I’ve to present credit score the place credit score is due.
If it wasn’t for the protection I noticed on Speedhunters and Narita Dogfight lengthy earlier than I began contributing right here, I wouldn’t have such a eager curiosity in time assault right this moment. The content material coming straight out of Tsukuba Circuit’s pit lane garages intrigued me, and ever since I’ve discovered myself following the time assault scene on my doorstep right here in Sweden.
The Customized Motor Present (AKA Elmia) all the time brings out a few of the nation’s best (and quickest) time assault vehicles, and this 12 months a 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX constructed by the blokes over at Auto-Gruppen caught my consideration in Corridor X.
I imply, how may it not?!
Auto-Gruppen, based mostly in Mellerud, has been concerned in Swedish motorsport since 2004. Since then, they’ve been making a reputation for themselves as one in every of Scandinavia’s prime efficiency tuners. I met Nader Derakshan, a head technician at Auto-Gruppen, on the Elmia present, and he was pleased to speak me via all features of this wild construct.
Since Auto-Gruppen bought the Evo IX in 2018, the workforce has spent extra hours than they will rely perfecting each inch of the automotive, the vast majority of that point spent on drawback fixing. Having stated that, as quickly because the automotive feels proper at every stage, they push on to the following section of improvement.
The on-track outcomes up to now converse for themselves: Mantorp Park: 1.16.1; Kinnekulle Ring: 51.19 (each laps set working semi slicks). And that’s not all. Throughout its debut season in 2020, the Evo acquired three trophies and shattered two information whereas Auto-Gruppen have been nonetheless testing and wonderful tuning the automotive.
You’re by no means going to interrupt information with out high quality aftermarket efficiency {hardware}, and the Auto-Gruppen Evo is completely dripping in it.
First up, the outside, which options the complete Voltex Final Time Assault G-Power Aero Package deal. You don’t see many vehicles working this package wherever, not to mention right here in Sweden, however that is critical tools with a price ticket to match – nearly US$50,000.
The doorways, entrance fenders and each bumpers are in fiberglass, however all the things else is dry carbon. Only a few tweaks have been made to the aero to ensure that it to efficiency its greatest on Swedish tracks, and Nader identified that at 200km/h, the automotive now produces almost 2 tons of downforce, which is simply loopy.
With time assault vehicles of this calibre you’ll usually an in depth use of tube framing, however the class rules that the Auto-Gruppen Evo IX conforms to do not enable this. Inner physique and chassis body modifications are allowed although, and for subsequent season the workforce will give attention to additional weight discount.
There was no means something apart from prime quality Japanese-made wheels could be used on the Lancer, and the sq. 18×11-inch Yokohama Advan GT setup – at present wrapped in Yokohama Advan A005 280-section slicks – seems to be proper at residence. Typically, it’s the issues you’ll be able to’t see which can be probably the most attention-grabbing, and for the 2023 season, the Evo runs Izze-Racing laser experience top and TPMS sensors within the wheels. Moreover, every tyre has temperature sensors that measure 16 channels throughout the internal barrels, offering loads of knowledge to higher perceive and optimize the dealing with. In whole – and making an allowance for the engine – there are 50 sensors across the automotive.
The suspension setup is designed round MCA Gold Collection coilovers that have been custom-built for the applying, and chro-moly RaceFab arms. Big Alcon Racing brakes characteristic in any respect 4 corners mounted on Brypar billet uprights, with adjustable cut up by way of Tilton in-car bias management.
For some purpose, I solely managed to snag one image of the inside, however apart from the FIA-certified roll cage and Tillet B8 carbon fiber seat paired with a Sparco 6-point harness, Momo steering wheel and Tilton 600-series pedal field there’s not an entire lot to it.
Below the Voltex Tilton Model GT dry carbon hood, a Mitsubishi 4G64 engine has been constructed as much as 983whp. It’s based mostly on a Bullet Race Engineering billet block that includes JE pistons, CP-Carillo connecting rods and a Brian Crower 102mm stroker crankshaft. Up prime, the MotoSpeed race-spec cylinder head is stuffed stuffed with Brian Crower elements.
The turbo is a BorgWarner EFR 9280, the consumption is a Plasmaman merchandise, and the dry sump system is from Norris Design. Gas supply comes by way of a Radium Engineering cell fitted with three Ti Automotive pumps that provide a staged FIC injector setup that may provide every of the engine’s cylinders a 3,100cc gasoline shot. It’s all managed via an Emtron KV8 ECU.
Energy finds its strategy to all 4 wheels by way of a Momentum Motorsport Quaife QBE6U sequential gearbox with a Geartronics paddle shift system. The driveline additionally encompasses a Tilton Engineering twin-plate clutch, Quaife diffs, plus Stage 2 driveshafts and a carbon propshaft from The Driveshaft Store.
Every little thing has been constructed from the bottom up at Auto-Gruppen and completed so with brilliance. I did point out earlier that the automotive was arrange for the tracks right here in Sweden, however the final purpose for the workforce is to take the the Evo abroad. The World Time Assault Problem in Australia is in Auto-Gruppen’s sights, and Nader did give me a touch of a attainable go to to Tsukuba Circuit in Japan someday sooner or later too.
If that occurs, I’ll cover in Nader’s suitcase and see the automotive in motion myself.
Alen Haseta
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