Driven by Tommi Mäkinen, the Lancer Evolution was an unstoppable force in the World Rally Championship (WRC) during the mid to late 90s. In 1996, the Lancer Evolution IV gained Active Yaw Control (AYC), also de- veloped by Sawase. AYC was an ingenious new system that was capable of transferring drive torque lateral- ly between the rear wheels. Before AYC, torque could only be transferred from the rear axle to the front or vice versa. AYC was also controlled fully electronically and required no input from the driver. The Lancer Evolution was no harder to drive than any other car, yet had abilities far beyond the aver- age compact sedan. There’s a famous scene in BBC’s Top Gear where host Jeremy Clarkson has no trouble keeping up with a $340,000 Lamborghini that also used an advanced all-wheel drive system. The hum- ble little Lancer was given the abilities of a supercar and that was thanks in no small part to Sawase’s in- genious invention. Active Yaw Control was the world’s first example of torque vectoring as it is more commonly known to- day in the industry. By being able to finely control how
much torque gets delivered to each rear wheel, it can actively help a car corner faster, great for motorsport but even better for traction in slippery conditions. Sawase knew all-wheel drive was good for perform- ance, but he also wanted to make passenger cars safer and easier to drive. The Evolution VIII was the first generation to make it to the United States but still not Canada due to regu- latory issues. The Subaru Impreza WRX, the Lancer’s direct rival had gone on sale there the year prior and quickly became a success. It wouldn’t be until the Evolution X went on sale in 2007 that Canadians would finally be able to walk into a Mitsubishi dealer and buy one. The last Lancer Evolution was sold here in 2014 and the Lancer nameplate was discontinued in 2016. However, that racing heritage and Sawase’s dedi- cation to S-AWC lives on. The current generation Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV employs the most-mod- ern rendition of this technology using electric motors and no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles. While the hardware is completely differ- ent, the principles by which the system works is dir- ectly connected to the one employed in the Lancer Evolution. Mitsubishi pulled out of the WRC in 2010, two years after arch-rival Subaru did the same. Sawase still fondly remembers the glory days of the Lancer Evo and he holds out hope that Mitsubishi might one day return to the sport. Two years ago, the company entered its Triton pick- up truck in the Asian Cross Country Rally held near Thailand and won, proving they still have what it takes to compete. Mitsubishi competed again in 2023 and recently announced it would return for the 2024 edi- tion, this time with its new generation, more powerful rally-prepared Triton. Mitsubishi has turned its focus towards crossovers, SUVs and electrified vehicles as the market shifts away from sedans, but all-wheel drive systems like the ones employed in a new Mitsubishi benefit great- ly from Sawase engineering expertise. Technologies found in Super All-Wheel Control such as Active Yaw Control not only increase performance but have also made vehicles safer and easier to control during bad weather. With the majority of Canadians buying all-wheel drive vehicles today, it’s refreshing to learn about the pedi- gree behind Mitsubishi’s S-AWC system. While the Lancer might no longer be in production, its winning spirit still burns brightly within the company. Mi
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