By James Baggott

February 2004

A word of warning. Don't buy a Mitsubishi Evo VIII if you're the shy type. If constant stares from excited schoolboys at filling stations is your idea of motoring hell, forget it. Spend your ΂£30,000 on something more conventional - like a Porsche Boxster.
While the Mitsubishi has divided office opinion, its departure last month was a sad event. Even those who regarded it as little more than a Tokyo minicab with spoilers had a twinge of sorrow as it drove out of our car park for the last time. And, if I'm honest, there was also a sense of relief. Why? Well, life with an Evo can be a rollercoaster ride.
Our first example was stolen from outside a colleague's house within a week. Undeterred and unprompted, Mitsubishi delivered a replacement - a move that suddenly aroused a lot of interest from the local constabulary. Sniffing the possibility of an insurance scam, the police rang to ask how we'd managed to source an identical model so fast. If only they'd shown the same level of concern when the car was nicked in the first place.
After a 2,000-mile round trip to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, 1CCC proved invaluable in our quest to find the UK's best track days. On the circuit, the Evo's power delivery and astonishing traction made for some truly entertaining laps. It may have been developed for the muddy world of rallying, but the Mitsubishi's performance and balance never let us down. If you own one and haven't taken it on a race circuit yet, do it. You won't be disappointed.
But while the Evo shone on these smooth surfaces, its firm suspension caused headaches on the road. The rock-solid set-up meant every pothole, cat's eye and stone sent a crash through the chassis - making long trips a chore. Our time with the Evo also enabled us to try alternative tyres. Track days every other weekend soon took their toll on the original Yokohamas, and switching to Dunlop SP Super Sport Race made a big difference. Designed for circuit use, these improved traction and steering feel significantly. However, they were very loud and grip fell away in the wet. So while I'd planned to keep the Dunlops on until they wore out, the lack of wet weather grip in winter forced my hand. I went for Goodyear's Eagle F1, which gave more confidence in the rain and a decrease in tyre roar.
Elsewhere, the bright yellow paint was guaranteed to turn heads, as was the growling exhaust. I loved the rally style driving position, while the Recaro seats were supportive. The boot was vast, the cabin roomy and the Alcantara trim stood up well to the test of time. If only the speedo was easier to read. The figures were too close together, and the red-on-black colour scheme didn't help.
Other gripes included the dismal 16.2mpg average fuel economy and 180-mile tank range. The Evo also required servicing every 4,500 miles, which may put some high-mileage drivers off. Sure, it costs a fortune to run in terms of tyres, fuel and servicing, but the payback in driving thrills makes the Mitsubishi the closest thing you can get to a rally car for the road.

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