Thursday 13th October 2011

Spotted: Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 EX Turbo

Meet the Evo's Granddaddy

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"Riggers, what's an Evo 0?" This was the question asked to me by our very own classified admin guru Rusty-C. "It's a -errrmmm - it's a - I don't know what it is," was my (pretty unhelpful) reply.

There is, of course, technically no such thing as an Evo 0. But the chap selling this 1981 Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 EX turbo is right in a way - because this car was privileged with the very first installation of the 4G63 engine that would be used in Evos I through to IX.

In this guise it gave 168bhp to the rear wheels, which was enough to shove the 1095kg saloon to 60mph in a smidge over 7.0secs and on to 124mph flat out.

And you can see the germs of the greaty Mitsubishi Tarmac warrior dynasty in the beefed-up-everyday-saloon looks. But while the outside screams performance car in a boxy 1980s sort of way, the interior is still rather more minicab than special stage.

Still, it's a fine automotive curiosity, although at £7995 you'd probably have to be a committed fan of fast Japanese metal to pick it over, say, a clean early Ford Escort RS Turbo, up for £5595.

[Matt_N]

Like it!

Imagine it with a few more horses under the bonnet - endless possibilities with the 4G63.

Priced way too high at £8k though.

[Steve H]

Can't be many of them left now that haven't followed the 80s jap car tradition and rotted away.

For sure if an Escort RS Turbo is £5.5k then a good Lancer Turbo is fair enough at £8k.

[rob1234]

Anything with mirrored script on the front bumper has my vote...

[GravelBen]

A few of them still rallying down this side of the world too






FWIW Mitsi-lovers also have a habit of referring to the 1st-gen Galant VR4 as the Evo 0 even thought it wasn't one either.

[Boshly]

I lusted so badly after one of these after test driving it in 1982!

I had a mark 1 Golf GTI that cost me £5700 brand new, the Lancer was £7700, and I just couldn't afford it

So at £7995 now that's 0% depreciation over 30 years

[bob1179]

I'm not really a fan of Jap metal, but that is awesome. I would love to take a punt on that, but also I love the Escort linked further down too. Can I gave both?

[busta]

RWD I pressume?

[BertB]

busta said:

RWD I pressume?

Article Said said:

In this guise it gave 168bhp to the rear wheels, which was enough to shove the 1095kg saloon to 60mph in a smidge over 7.0secs and on to 124mph flat out.

[TankRS]

it aint a pretty beast is it?!?

think i would have to go with the RSTurbo linked in the post too, even tho it lacks the rwd fun of the mitsi at least people will know what it is

[s m]

Boshly said:

I lusted so badly after one of these after test driving it in 1982!

I can remember a lady having one of these at the place I worked when I started driving. So rapid in the early eighties compared to RS2000, Mantas, Sunbeam Tis, Golf Gtis etc.
Love one now but seems about 4 people now own half the UK population of them.

See one at Midlands Breakfast Club now and then

[s m]

TankRS said:

it aint a pretty beast is it?!?

think i would have to go with the RSTurbo linked in the post too, even tho it lacks the rwd fun of the mitsi at least people will know what it is

I'd go with the Lancer out the 2 probably for the 2 reasons you give

It's a proper 3 box saloon

[MX7]

The difference between this and the Escort is that they only sold about 400 EX2000s in the UK.

Good looking car.

Edited by MX7 on Thursday 13th October 09:15

[griffter]

one of these is the basis of my "one that got away" story. In 2002 i was scouring the 'part-ex bargains' at the back of a used car lot. There was a lancer turbo in metallic green with beige velour interior for £1695 fsh 83k miles. I passed it up and drove home in a mercedes 190e auto - much more suited to the motorway mile munching i was going to do. But ive always regretted not being a bit braver.

[Gompo]

Love these, there's so many 80s Jap cars we don't see any more.

[Graebob]

A colleague brought me in an issue of Autocar from 1982. Here's an ad for the Mitsi from inside

There's also a review of it against the BMW E21 323i called "Boy Racer Salloons"

[AV12]

WANT

[pSyCoSiS]

That has some retro cool charm about it.

I like it!

[s m]

Graebob said:

A colleague brought me in an issue of Autocar from 1982. Here's an ad for the Mitsi from inside

There's also a review of it against the BMW E21 323i called "Boy Racer Salloons"

I remember buying that issue new!

[anything fast]

WOW! in 1981 you had stuff like Ford Cortina's and Cavalier's!!!!!!!

this looks like a great car, but very pricey then and very pricey now...

The RS Turbo on the other hand looks great, but the leather trim and polished wheels have taken away some of the originality...

[Graebob]

s m said:

Graebob said:

A colleague brought me in an issue of Autocar from 1982. Here's an ad for the Mitsi from inside

There's also a review of it against the BMW E21 323i called "Boy Racer Salloons"

I remember buying that issue new!

This'll make you feel old, he brought it in as it's 2 years older than me!