The earth may just shatter for hard core enthusiasts of the Mitsubishi Evo. A rumor that's been making its way around the industry for over a year now has just been confirmed by Autocar: the next-generation Evo will be a plug-in hybrid. Sad? Shocked? Don't be, but here's the icing on the cake: output will be in the neighborhood of 500 horsepower and the car will be re-positioned as a direct rival to the likes of the Nissan GT-R.

The next-generation Lancer hatch and sedan are due to arrive next year, and the Japanese automaker is planning on offering a plug-in hybrid version for them as well. Company planners are serious about taking that plug-in hybrid technology to the next level. Combined with lessons learned from the MiEV Evolution II Pikes Peak prototype racer, the next Evo will be positioned as a GT-R rival that will feature all-wheel drive, low emissions, and even the option of all-electric running. The powertrain setup will likely combine a turbocharged four-pot with two electric motors. Styling wise, expect to see influence from the Concept-RA from the 2008 Detroit Show.