New Car: 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback

Mitsubishi’s hatching a plan to launch a cut-price Evo X – and this is how it will look.These are the first official pictures of the Lancer Sportback, which will make its public debut at next week’s Geneva Motor Show.The Japanese firm states the model shown here “closely previews the Lancer Sportback”, but the sporty elements of the design will all feature most prominently on a Ralliart badged hot hatch flagship.At the front, the four-sided Mitsubishi grille gives an aggressive look, while 19-inch wheels hint at the performance on offer. The final production version won’t have the extreme looks of the Evo X, but will offer a cheaper and more practical alternative to the four-door flagship.The Ralliart gets a 238bhp version of the Evo’s 2.0-litre turbo engine and a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox. This combination should launch the five-door from 0-60mph in less than six seconds.When all variants of the five-door go on sale in the UK later this year, they are expected to account for 80 per cent of Lancer sales in Britain.