Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Lancer Evolution V (GF-CP9A)

In the year the Evo IV came out, Nakaya was racing a Mitsubishi GTO in Class 1 of N1 endurance racing against the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Convinced that the GTO was faster in corners, Nakaya asked for a 2.6 L GTO to be released to even out the weight, and for a front LSD to be fitted. But the engine could not be done because of cost, nor the LSD because of space, and a switch of car from the GTO to the Evo came up. What Nakaya was given was the hard question of how to make an Evo that could beat the GT-R.

Nakaya listed improvements for the Evo V and proposed that they be adopted. His biggest demand was two things at odds with each other: a lighter body and a stiffer one. The proposal to make all of the body's steel panels and the side and rear glass thinner came at a time when thinner sheet metal was being considered for fuel economy, and surprisingly went through without resistance; it was adopted on a trial basis on the RS only. Brembo opposed-piston calipers, aluminum arms and other parts, and 225-size tires on a wider track also made it in. The finished Evo V was astonishingly fast from its very first run, and the N1-spec car with AYC won the championship.