2007 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX MR FQ-360

No other 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 lots 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 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. 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 and Eibach springs and finished off with 17" Speedline Turini alloys.

This Evo is one of those exceptionally rare MR HKS models, and presumably one of very few in red being Number 73, and the last to have the 4G63 engine fitted. A 2007 car, it’s being sold with a full service history which includes a respectable 19 documented services, and it has also benefitted recently from a new clutch and flywheel. Our vendor has had the pleasure of the car since 2020 with only four previous keepers since 1st September 2007. This particular example has the benefit of IX MR Embroidered Recaro Sports Bucket Seats- a £2,500 option, Brembo performance brakes and it sports the carbon exterior splitter, vortex, spoiler blade and exhaust surround unique to the 360MR. The car also has the added benefit of the Ralliart 3-gauge central display.

These Evo 9s are a truly epic drive and this particular example, having only covered 59,000 miles, remains pretty much as the factory intended, making it totally desirable for the purists amongst us. Guided very sensibly, this fabulous Evo is sure to generate good interest.