Mitsubishi Evo IX FQ-360 by HKS | PH Private Area
The IX was already an epic Evo; then came the HKS...
Perhaps no car makes 15 years ago seem more like ancient history than the Mitsubishi Evo IX. Today, Mitsubishi UK doesn’t exist as a sales operation, only surviving to service the sorry collection of Mirages, ASXs and plug-in Outlanders that were its market offering as the death knell tolled. It’s been some fall from grace. Back in 2007/08, not only was the Evo IX probably the best Evo since the VI, there was still another one to come. Maybe the X wasn’t as adored (with some justification) but it was still a ferociously fast four-door with tonnes of clever chassis tech. The Final Edition of that car was confirmed less than a decade ago - now look.
The Evo’s demise is a curious and lengthy case, and the story can’t really be done justice here - but there's no question that models like the Ford Focus RS undoubtedly proved there was still demand for aggressively turbocharged, four-wheel drive, manual gearbox'd fast cars in the years after Lancer. Mostly it was the simple fact that times change and the Evo didn’t as much; in the late 2000s, as it was at the turn of the century, the car did what it said on the tin, but it was pretty expensive to run and its heyday was already over the horizon. Still, what a legacy.
By the time of the Evo IX FQ-360 by HKS, the Lancer required ever greater commitment. It was quite a lot of money, those notorious service intervals remained, and the world’s finances were teetering on the edge. But what a car. On top of the standard 360’s brilliance, the HKS added new Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs and Speedline Turini wheels, like it was a Clio Cup’s long-lost relative.
It was so good that Mitsubishi kept one for its legendary heritage fleet, and that was the car used to welcome the IX into the PH Heroes hall of fame; everything so wonderful about the old stager was abundantly clear a decade later, its ability to make four-wheel drive fun - and work with a British B-road - still unrivalled. The Evo always stood out for the way that the tech came together for an authentically gratifying (and thrilling) experience; if anything the passage of time only highlighted that more strongly, as nothing had yet come along to match it.
This Evo is one of those exceptionally rare HKS models, and presumably one of very few in red. A 2007 car, it’s being sold with a full service history (which won’t have come cheap, surely) and recently renewed parts including an exhaust and battery. A new cambelt will save the new owner an expense, too, while a lighter flywheel should further heighten the excitement of that iconic 4G63 engine. With almost 80k now under those smart Speedlines, it’s not a concours car, but then a pristine Evo always seemed a bit of an oxymoron anyway; if ever there was a car to get out and drive rather than look at, this is it.
Such is the revered status of late Evos that this one is for sale now at quite a bit more than it would have cost new. It’s possible even to pay £60k for a lower mileage HKS, believe it or not - they really are very, very desirable Japanese fast cars. But see above: who wants an Evo to mollycoddle? With Tommi Makinens now even more valuable, perhaps no Evo demonstrates best why this car is so loved than an FQ-360. Wherever Mitsubishi might be in another 15 years, this is still going to be loved like little else.
SPECIFICATION | MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION MR FQ-360 by HKS
Engine: 1,997cc, four-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 366@6,887rpm
Torque (lb ft): 363@3,200rpm
0-62mph: 4.0secs
Top speed: 165mph
MPG: 21mpg
CO2: 334g/km
Year registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: 78,000
Price new: £35,504
Yours for: £44,999
Fantastic machine!! I was lucky enough to test drive the Evo IX FQ MR 360 and it was epic! The early Evo 6 was also fantastic, last of the super raw Evo breed.
Never owned one as I went Subaru 17 years ago and still own the same car. Modern sports cars just don't feel the same to drive, far too detached from the job of driving with launch control, auto boxes, auto rev matching etc...
This thing is from the pinnacle of the fast road car history books.
Unbelievable on the twisties, these things.
Fantastic machine!! I was lucky enough to test drive the Evo IX FQ MR 360 and it was epic! The early Evo 6 was also fantastic, last of the super raw Evo breed.
Never owned one as I went Subaru 17 years ago and still own the same car. Modern sports cars just don't feel the same to drive, far too detached from the job of driving with launch control, auto boxes, auto rev matching etc...
This thing is from the pinnacle of the fast road car history books.
I went down the Subaru route too. Think they looked better, and definitely sounded better. Dynamically not as good as the Evo's.
I went to test drive an Evo 340, but I got messed around by the dealer, so ended up in an Impreza.
My own Evo 5 is now 25 years old, and it feels so tight and focused when I’m out on it, the car just feels special on every drive and receives comments when parked up. Guess they’re such a different sight to the more rounded look modern cars have.
As is the case with a lot of older iconic motors. The price has soared for decent examples. They rot for fun at the first sight of winter; so mine is used for 6 months then dry stored. Makes the experience more special given it has limited use!
Looking closer it looks like it at least has a HKS inlet pipe and probably an HKS exhaust?
We had a couple of these in when I started working at a Mitsubishi dealer at 18.
My manager took my out in one and my god, it was rapid.
Proper push you back into your seat rapid.
I’d love one of these, absolutely peak Evo along with a VI TME.
Had this just shy of 20 years now. Bought at 8 months old and 8k miles for 22k. It was back then a standard 2003 Evo 8 GSR with 276 bhp. It's undergone a gradual transformation into Evo 9 spec, so Bilstiens, Evo 9 Mivec head, turbo, inlet manifold for the correct sensors, ECU, and home made engine harness with Pirtek custom made oil feed to run the VVT.
I also uprated the brakes to APs, HKS silentpower exhaust with ported standard manifold, decent intercooler and hardpipes ( although the ic is already excellent for a standard car ), modified airbox with Green cotton filter, and had Evotune remap it to the usual circa 400 brake, 380 ft / lbs.
It hit 60 in 3.9 seconds and 100 mph in 10.9 at Santa Pod a few years ago on the way to a low 12 second quarter mile pass and an average launch. It felt epic from a 7k rpm standing start.
That level of modification ( essentially a standard Evo 9 with bolt ons ) makes for a fantastic, flexible, reliable road car and I haven't experienced anything that could realistically replace it, although an honourable mention must go the the Lexus IS-F we had for a while that I still really miss.
.Luckily a thread like this makes me think it would still be financially worth doing
I'd rather it went in as regularly as Mitsubishi state is required and need as little as it does outside of that schedule, than run something of equal power for twice the mileage between services and have my hand in my pocket between times because the thing wasn't getting enough attention. Unreliable cars ruin the fun of the ownership prospect in my experience. My Impreza had longer service intervals but was more troublesome with the standard 220 brake.
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