EVOlution

After letting my turbocharged Contour SVT go, I needed a car that was not only as fast as her, but equally entertaining, with the same balance of luxury and brawn. So I knew I had to get a car that was turbocharged, simply because I was addicted to the whine of my Contour's T3/T4 at 3k rpm, shoving me back into the seats as I quickly snapped off gears. I needed to EVOLVE however, to something more refined.

The Lancer Evolution has been using the 4G63 engine for years, and has become a tuners paradise of sorts. Stock, the car comes with all of the goodies, including hollow camshafts, a water/oil cooled turbo, low compression pistons, a great oiling system, and of course YEARS of testing in the WRC to have developed an uncanny knack for perfection when pushed hard. Some pictures I've included are from the Evolutions various outings on the rough terrain as a Rally Car, which is what it is, a pure-bred Rally maniac. You get into the car, and it's ALL purpose, down to even the little rear-window wiper, something you rarely see on 4-door sedans these days. It has all been tested on the rugged terrains and watered down into this perfect balance of a race-car in a 4-door sedan's sheep's clothing.

As my fate would have it, I started calling around for an Evolution VIII (Evo) to see if any were in stock, since the Evolution IX's release has been imminent in the States since Fall of 2005. Gillman Mitsubishi had been pretty helpful in locating Evo's, but none with the SSL package that I so desperately wanted. There was no way I could go from a car with Black leather Recaro's to one without one, and of course I had to have a moonroof.

Then I got the call, a Black Evo 8 WITH SSL had just come in from Japan, and was delivered. So I went to take a test drive, and of course like all cars I test drive, I ended up walking away with it. It took a lot of finagling, but I managed to get it at a steal well under invoice, primarily because the IX was out and I could get away with getting a limited production car under invoice.

The car is perfect, it comes with an upgraded sound system, with a built-in subwoofer, as well as all of the other accouterments I had added onto my Contour SVT: Projector HIDs, Recaro leather seats, 17" Rims, Brembo braking system, MOMO steering wheel, huge Carbon Fiber Wing, and of course a small little turbo that spools and whines at my beck and call!

I'm honestly in love, and I look forward to my morning and evening commutes everyday. The music system is amazing, the moonroof is a welcome addition when the weather is nice and sunny outside, and brakes can stop me on a dime, and the turbo makes merging a pleasure! The best part about the car is the all-wheel drive handling prowess that is simply incomparable to any other car I've EVER driven. It simply goes where you want it to, it's telepathic, and scarily addictive. I can't drive other cars because I've learned to drive the Evo and can only drive with that addictive, razor sharp scalpel the car has become for me.

Here are some preliminary pictures of her, I'll have to keep her Zymol waxed and perfect for as long as I can.