I'm considering buying an Evo X MR, and once it fulfills its daily driver role, and my current track car (E36 M3) wears out, the Evo will become the track car.

A few questions:

1. How well does the car work, stock, on the track? With most cars, you have to do at least suspension and brake work before they are ready for serious track work. (I'm a PCA instructor, so I'm going to be pushing the car a little harder than a green student) I'm attracted to the Evo because of its seemingly track-ready hardware (Brembos, Bilstein shocks, etc.), but is it really track-ready out of the box?

2. I've never dealt with multi-piston brakes before. How easy is it to change pads on the Brembos, and what kind of brake pads are people running on the track? (I currently run Hawk HT-10s on my M3)

3. How is reliability of the MR TC-SST transmission on the track? I've started to hear rumors of overheating issues, but I really don't want the 5-speed tranny of the GSR.

4. What are people using for track alignment settings? Can camber (front and/or rear) be adjusted? What about toe, and what does this car like?

Obviously, I'm new to the Evo, but I don't think that the wealth of knowledge for the pre-X cars will help with an X on the track. I just haven't found very much info out there regarding the X and serious track use.

Thanks,
--michael

I would say drive both transmissions before making a decision. All I've seen thus far are reviews about the MR on a track. Sustained track abuse on MR's has been kept relatively hush-hush from what I've seen. The transmission would be my biggest concern. A few weekends a year is one thing, but competition is a different animal. Time will tell I suppose. I'm sure companies have begun to experiment with fluids and such, so I guess we'll just have to wait it out.

As for the suspension, I'm not sure myself. To be honest, a GSR with coil-overs and supporting mods is best way to go. Why pay more when you can do it yourself and get exactly what you want.

but is it really track-ready out of the box?Yes it is.

If you want to step it up a little more, you can keep everything stock and get a EcuTek tune and I would be 100% certain that you would not regret leaving your M3 interms of trackfeel.

bTW there was a video of lp640 chasing a stock Evo X on the forum a month or two back.. it took ages (Several laps) to catch it.. enough said. :)

To be honest, a GSR with coil-overs and supporting mods is best way to go. Why pay more when you can do it yourself and get exactly what you want.


I have to agree with this. This may sound stupid but I have lost several nights of sleep toiling over this. In the end my decision is to buy a GSR and it was based on the ability to change the clutch. These are not mom and pop cars. These are pure bred track cars. They will be dogged on. A GSR has only the limits of your wallet as to how much power your want to get out of it.

An MR is limited to 350 ft lbs of torque. Getting that out of an MR would take less than 4 grand. It may even take less than 3. Then you are done. I'm sure somebody will make an aftermarket cooler for the trans oil but still, most GSR track cars are running 400hp or better that I've read about. Even with the superior shifting ability of the SST that won't be enough to overcome the speed deficit. And you get somebody that can drive like Boris Said and heel toe the clutch perfectly ...well you know.

It will cost $10,000 usd for a new MR transmission. Once your clutch packs start slipping...your race days are over.

Sure you can race, but you won't be able to compete against skilled drivers in GSR's with more power. Believe me, with traffic the way it is here I don't really want a stick. But i gotta tell you, I don't have the money for playing with an MR. If I had the dough, I'd reconsider and get the MR and put the power to it and buy a new transmission after every race.

Then again, maybe the MR can handle a ton of Horsepower. I'm not sure if anybody truly knows. I just know the manufacture specs say 350 ft lbs of torque max. I know somebody with a ton of money will come and test the limits and we will all know soon enough.

I'd wait and watch a bit longer. The SST may turn out to be way way tougher than we think. Both gearboxs may withstand the same punishment, Mitsu wouldn't release them if they didn't fell they were up to the task, they know most EVO's are going to be tuned and get to the track at sometime in there life.

My SST overheated at 2nd session. i am forced to use noremal mode to run all the way back to pit. very bad feeling:(...it show slow down warning and i can even see my car balance...

and i wasted another whole session for it to cool down..

ｄｕｎ　ｍａｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｓａｍｅ　ｍｉｓｔａｋｅｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉ　ｄｉｄ，　ｇｏ　ｆｏｒ　ＧＳＲ　ｉｆ　ｕ　ｗａｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｇｏ　ｔｒａｃｋ．

you do NOT want to get MR if you are planning to heavily track your car.

My SST overheated at 2nd session. i am forced to use noremal mode to run all the way back to pit. very bad feeling:(...it show slow down warning and i can even see my car balance...

and i wasted another whole session for it to cool down..．


How long was your session? How long was the track?

The MR transmission is in its infancy stages for consumer use on the track. As an owner of an MR above has stated, it doesn't appear to be without its faults. The GSR with its proven 5-speed is definitely the safer choice for track use and also a hair lighter than the MR. There are tons of suspension parts already developed for it and pads and rotors choices are growing rapidly by the day.

Best of luck in your choice.