KW automotive » The Octane Report Street Class time attack Evo

The Octane Report Street Class time attack Evo ( 12.10.2009 )

Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday

It’s an adage that goes beyond cars or parts. In the case of the OctaneReport.com and its Street Class time attack Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9, the idea is to win on Sunday and drive more web traffic on Monday. The Octane Report is a web-based automotive enthusiast site that’s all about fast cars and the technology behind the scene. There’s no better way to generate interest and drive web traffic than winning events and races.

The key to this recipe is to build a car that’s relatable. OctaneReport.com chose the Mitsubishi Evo 9 platform for its tuning potential and mass appeal. The goal was to tune the car with simple parts that the average reader and consumer can find and afford, and to measure just how effective these modifications can be by going out to the track and racing competitively. Keeping it street legal and everyday driveable was also a priority. Time Attack offers the ideal setting to spotlight on-track performance, while being loosely regulated for tuned street cars and drivers with a modicum of experience.

The Octane Report Evo starts with the basic premise that horsepower isn’t the absolute when it comes to going fast. Through better tuning, the right parts and proper set up, a car with a stock engine and a bolt-on Tuning Technologies turbo can compete with the best of them. Teaming up with M1 Fabrication and Development, the OctaneReport.com crew invested most of their money and effort into wheels, suspension, aerodynamics and, most importantly, proper setup. Spending when necessary and saving where they can was the motto.

Understanding the importance of suspension, The Octane Report wisely invested in a set of KW 2-way Motorsports coilovers. The coilovers were specially valved and sprung for the abusive, high grip conditions of the track, even though the basic construction of the suspension is similar to KW’s standard twin tube street coilovers. Whiteline roll-center adjusters were added to the front as well as a Progress rear anti-sway bar to help reduce the car’s understeer tendencies. On throttle balance was changed with the addition of a Carbonetic 1.5-way LSD in the rear as well as a Gruppe-S ACD reflash, which controls the front to rear torque distribution bias so that the rear wheels do more of the work in cornering.

M1 Fabrication and Development also helped greatly with much of the aerodynamic development for track use. Starting with an INGS+1 N-Spec front bumper and APR GTC-300 rear wing as the basis, the team spent much of their time working out the aerodynamic balance at the track. A lightweight carbon-fiber honeycomb splitter and aluminum dive planes and air fences were made by M1FD and added to the car for additional front grip.

Much of the remaining modifications are nearly completely bolt on. Under the hood, the intake and exhaust plumbing have been changed but the TTech 600 turbo is a direct replacement, based on a factory core. Similarly, the factory ECU is still in place, reflashed with a custom tune by Tuning Technologies. Brakes remain stock other than track capable pads, lines and air ducting. Similarly, the complete interior is nearly stock. Racing hardware like steering wheels, seats, harness and harness bar are modular and used only for the track.

On the surface, the car may seem unimpressive in terms of power or number of parts, but it shows its true potential on track with consistently top ranked performances, even with a 150 horsepower deficit. An overall victory at the 2009 Evo vs. STI Shootout is only its latest win. The OctaneReport.com Evo 9 might just be a hit when it comes to showing tuners how to really go fast for cheap.

OctaneReport.com 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9
Engine	Tuning Technologies TTech 600 turbocharger, Works Exhale cast O₂housing, 76mm ceramic coated downpipe and 3-inch HFC high-flow catalytic converter, GReddy SP2 80mm stainless cat-back exhaust and PRofec B-spec II electronic boost controller, AMS lower intercooler pipe kit, Samco silicone intercooler hose kit, DME 3-inch test pipe, AEM air intake, Buddy Club 272-degree camshafts
Engine Management:	Walbro 255lph fuel pump, RC Engineering 1000cc/min fuel injectors, Tuning Technologies ECU flash
Driveline:	Gruppe-S reflashed ACD ECU, Carbonetic 1.5-way rear LSD
Suspension:	KW Motorsport two-way coilover suspension, Carbing 2-point rear tower brace, Whiteline Automotive front roll-center adjuster kit, Progress solid 27mm rear swaybar, alignment/setup by M1 Fabrication & Development
Brakes:	M1 Fabrication & Development stainless-steel braided brake lines, AMS brake duct kit, Hawk brake pads , titanium front brake pad shims
Wheels and Tires:	18×9.5-inch silver 5Zigen FN-01RC wheels, Nitto NT05 tires, rear fender lips rolled by Mavrik Motorsports
Exterior:	JUN Auto eyelids, Mitsubishi OEM window visors, JDM Evolution VII taillights, APR Performance carbon fiber rear diffuser and GTC-300 carbon fiber rear wing, Custom M1FD aluminum front wind fences and splitter, INGS+1 N-Spec Hybrid Aero front bumper and N-Spec Hybrid Aero side skirts
Interior:	Autometer Sport-Comp II full sweep 52mm electric boost gauge and Autometer Gaugeworks steering column single gauge pod, Eclipse head unit, M1 Fabrication & Development harness bar, Sparco Evo driver’s seat and steering wheel, Takata six-point 3-inch driver’s harness, Buddy Club Super Low Down seat rails