-new suspension design and a tight time frame, we knew we'd have to go with a Japanese set-up, taking advantage of their earlier Impreza release date and resultant aftermarket R&D lead time. TEIN Japan had just finished developing one of its (unfortunately named) Super Street coilover systems and Katsuma Nakai, R&D manager at TEIN USA, was eager to test it out. He installed and adjusted the new springs and dampers. Our initial impressions are that it's a good compromise between comfort and performance on the street, but we'll save final judgment until after we test it at the track. The beauty about working with TEIN USA is that the company can re-valve the dampers in-house. It also has a wide assortment of spring rates in stock, so we can stiffen things up as we increase power and tire sizes later.

The final upgrades for this installment are the wheels and tires. For wheels, we chose Prodrive's forged GC-06H and selected the widest 5x100 bolt pattern size that was confirmed to fit-18x7.5 with a +48mm offset. Prodrive has a long history with Subaru through rally competition and we really wanted to bolt some of that mojo onto our car. Besides, the wheels just look good. They are readily available in gold and gunmetal, but white can be ordered specially. We wanted our set in white, but Prodrive was out of stock. Believe it or not, the wheels on our car were originally British Gold. We dropped them off with Sander Huang at The Wheel Supply in Walnut, California, to have them acid-dipped and powder-coated in white.

We really weren't sure how much tire could fit under the stock fenders. We eyeballed it and measured the wheel wells, but with only a stock 205-width tire, we went with a conservative 225/35/18 Advan Neova from Yokohama. Editor-in-chief Leh has us under strict orders not to crash the car before SEMA, so, like so much else, you'll have to wait for the next update to see how well the tires perform.

In the next installment of Project WRX V.08, we'll let you know just how much we got done before SEMA. You can look forward to rear spoiler number three, a little more pep under the hood and some fine touches to the interior. Shortly after that, engineering editor Chen and I will get this puppy out to the track and find out how well everything works together.

Photo Gallery: Project 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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Project WRX V08

Project WRX V08

We've gone through a few WRX projects in recent years. It seems as though right when we start getting one sorted out, an updated version comes along to replace it. Our last one didn't make it very far past its introduction before it was hauled off. Well, we just took delivery of an all-new 2008 Impreza WRX from Subaru. To avoid any confusion, we'll call it Project WRX V.08. This one is slated to stay in our fleet for a few years and we're not wasting any time. Research and development are already well under way.

It might appear as if this project is moving a little too fast. Normally, the speed of development is governed by the need to test the car after each modification. But this time, our short-term objective is a little different-and coming up really quickly. We have to prepare the car to be displayed in Subaru of America's booth at the 2007 SEMA show, which will have passed by the time you read this.

If it looks like we've gone to full-on Pimp My Ride status, don't worry. There'll be plenty of time to reverse-engineer and test everything after the show. But for now, we're blazing forward. At the time of writing, we've had the car for a little less than a month and we only have a couple of weeks left to get it ready. Here's a brief rundown on what we've done so far.

To save time and avoid future embarrassment, we've taken a fairly conservative approach. Instead of loading up with unfamiliar products, we're working with aftermarket companies that have already proven their worth within the Subaru tuning community. Without taking the time to really shake the car down, it's hard to say if certain modifications are really necessary. But going with established tuners gives us the best shot at making our WRX better.

The first stop for Project WRX V.08 was Stillen subsidiary Brake Pros. With the entire staff of SCC being track junkies, we knew this project would be spending a good deal of time doing threshold braking. After a few hot laps, the brakes are usually the first things to go away. The crew at Brake Pros took measurements and put together a front brake kit using 13-inch diameter two-piece rotors and four-piston AP Racing calipers. The front mounting points on 2008 WRXs are exactly the same as older 2002-on WRXs, so many existing brake kits will fit the new model.

A big plus for the AP Racing kit is that, amazingly, the larger brakes manage to fit under the stock 17-inch wheels. This will be great, as we will still be able to use the stock wheels and tires on rainy days. While Brake Pros finished the rear kit, we grabbed the car to get the next group of parts started.

