Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
SPEEDtv.com
06/01/2008 - 12:14 PM
Charlotte, North Carolina
Add a roll cage and go rally! (Photo: MitsubishiForum.com) ยป More Photos
Pro rally rules require racers to be production based but allow special high-performance editions as an "evoluion" - the official rules' wording - of standard models. The racers are based on these amped-up models. Manufacturers don't have to call them "evolution," but Mitsubishi does for obvious publicity and sales purposes. Although Mitsubishi had been racing and building Evo models for years, badgering by enthusiasts didn't get them available to the U.S. public until 2003. But it was worth the wait. Witness the 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR. Its heart is a 2.0-liter overachiever with an incredible 20 pounds of boost for 286 horsepower and 289 ft-lbs of torque that, kept on the boil, hooks up for an incredible ride through all-wheel drive - driver adjustable for surface - and 245/45-series performance tires on 17-inch rims. Of several levels of Evo, the MR is the top, including an aluminum roof for a lower center of gravity, a gaping engine compartment vent on the hood, and aero trip items useless under 80 miles per hour. Inverted shocks, huge Brembo brakes...it's real. Add a roll cage and go rally, or just go out and play hard.
Specifications
Engine: 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged inline four
Horsepower: 286
0–60 mph: 4.7 seconds
Top Speed: 155 miles per hour (est.)
Price New: $35,189
Value Now: $35,189
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo Photos
Street legal, rally ready (just add roll cage)
"The Way of the Sword" from The Last Samurai score by Hans Zimmer
Fumio Nutahara, who won the 2006 Monte Carlo Rally in an Evo IX
Pick your Mitsubishi dealer.
Mitsubishi's first international pro rally event was Australia's Southern Cross Rally in 1967 with a Cold 1100 Fastback.
Why not the Monte Carlo Rally?
Get Your Copy of 365 Cars You Must Drive.
Read Gregg Leary's review HERE.
Check out the 101 Cars Countdown!
Catch 101 Cars You Must Drive on SPEED! Monday nights at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT.
Who doesn’t want one of these? Tell us about yours!
View All Comments













