Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Evo VI 2001 Review

Mitsubishi will import 100 Evos through its Ralliart subsidiary under the revised SEVS regulations (Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle import Scheme). The scheme allows manufacturers to import limited numbers of enthusiast cars without going to the expense of crash-testing them first.

Manufacturers do have to prove the vehicle meets crash regulations, though, and this is what delayed the importation of the Evo VI, which has been sitting in Japan since September last year. Minor squibbles over various safety issue including side impact protection and baby capsule/child seat anchor points were hampered by the need to translate internal Mitsubishi documents from Japanese into English, delaying the launch by 10 months.

The Evo VI will sell for just $79,990, and considering it is endowed with Porsche 911 levels of performance and roadholding, it's got to be the bargain of the year.

Mitsubishi will drop the Lancer name in Australia, calling the car the Ralliart Evo VI.

It's powered by a turbocharged, 2-litre, four cylinder engine which puts out 206 kiloWatts of power and 373 Newton-metres of torque. These figures translate into an impressive 0-100km/h time of just 5.76 seconds, and a quarter mile time of 14.31 seconds. Not hanging around in anyone's language.

The EVO VI is extremely capable of seeing the wrong side of 220km/h, though you'd be kissing your licence goodbye anywhere except the Northern Territory. And quite frankly we reckon the Territory is not the place to own an Evo VI. Stick to the winding mountain roads, and undulating countryside more often found in the eastern states.

Pick a corner, any corner, and be astounded as the rally-bred four wheel drive and sports suspension redefines terms like tenacity and ferocity. The Evo punches out of corners like a Pit-Bull unleashed. With four wheel traction beneath there's no reason to be gentle on throttle applications, just plant it and let the high performance, ultra low profile 17 inch tyres sort it out.

Super-quick steering - just 2.2 turns lock to lock - ensures the Evo VI responds to your every whim, and the tightly stacked, sharp shifting five speed manual gearbox seamlessly connects your left hand to the engine.

It's like that throughout the car - every driver control is exactly where you expect it - and the wraparound Recaro seats do a brilliant job keeping you at the helm. The big Brembo brakes - antilock, of course - haul the 1280kg car up faster than a speed trap sighting.

The 2.0 litre turbocharged engine has plenty of grunt down low and nary a sign of turbolag, though it is much happier above 3500rpm. Once on song, it rips with ferocious speed towards the 7800rpm cutout time and time again - in every gear. Or so we believe - we didn't have the opportunity to test its limits in fifth.

It all comes together to make one of the most balanced performance cars we've driven in a long time.

The Evo VI is definitely not a car for those who like to take their time, and it's most certainly not one for the shrinking violets, either. That massive bi-plane rear wing - adjustable - screams performance, as does the road hugging front spoiler and multi-scooped bonnet. A purposeful intercooler made from lightweight aluminium does a bad job of hiding behind the black mesh grille below the bumper.

The Evo VI is available in four colours: red, black, silver and white. All come with the same distinctive white 17 inch Ralliart alloy wheels fitted to Tommi Makinen's world rally car. All can have Tommi's race stripes optioned on at no extra cost - though we reckon they look naff.

Creature comfort hasn't entirely been sacrificed at the alter of weight-saving, though the Evo VI is far from opulent. Features like the Momo steering wheel, leather-bound gearknob, Recaro seats and aluminium pedals point to the performance focus while air conditioning, a single in-dash CD player, power windows and mirrors, and central locking do the comforting.

Mitsubishi deserted the turbocharged four cylinder market in 1994 when it pulled the Lancer GSR from the sales sheets. Ironically, the Subaru Impreza WRX arrived in that same year and set the world on fire with its mix of performance and affordability. Now, Mitsubishi is back and determined to make amends with its blisteringly quick and incredibly capable Ralliart EVO VI.

The new Lancer arrives early next year, and Mitsubishi Australia has confirmed plans to import the Evo VII based on this car. Until then we can look forward to the Ralliart Magna - 180kiloWatts from the Magna's 3.5 litre V6 - and talk of a 4WD version with even more power, possibly supercharged, in the pipeline.

Even amidst this relative plethora of performance Mitsus there's talk of a sub-$50,000 Lancer to challenge the WRX. "The real issue," said Mitsubishi spokesman Kevin Taylor, "is to get a WRX equivalent. That's a $45,000, turbocharged, four-wheel drive Lancer."

We're glad to report it looks like Mitsubishi has finally found its passion. About time!