Aside from the obvious association between K&N Engineering and rally racing, the company really made its mark in the Impreza community with its Typhoon intake system. Powder-coated in wrinkle red, to match the STI's intake manifold, the Typhoon drew plenty of attention. However, power increases proved that it was more than just a showpiece. After two days of prototyping, K&N adapted its Legacy 2.5 GT cold-air intake to our Impreza, netting impressive peak horsepower and torque gains of 27 wheel-hp and 32lb-ft, respectively. FThe K&N intake doesn't affect driveability at all, but it does raise the 'wooshing' noise of the turbocharger compressor and the stock bypass valve significantly.

The car was becoming more fun to drive as we headed from K&N over to APR Performance. While the car still looked bone stock, the turbo was now screaming "I am not a Camry." Still, you couldn't help but notice that no one else found our WRX worth a second glance. That was about to change.

KC Chow handles all the R&D at APR. His work can be seen on several former USCC entrants and on many current time attack cars. Our car got the usual treatment, included a large 3D carbon fiber rear wing, relatively small carbon fiber side-view mirrors, plus a front splitter and subtle air dam insert that fit just right.

Our conservatively styled sedan (on stock wheels, at full ride height and with a giant wing) now turned lots of heads, but not in a good way. It was also difficult to see out the back. Perhaps one could adapt to the mirrors eventually, but we had a hard time judging closing speeds out of them. Before going to paint, we pulled off the mirrors and wing-though we'll keep them to test on the track later down the line.

In keeping with SCC's heritage, we decided to paint our new WRX flat black. But this car was going to be displayed in the Subaru booth at SEMA. We really couldn't get away with another rattle-can Krylon job like on our old Project STi.

Our good friend Marc Maksimow has a reputation for knocking out SEMA-quality paint jobs on tight SEMA-car timelines. He welded up the holes in the trunk (from both our stock and APR wings), then sanded and masked the body. During the prep phase, we decided to dump some of the hideous side body molding and added the must-have, Subaru dealer-option mesh grille. For paint, we went with a real spray gun and paint booth, and shot Project WRX V.08 with the R-M Carizzma Flat Black satin finish from BASF. The results came out better than anyone expected (other than the BASF guys). Maintenance is extremely low as well; the paint doesn't require any color sanding after being shot (just let it dry and it's ready to go), and cleaning the car doesn't require any waxing. Even Coleman is now considering having Project Silvia shot with the stuff.

The BASF paint made all the difference. Project WRX V.08 finally felt like a real SCC car. Something had to be done with the suspension, though. Despite the updated design (see Nov 2007, p104) the stock suspension still allows a lot of roll, squat and dive when the car is driven hard.

But, with an all-new suspension design and a tight time frame, we knew we'd have to go with a Japanese set-up, taking advantage of their earlier Impreza release date and resultant aftermarket R&D lead time. TEIN Japan had just finished developing one of its (unfortunately named) Super Street coilover systems and Katsuma Nakai, R&D manager at TEIN USA, was eager to test it out. He installed and adjusted the new springs and dampers. Our initial impressions are that it's a good compromise between comfort and performance on the street, but we'll save final judgment until after we test it at the track. The beauty about working with TEIN USA is that the company can re-valve the dampers in-house. It also has a wide assortment of spring rates in stock, so we can stiffen things up as we increase power and tire sizes later.

The final upgrades for this installment are the wheels and tires. For wheels, we chose Prodrive's forged GC-06H and selected the widest 5x100 bolt pattern size that was confirmed to fit-18x7.5 with a +48mm offset. Prodrive has a long history with Subaru through rally competition and we really wanted to bolt some of that mojo onto our car. Besides, the wheels just look good. They are readily available in gold and gunmetal, but white can be ordered specially. We wanted our set in white, but Prodrive was out of stock. Believe it or not, the wheels on our car were originally British Gold. We dropped them off with Sander Huang at The Wheel Supply in Walnut, California, to have them acid-dipped and powder-coated in white.

We really weren't sure how much tire could fit under the stock fenders. We eyeballed it and measured the wheel wells, but with only a stock 205-width tire, we went with a conservative 225/35/18 Advan Neova from Yokohama. Editor-in-chief Leh has us under strict orders not to crash the car before SEMA, so, like so much else, you'll have to wait for the next update to see how well the tires perform.

