MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION VI TOMMI MAKINEN EDITION

Launched at the peak of rally mania, Mitsubishi experienced huge success in Lancer Evolution sales, reportedly selling 6,000 Evolution IVs in the first three days of its launch! The 1996 WRC season brought Mitsubishi its first World Rally Championship drivers' title, with thanks to a blisteringly quick driver named Tommi Mäkinen.

In quick succession, the Lancer Evolution VI came to be and in the latter-half of 1999, Mitsubishi unleashed a special edition to celebrate its favourite driver's four consecutive WRC drivers' titles from 1996-1999; the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI 'Tommi Mäkinen Edition' (TME). The Evolution VI was already a technological tour de force but the TME came equipped with a more responsive titanium turbocharger, uprated and lowered suspension, quicker steering, an upgraded exhaust, a new ECU, beefed-up transfer case internals, a redesigned front bumper for improved cooling and authentic 17" WRC Enkei alloy wheels. The interior featured embossed Recaro seats, a MOMO steering wheel and red stitching. The performance upgrades saw 0-60mph despatched in 4.4 seconds and a maximum top speed of 150mph. Power was rumoured to be north of 300bhp, rather than the 276bhp 'Gentlemans' Agreement'.

Widely regarded as the finest Lancer to wear the Evolution badge, it was available in five colours, with Passion Red and Canal Blue joining Scotia White, Pyrenean Black and Satellite Silver. Due to the popularity of early imported cars, especially when imported by RALLIART like this one, the UK was allocated 50 numbered examples in Passion Red. According to Mitsubishi, it was these Passion Red cars that automatically received the renowned racing decals known as a 'Special Colour Package' (SCP), meaning that these examples were factory-fitted with black door handles to not break the line of the long profile decal.

This SCP Evo presents in wonderful cosmetic condition and is offered from a fabulous private collection. Purchased in 2010, on merit of its condition, it stayed stationary forming part of our vendor's Collection ever since, in a temperature controlled environment so, whilst the structural and cosmetic condition is exceptional, we’d highly recommend the car receives a mechanical once-over before taking to the roads once more. The car was first UK-registered on 1/9/2001, is showing just four former keepers, and covered just 62,500 miles in the 10 years that it was being driven. Unfortunately, over the years, the car's book-pack and history file have been lost.

Mechanically, the car starts and drives but, as we mentioned, an element of recommissioning is recommend before it's driven hard. Aesthetically, under the bonnet the car could benefit from some attention with some minor paintwork flaking and a few parts with surface rust. As is customary with so many JDM cars, there are a few tasteful upgrades present such as an HKS RS cold-air intake and blow-off valve, HKS coil-overs, and SAMCO hoses.

Overall the car presents well, and represents serious value in the ever popular JDM market. With just a little mechanical TLC, this fabulous TME will be ready for B-road blasting once more.