Mitsubishi Lancer 2004 review

Not only is the Evo an exciting car to drive, it also creates a stir wherever it goes – a bit like a rock star venturing out to shop.

Young boys especially seem to be able to pick out the car from a distance and groups of them gather to point and ooh and aah, waiting eagerly for the moment when you drive off.

So what's all the fuss about?

Well, the Evo or Lancer Evolution to give the car its full title, is essentially a road going version of the Mitsubishi's world rally car.

The Evo is the Mitsubishi equivalent of Subaru's WRX STi but is available in much smaller numbers, 100 to be exact.

That's how many the company is allowed to import each year under the Government's specialist enthusiast vehicle scheme, something that also contributes to the car's mystique.

Although it is similar in appearance to the Lancer VR-X, the huge rear wing, bonnet air vent and offset front number plate are dead giveways.

We drove the Evo VI Tommi Makinen special a few years ago and remember how mightily impressed we were by the car's razor sharp performance.

It's taken more than three years for the new Evo VIII to arrive (we've leapfrogged a model by the way) but it is just as impressive, both in terms of performance and creature comforts – something the original car sadly lacked.

The really amazing thing, however, is that the new model is cheaper, a lot cheaper in fact – $61,990 compared to $80,000.

At this price, Mitsubish is not going to have much trouble moving them.

To describe the Evo as "quick" doesn't really do justice to sensation of being behind the wheel.

It's one long incredible rush, a bit like the Enterprise flipping to warp speed in Star Trek as the turbo boost picks up the car and hurls the car forward at an incredible rate of knots.

Officially the Evo does the dash from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds, but in reality it feels much faster than this – surely a five-second bracket piece of hardware.

The heart of the matter is a 2.0-litre turbocharged and intercooled four cylinder engine that produces 195kW of power and 355Nm of torque.

This in a car with a kerb weight of just 1470kg.

Power is down on the Makinen special but if it is we failed to notice.

Like the STi the Evo is all-wheel drive and the engine is hooked up to a close ratio five-speed manual transmission.

Changes are short and sharp if a bit stiff, with first and second over before they get going.

The all-wheel drive system features an Active Centre Differential, Anti Yaw Control and Sports ABS.

You get to dial in the way the centre diff behaves according to the type of surface on which you're driving – whether it's tarmac, dirt or snow.

Stoppers are a set of huge four-pot, 17 inch Brembo units up front and two-pot, 16 inch Brembos down the back.

But be careful, because they threaten to take your head off if you hit them too hard and too late.

The suspension is hard, very hard but still softer than the Makinen.

The car rides on an impressive set of 17 inch Enkei alloys with big red brake calipers and 235/45 section rubber.

Fuel consumption can be steep depending on how you drive the car, but is officially rated at 10.9L/100km.

But with a 55-litre tank and thirst for the good stuff (it's 98 Octane or nothing) it could be necessary to plan any long trips around fuel stops.

Women will hate this car (at least those we put in it) and men will love every centimetre and every minute behind the wheel.

There just isn't anything nearly as breathtaking this side of a Ferrari.