Pros
Rally-derived suspension, all-wheel-drive drivetrain, high-output 278 hp turbocharged engine, racing heritage and can give four passengers a ride of their lives at once. Even in stock trim, the Evo VIII is a terror on the track, whether it is at the drag strip or the road course. Besides the STi, which cost nearly $5,000 more, the Evo VIII is the only car of its kind. With a base price of under $30,000 for the RS model, the Evo VIII is a whole lot of car for the money.
Cons
The fact that it costs nearly $30,000. If you are looking to the used car market for one of these babies, be prepared to pay top dollar for them. The Evos are holding their value well and don't be surprised to find out that the used Evo you bought had been tinkered with before.
Temperature
70 Degrees Fahrenheit
Notes
The factory rates the 4G63 engine at 278 hp at the flywheel, which translated to 248.0 hp and 274.7 lb-ft of torque to the wheels on the DTS dyno.
Pros
Talk about night and day performance. The EMS made dramatic improvements throughout the power band, with gains as high as 22 hp and 25 lb-ft of torque. The key to the performance gains was the tuning on the dyno and having a competent tuner. Fortunately, we had Greg Nakano of AEM to tune the EMS.
Cons
We did lose a couple of ponies below 3200 rpm due to boost response. We checked over the wastegate duty on the EMS and it was already maxed out, but the gains obviously outweigh the loss. The EMS also does not come cheap, so be ready to shell out some dough. But if you are after serious horsepower, you have to have one.
Temperature
69 degrees FahrenheitTemperatures difference from previous run: -1 degrees Fahrenheit
Tuning Time
Complete dyno session: 3 hoursPartsAem Ems ecu, software, serial cable and instructions.
Installation Time
10 minutes