THERE are things that do not change much with time. In another 20 years, Steven Tyler will still be strutting on stage, some TV channels will still be screening B-grade reruns and people living in Singapore will still be griping about taxi service.

The car industry, however, changes like the wind. Indian-made Jaguars will be upon us soon. Daimler is recovering from its divorce from Chrysler. And niche player Porsche is poised for world domination, via its acquisition of Volkswagen. Who would have pictured these developments five years ago?

Cars themselves are evolving faster and more drastically too. The Mitsubishi Evo series is a good case in point.

This has long been a hard-as-nails range that does not differentiate Orchard Road from the Kiwi outback. I recall driving the Evo IV back in the 1990s and feeling the whole time that the car might just eat me alive.

It made unearthly noises even when idling and its suspension was as unyielding as granite. But if you mastered driving it (a task only for those with a strong back), it was a lethal weapon few could equal.

The latest Evo X is a different beast altogether, especially the SST version. SST is sports shift transmission, Mitsubishi's twin-clutch gearbox that can be operated as a full auto or a sequential paddle shifter. First made wildly popular by Volkswagen, the technology has appeared in the Nissan GT-R, and is appearing soon in BMW's M cars, as well as Porsche's 911.

In the Evo X, the mechanism saves elbow grease and lets the driver enjoy the car's dynamic possibilities with minimal fuss. Although the SST's engagement is often not instantaneous, its ratios match the engine's power curve beautifully.

The result is a pretty fast car indeed. Acceleration is so ballistic that you are frequently thankful for not having to bother with a stick shift.

The car offers three modes of shift pattern: Normal, Sport and Super Sport. And it packs a punch even in Normal, and takes on an edge when Sport in engaged. Super Sport is really not quite usable on the road. It can be activated only when the car is stationary and by pressing the shift button for three seconds.

In this mode, the car is absolutely maniacal. Revs go right up to 7,500rpm, and do not drop below 4,000rpm. The car blasts off in this mode, and the good thing is that it does so without any loss to histrionics like wheelspins.

A steering-mounted control allows you to pick the best traction the all-wheel-drive can muster on various surfaces.

On tarmac, the Evo is the most driveable machine of its kind. It is a point-and-shoot affair with an unshakeable stance, and displays the discipline of a racehorse without losing all the wildness of its bronco past. It is the most idiot-proof Evo to date, with large brakes and a sharp steering that will correct too overt a display of enthusiasm.

The only downside is its one-dimensional engine note. Well, that and its plasticky trim and tinny doors. At about $160,000 (or $44,000 more than the Subaru WRX STI manual), Mitsubishi should have made changes in these areas too.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Mar 29, 2008.