In the next installment of Project WRX V.08, we'll let you know just how much we got done before SEMA. You can look forward to rear spoiler number three, a little more pep under the hood and some fine touches to the interior. Shortly after that, engineering editor Chen and I will get this puppy out to the track and find out how well everything works together.

Photo Gallery: Project 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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Project EVO IX

Project EVO IX

When we first decided to embark upon another Lancer Evolution project, we had to take a step back and think. The Evo is a fantastically fun car to drive, regardless of generation. It's blessed with quick-spool turbo power, loads of grip and an untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed. But the Evo is also well balanced from the factory and, like the Honda S2000, is easily corruptible with the wrong parts. So when we drew up the plans for our Evolution IX project, we knew we would have to have a game plan going in.

We wanted more than our mildly tuned red Evo VIII (our first Lancer Evolution project) delivered and we didn't want to go with a massive turbo like our old grey Evo VIII MR. No, the plan for Project Evo IX was to build a capable and fast street machine that still utilized the stock turbo, yet provided a wickedly fast driving experience. And some competition couldn't hurt either. We're going autocrossing.

For those unfamiliar, autocrossing is an event where cars are timed as they run through a cone-lined course, which is usually set up in a generously sized parking lot. Cars are broken down by class, based on platform and modifications. Times between competitors usually split hairs based on tenths, if not hundredths, of a second. All that's needed to run is a helmet, four tires and a steering wheel. Autocross courses are tighter and smaller than typical road courses, which means lower speeds and the ability to be constantly at the limit of adhesion. The lower course speeds also mean less danger, nearly zero chance of rollover (although anything is possible if a driver is talented enough) and no need to worry about high-speed aerodynamics or instability. We're still going to take Project Evo IX out to a track day here and there, so there'll have to be some concessions made in terms of low- versus high-speed balance, and with heat dissipation in the brakes, but the primary focus will be on cone dodging.

The first step to entering autocross events is finding out where the hell they take place. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is the largest sanctioning body in the US. Unfortunately, they don't hold open track events for street cars in our region, like the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) HPDE program, but they do have the most detailed and structured autocross competitions around, known as Solo and ProSolo. ProSolo differs from the normal Solo autocross in that ProSolo is run head-to-head between two drivers using two mirrored courses. Both cars are sent off using a drag-style Christmas tree and the top times from each course are combined for each driver. The fastest Schumacher-esque cone masters at the end of competition are then run head-to-head in a series of extra 'challenge' events.

One cruise through SCCA's website will track down your local regional SCCA car club, which will feature the calendar of events in your area. Some regions run events that require SCCA membership and some don't. Our local events currently don't require SCCA membership to run, but to accrue points and compete at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships, membership and dues are required. A course walk, which is exactly what it sounds like, is done once or twice a day, but the glory of autocross is its ability to force you to learn course recognition and adaptation in just a few runs. Drivers such as World Challenge competitor Randy Pobst and Formula Drift pilot Calvin Wan got their start driving around cones in mall parking lots and, hey, if it worked for them, it's got to be worth a set of tires or two.

In contrast to a two-hour drive to the racetrack, our local autocross events only require a quick half-hour blast down the freeway and often have a semblance of civilization nearby. So they give the perfect battleground to run a street tire-shod project car that doesn't require a tire swap after arriving. We will no doubt become embroiled in the downward spiral of stiffer springs, triple-digit octane and race tires, but for now, we just want to get our foundation straight. Our aim is the Street Touring U (STU) class.

STU rules allow pump gas only, auxiliary gauges, racing seats (seat and bracket must weight 25 pounds), body kits, 245-width tires for all-wheel-drive cars, the use of only one high-flow cat, eight-inch wide wheels, reprogrammed ECUs (but no increase in boost), urethane bushings, camber kits, coilovers, anti-roll bars, turbo-back exhausts and brake pads. The cars are limited to 3.1 liters of engine displacement for forced induction cars and are unlimited for naturally aspirated machines. But before you go and build a stroker Evo motor, Street Touring rules specifically forbid built engines and engine swaps. Popular cars in STU include the Evo VIII, Evo IX, E36 M3, RX-8, Mustang, Camaro, Neon SRT-4 and WRX STI.

