- We uncover the story behind the viral, albeit staged, spy shots of a camouflaged Mitsubishi EVO XI.
- Alexis Poncelet’s renderings blend realistic proportions with modern Mitsubishi styling cues.
- The fictional EVO XI would be a great addition to Mitsubishi’s lineup, but it’s unlikely to happen.
In the graveyard of discontinued sedans over the past decade, the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO series sits on a particularly shiny headstone for us gearheads. Axed back in 2016 with nary a whisper of a successor, the EVO left a fanbase clinging to the fumes of nostalgia.
Enter professional automotive designer Alexis Poncelet, who decided to play Don Quixote to Mitsubishi’s windmill, whipping up fantastical renderings of an “EVO XI” and briefly convincing the internet it was real, sparking rumors of a true EVO XI successor from the Japanese brand.
It all began with a flurry of supposed ‘spy shots’ that flooded the internet a few weeks ago, depicting a camouflaged Mitsubishi prototype. Upon closer inspection, it became clear these images were the work of a rendering expert, derived from earlier Mitsubishi Outlander spy shots previously featured here on CarScoops
More: This 11th-Gen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Render Ticks All The Right Boxes
After our initial story, with a helpful tip from our one of our readers (thanks Romy!), we tracked down the person responsible for the staged spy shots and had the chance to talk to Alexis Poncelet, the mastermind behind this project.
He generously shared the final presentation of his design, unveiling all its secrets. Alexis currently works for an automaker’s Italian design studio in Milano, but you may recognize him from earlier independent projects that we’ve featured here, such as this Celica racer.
Illustrations Alexis Poncelet
Unlike other renders, the fictional Mitsubishi EVO XI was not based on any existing models. Instead, the designer created it from scratch using the popular 3D software Blender. Alexis told us he combined “a few hints from previous generations, while keeping the general EVO’s proportions in mind,” so the resulting model resembles what Mitsubishi could theoretically offer.
The designer admits he aimed for people to perceive it as a “production-ready” model rather than just a design study, which is why he employed “reasonable proportions” and conceived the idea of a “fake test mule.” Of course, he acknowledges that Mitsubishi has no plans for another generation of the performance sedan. However, he describes his project as a “clear statement” to encourage them to reconsider.
The rendering adopts styling cues from the automaker’s current design language. At the front, the model features split headlights, rally-inspired round LEDs, a large bumper intake doubling as a grille, and a traditional hood scoop. The profile maintains the sleek, slim, and four-door bodystyle characteristic of the previous ten EVO generations. Finally, the rear references the EVO X styling, updated with modern features while retaining the iconic wing.
Besides creating cool renderings in many different colors and backgrounds, Poncelet made a video of the 3D model being tested on the Dyno, bringing another level of realism into the project. This clip proves that the EVO XI was envisioned with a proper ICE under the hood and with an all-wheel-drive system, staying true to the original recipe.
The next step would be for someone to create an online petition urging for the return of the EVO. Unfortunately, in a world dominated by SUVs, this seems highly unlikely. Nevertheless, we can quietly hope for a resurgence of the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO and Subaru WRX STI rivalry sometime in the distant future.
Thanks to Alexis for sharing his project with us!
