Lancer Evolution III

The Evo III

You can pick out a Lancer Evolution III by its nose and its wing. Launched in early 1995 on the Evo II's CE9A body, it gained a front bumper with much larger openings for the intercooler and radiator, a front air dam ducting air to the brakes and transfer case, new side skirts and rear mouldings, and a tall rear wing to cut lift at speed.

The 4G63 rose to 270 PS at 6,250 rpm, with torque still 309 Nm, from a compression ratio raised from 8.5 to 9.0:1, finer fuel control and a freer front pipe. Gearbox and drivetrain stay as before: five-speed manual and full-time four-wheel drive, in GSR and RS grades. Tommi Mäkinen won the 1996 World Rally drivers' title in an Evo III, the first of his four in a row. It was built until the Evo IV took over in August 1996.

What Evo III owners upgrade

Evo III owners start with the engine: Tomei stroker kits, valvetrain parts and timing belts for the engine, and Bee R rev limiters among the electronics. A car built around cooling and airflow gets more of both, with pod filters for the intake, full exhaust systems from Fujitsubo and HKS, and cooling parts.

Seat rails for bucket seats from Bride are a regular buy, as are clutch kits and suspension kits. APEXi, OS Giken, Cusco and KYB are also among the names Evo III owners choose.

Genuine parts

The Evo III's bodywork is its own: its bumper, air dams and wing are not the Evo II's, so check that a car still wears its originals before ordering trim. The engine is the familiar 4G63, so a cambelt and balance shaft belt changed together, with the tensioner, is the service to look for.

Body, engine and driveline parts are in our genuine Mitsubishi parts catalogue.

Wheels

Like the Evo II, the Evo III has four studs on a 114.3 mm PCD, with M12 x 1.5 nuts, and came on 15x6 +46 wheels. See wheels that fit the Evo III.