With the Lancer Evolution IX wearing 17x8 Enkei wheels straight from the factory, we knew we'd be in good shape for STU. We could have gone with an 18x8 wheel and eliminated the extra squish of tire sidewall flex, but didn't feel our hard-earned cash was worth the benefit, if any. Our piggy banks are staying locked until 9.5-inch wide wheels and 265-width tires find their way under our Evo's fenders. We'll be tackling the whole issue of unsprung weight and rotational mass versus eating top ramen in a future test article, but for now, we're just left dreaming about which bitchin' forged gems we'd get to match this car.

The stock Yokohama A046 tires lasted almost 20,000 miles and two track weekends before showing cords, which is apparently a pretty decent amount of time for an Evo. We've heard of some cars running out of tread in as little as 12,000 miles. With a tire this soft and sticky from the factory, we knew we couldn't go for a drop in quality. Looking through the entrant list for our local events, there seemed to be two tires used predominantly on front-running cars, the Yokohama Advan Neova and the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R. Having already experienced the Neova on an Evo VI in our October 2007 issue cover story, we decided to sample the other variety and went with the RE-01R in the widest STU-allowed size that could fit an Evo: 245/45/17.

Bridgestone's RE-01R features a semi-slick shoulder block, large tread blocks, sculpted water evacuation channels and a wide center rib. Once the RE-01Rs hit the pavement, we were impressed. The tire delivers loads of grip and, most importantly, plenty of feedback in quick transitions. It obviously doesn't have the heat capacity of a race tire, but it's an excellent street tire that works well in autocross situations, where there is plenty of cooling time between runs.

The stock Evo brake line is well designed for a factory piece, with this spiral outer line to protect from damage, but it doesn't have the consistent feel and expansion resistance of the Goodridge.

With new sticky rubber mounted, it was time to address the brakes. The Evo IX is blessed with a highly capable set-up, featuring four-piston fixed Brembo calipers up front (with 12.6-inch rotors) and two-piston fixed Brembos out back (with 11.8-inch rotors). They do a good job of stopping all 3260 pounds of the Evo IX's mass, but the stock brake pad feel is far from adequate. We're sure Mitsubishi engineers designed a special brake backing plate that could accept chopped and formed cardboard, because the stock pads seem to have no initial bite at all. In any situation, to slow a stock Evo, mash the middle pedal all the way down and keep it there, with no modulation to speak of. It's like having an on/off switch for brakes.

We swapped in a set of Ferodo DS2500 brake pads and the difference was dramatic. These are the pads Mitsubishi should have included from the factory. A good street-tire pad, the DS2500 provides extra bite and feel, and has a higher heat capacity range than stock. This is important to us because we'll be using our Evo IX at NASA HPDE days as well as autocross events. To that end, we also threw on a set of Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines and then bled the system with Motul RBF600 brake fluid. The Goodridge lines are simple, direct-fit factory replacement pieces that give a much more consistent pedal feel during track days. Combined with the high boiling point of the RBF600 fluid, the Goodridge lines allowed us to go through an entire weekend with a hard, solid brake pedal where before we'd be bleeding our brakes trackside after just a couple of lapping sessions.

Although we have an 80mm GReddy SP2 street exhaust waiting to go on, we have yet to touch the engine in Project Evo IX. So we figured this was as good a time as any to try out a few stock engine tricks. After seeing too many aftermarket intakes run into air turbulence issues through the MAF, we decided to keep the stock intake box in place. We used a simple K&N Engineering drop-in panel filter and saw a peak horsepower gain of four wheel-hp and a peak torque loss of 0.5lb-ft from our baseline of 253.5 wheel-hp and 247lb-ft. We did, however, see a gain of 7.8lb-ft lower down, at about 4200rpm. The K&N filter won't give that bypass valve whoosh, but it will give you a car that can run past 300 wheel-hp with no driveability issues from the intake. We'll take that any day.

SCCA Solo rules part 14.10, E, #5 state that "VTEC controllers and other devices may be used which alter the timing of factory standard electronic variable valve timing systems." While you won't see any 'powered by VTEC' stickers on the back of Project Evo IX, there is a MIVEC badge on the valve cover. MIVEC, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system, is the Evo IX's variable intake cam phasing system. By altering the intake cam phasing and the resultant effect on overlap, Mitsubishi engineers were able to increase low-end power and boost response compared to the Evo VIII, without any loss of driveability.

