2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

From custom collection

• • Excellent Condition
• • One owner , Low mileage (30,575 miles)
• • Stock ECU, turbo, and engine

I currently own seven cars that I bought new, consisting of a BMW E60 M5, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, two Toyota Land Cruisers, two Porsche 996 GT3s, and a Mitsubishi Evo VIII (2003). Each car has it's own part. The M5 is the multi-talented well balanced sedan. The Land Cruiser is the most-reliable go anywhere SUV. The Cayenne is the SUV sports car.

Of all the cars, the Evo and GT3 are the most driver focused. They are the kind of cars which simply allow you to drive. The car gives you feedback and allows you to decide how to drive the car. Nothing will stop you from driving the car however you want.

I have already sold another Evo (2006 MR), and I don't want to sell this Evo, it is special to me, and this particular Evo is unique, perhaps I will not be able to get another like it ever again. But I have a software project going on, and sadly, I don't have time.

And so, I would like to find an owner who appreciates this Evo for what it is. And what it is, is not a normal Evo. This Evo has underwent a special journey, and it is not the same as just any Evo.

So, if I am to find a proper owner for this car, I must be able to convey the basic idea behind this car. What makes this car special, what makes this car what it is, why is it different than just any Evo?

These are the questions I shall now attempt to answer, and I leave it to you to decide on who'd be a proper owner for such a car. This Evo was just a normal Evo like many others. But that changed after I bought the Porsche 996 GT3, the car which gave such a lasting impression. The car which would inspire the journey the EVO would go through, the one which started it all.

I had driven many cars over the years, but the GT3 was and still is the one car which managed to stick to me, even after 13 long years. The car is almost as simple as can be, no electronic interference. It's just the driver and the car. You command the car, and it does exactly what you command. Both in and out of it's limits, driving that car is utterly terrific.

I really can't describe it. It's just spectacular, sheer joy at it's finest. It has this solid driving feel which tells you the complete behaviour of the car. As long as you know what you're doing, it gives you everything you need. So even though the car has no traction control, you don't need it, you'll be fine as long as you know how to drive. So just drive and learn, that's what I said to myself.

But as with all things, all of that with a price. First, the price tag. Second, driving it on the road more often or even going on a road trip, doable but not the best idea. Let's say you travel with only 2 people. Even so, it's not a good car to drive when you're tired. You have to worry about hitting the front lift-spoiler on almost every gas station you go to on the road.

It's driving is remarkable, and is maybe as close to a race car as you can get that is street-legal. But, let's face it, it's impractical. It's good at what it does: driving. But other than that, it's a handful.

And this is where the Evo comes in. The Evo stock is already an amazing car. The moment you get in the car and take it for a spin, it's clear that the Evo is a driver's car, and like the GT3, you control the driving.

But for me it still wasn't enough. It wasn't close enough to the level of the GT3. Not yet. And that's when I decided to undertake my very own "Yellow EVO Project". A project with the goal of making the Evo a better driver's car than it already was, a task not made easy.

The car needed to be safe & reliable. It needed to have improved handling, driving precision, and structural rigidity. More importantly, I wanted the car to have a more solid feel - when I drive the Evo directly after the GT3, it simply didn't feel as solid which is quite irritating when you have the GT3 to remind you . But unlike the GT3, it still had to be more practical. I needed to be able drive the car on long road trips. This Evo would take a step closer to the GT3. It's a step closer to being a race car, yes. But this car needed to be comfortable. I wanted to be able to enjoy this car more, to actually drive it more days, go traveling with it without worrying about any issues or fuss, something I couldn't do with the GT3. No more worrying about driving the car when I'm more tired. No more worrying about trying not to hit the front of the car at every gas station.

The result: a solid, safe, comfortable, and reliable road car as close to a race car as you can get, which doesn't require having to drive it like a race car all the time. I can just relax and take a comfortable drive whenever I want, just like any sports car, no worries. Even if I'm not driving as alertly as I would drive a race car, this Evo forgives me. If I'm tired, it's not as worrisome to drive. The car would forgive me even for minor mistakes, something the GT3 could never do.

And yet, I can drive it almost like a race car. This car is finally a better driver's car than it ever was before. I finally improved the driving of the car, without compromising the comfort, reliability, and safety required for long drives. A hard combination to find. Perhaps the only compromise would be the inability to use the rear seats.

Changes made to this car include a full body safety roll cage (Piper Motorsport), fire extinguisher system, rear strut brace, exhaust manifold and heat shield, DMS rally suspension optimized for gravel, airbag on/off switch, Sparco Evo L seats, and complete five-point harness for both driver and passenger - although I use the regular seat belt most of the time.

The full body roll cage greatly increases the safety of the car by addding much needed structural rigidity. The roll cage is welded, and prevents use of the back seats for any occupants, only cargo.

The rear strut brace was added to help improve handling.

The fire extinguisher system protects you, the engine, and cabin in the case of fire in an accident. It is activated by pulling the safety pin and pushing the red FIRE button on the center console.

The exhaust from Japan offers a relatively quiet mechanical sound, which is quite good even at high speeds. Exhaust manifold was added to increase reliability.

The airbag switch allows you to switch the airbags on or off. The switch is placed near the top-right corner of the gear shift. You turn it off when using the 5-point harness and turn it on when using regular seat belt. The Sparco seats and five-point harness improve safety for both driver and passenger.

The DMS rally suspension has been optimized for gravel which is relatively soft and comfortable while maintaining driving precision. You may adjust the suspension in stiffness or softness as desired. This suspension is more robust and heavy-duty and will last very long. Most of its parts are replaceable.

This car is very reliable. After a few years in Arizona, however, I had this problem where the engine just died down after a minute of idling, or sometimes a few miles of driving. I was so busy that instead of analyzing myself, I relied blindly on a Mitsubishi dealer in Arizona. That was a big mistake. For a simple problem about three clamps loosening due to Arizona heat, the dealer went thru the motion of replacing a perfectly working ECU, checking all wiring connections, and even reprogramming my keys! Eventually, those stock clamps were replaced with heavy-duty clamps, and the problem was fixed.

All fluids are fresh including differentials and transmission, although I don't have receipts as I was not thinking of selling this car. Tires are fine but strictly for summer only, although I recommend replacing with new tires, especially Bridgestones, for the best experience. This car prefers thicker sidewall tires in my opinion. No accidents, no flooding, and no track driving on this car.

ECU, boost, engine and turbo are all stock. This means that the car is not overstressed, and accordingly more reliable.

The laminate on the upper area of the rear spoiler has been peeled off recently but the carbon fiber is still good. It just needs to be re-laminated. The rear passenger-side door was scratched by my other car in my driveway. This was fixed a long time ago.

I hope I have clearly explained the real essence of the car I'm presenting to you. If you like it, please consider it a gift from another enthusiast.

Thank you in advance.

Exterior

Interior