Vauxhall VXR8 vs Mitsubishi Evo

What’s the winning formula for creating the ultimate performance saloon? There are various approaches – and the Vauxhall VXR8 and Mitsubishi Evo X couldn’t be more different in their quest to provide maximum thrills in a four-door package.

But is it Aussie brawn or Japanese brains that will win the day? Both of these contenders have four doors, each costs a little more than £35,000 and both claim to cover 0-60mph in less than five seconds.

However,  that’s where the similarities end. First up is the new LS3 variant of the VXR8, now powered by a 6.2-litre version of the Corvette’s V8 engine. It’s built and designed in Australia, where it’s called a Holden HSV Clubsport R8.

Aussie performance fans love the racy Holden, and its combination of muscle car looks and power has won it many admirers here, too. But in the UK, the model faces competition from an entirely different saloon that enjoys an equally dedicated following.

Ever since it arrived in 1992, successive generations of the Mitsubishi Evo have pushed the parameters ever further in the thrill-seekers’ class. With four-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, the latest incarnation – the  FQ-360 – is a rally-bred beast that delivers scintillating pace. Tested here in manual form, it’s sure to get pulses racing.