GReddy recently released a new line-up of plug-and-play V-manage variable valve timing ECUs, and we installed one in all of three minutes. GReddy sells the V-manage as a kit, which includes a dummy-proof jumper harness and a pre-programmed V-manage ECU. Tuned in-house at GReddy for compatibility with USDM Evo IXs, the V-manage also includes software so that you can use a laptop to create your own valve timing program, based on engine load and revs. The V-manage doesn't have the ability to alter timing or fuel, that's what GReddy's E-manage and E-manage Ultimate are for, but the stock pre-programmed map is designed to work with most stock turbo Evo IXs. We drove GReddy's own Evo IX, which was equipped with a full titanium exhaust and a V-manage unit. Low-end gains were very noticeable, using the almighty ass-dyno, especially from 2500rpm and up.

Another interesting feature of the V-manage is its data logging. Once hooked up to a laptop, the V-manage software can sample data every 20ms and can record and save logged files. Possible sampled data includes rpm, throttle position, airflow adjustment percentage, airflow input and output, intake valve timing values, ignition timing, vehicle speed, and more. The required USB cable isn't included, but it's an easy purchase at any electronics store.

On the dyno, the V-manage managed (no pun intended) to coax out 3.3 wheel-hp and 6.1lb-ft of torque peak, using the stock paper filter. Once we put the K&N air filter back in, peak gains jumped up to 7.9 wheel-hp and 10.4lb-ft with the extra air. Most importantly, the combination of V-manage and K&N filter helped make 19 wheel-hp and 30.7lb-ft of torque at a very usable 3300rpm. We expect a V-manage will show even more gains with a turbo-back exhaust, a new set of cams, an increase in boost, and custom tuning.

With just a few choice mods, we've laid the foundation for our autocrossing all-wheel-drive machine. Next, we'll take Project Evo IX to the track for testing and then get down to the dirty business of putting together a lower, stiffer suspension that works properly.

Photo Gallery: Project 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution IX - Sport Compact Car

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Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires

Tire wars are nothing new. We've seen companies go head-to-head in everything from Formula One to our very own Ultimate Street Car Challenge. But the latest battle is not being fought on the racetrack. It's happening on rainy highways, in the new ultra-high performance all-season tire segment.

Traditionally, 'ultra-high performance' and 'all-season' have been at opposite ends of the spectrum. Tires designed for dry performance have just enough grooves to pass DOT certification. They have monstrous, heat-dissipating contact patches in the dry, but hydroplane in the shallowest water. In contrast, tires that maintain traction in the snow have a web of channels designed to pump out water and dig down to pavement. But their tiny tread blocks squirm and grease up when pushed hard in the dry.

Demands from drivers wanting to push the limits in the dry, yet still make it to work in the rain, have forced tire companies to step up their game. In the last few months, several manufacturers have released new models trying to capture this segment. We haven't done much wet-tire testing since Coleman stuffed the Cobb Tuning WRX into a water truck a few years back. But with all these new models coming out, we may need to have another go at it soon.

Goodyear recently launched its ultra-high performance Eagle F1 All Season tire. It's the first all-season tire produced under the Eagle name and incorporates much of the company's latest technology. This includes carbon fiber reinforced sidewalls to reduce deflection under load. A DuPont Kevlar belt is layered beneath the tread for sound deadening and puncture resistance. To maintain appearances, the tire has a rim flange protector and a special compound called PermaBlack on the sidewall.

One of the more interesting features is Goodyear's TreadLock technology. This is a series of cups and domes cast vertically between the smaller tread grooves. Under load, claims Goodyear, these smaller tread blocks lock together for greater stability.

We acquired some driving impressions at Daytona International Speedway. The all-season Eagle F1 performed well in both wet and dry conditions. Where the tire really excelled was in the transition from dry to wet surfaces. After putting some heat into the rubber, the compound seemed to soften and really hook up through brief wet patches

Photo Gallery: Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season Tires - Sport Compact Car Magazine

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