1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V

This particular Evo V probably has fresher memories of its Japanese engineers than most.

It was built in Japan, obviously, but it carried on living there until sometime shortly before or during 2009, when it first pops up on the DVLA radar.

As a Japanese import we can safely deduce two things about this car.

Firstly, that it spent its formative years in a culture where people tend to take pride in their cars and usually spend a great deal of time and effort cossetting them and making sure no harm comes to them.

Secondly, that it comes from a country where salt is thrown over the shoulders of sumo wrestlers, not chucked all over the roads in industrial quantities like it is in the UK.

Consequently, Japanese imports almost always arrive with somewhat cleaner undersides than their British counterparts.

The vendor is a self-described ‘car rescuer’. Other people come to the rescue of cats and dogs.

He does cars.

When he bought the car in 2022 it had already made most of the journey from standard, factory-spec Evo V to the track-prepped, bolt-in roll-cage equipped weapon you see today.

It had a Syvecs ECU, sensor and loom, and high-quality dump valves and boost controls.

The most obvious thing that it didn’t have was, in fact, an engine.

The vendor rectified this by sourcing an Evo VIII unit.

He fitted a racing-spec gearbox, a Stage 3 clutch, a lightweight flywheel, larger two-piece front brakes, a continental fuel flex system, and a new radiator, alternator, power steering set-up, windscreen, air filter, water pump, plugs and, just 2,500 kms-ago, new cambelts.

We have driven this car and can attest to its exceptional power (400bhp/400N.m), performance, poise, balance and grip.

Mounted on the dashboard is a Syvecs mode control switch.

When the dial is set to 4, the car is effectively in ‘normal’ mode. That’s to say, pretty brisk and spirited, but nothing to frighten any passing horses.

Move the dial around through 3 and 2 towards 1 (if you dare), and you’ll be unleashing all sorts of furious vengeance and apocalyptic thunder.

Never mind frightening the horses, birds will fall unconscious from the sky and passers-by will look to the heavens and start making the sign of the cross.

If this car had any more testosterone it would have to live up a tree.

The car presents pretty well from a few metres away, but get a little closer and you’ll soon see that the car is rather more focussed on being the beast than the beauty.

The add-on body-kit panels have cracks to both rear wing sections and there are also cracks in evidence along the front valance, in the o/s/r wheel-arch, and on the rear edge of the n/s/r door.

The rear spoiler has various hairline cracks, spots and micro-blisters to show for its years of service, and a lump has been knocked out of the carbon-fibre wing mirror housing on the passenger side.

The wheels are in reasonable fettle and the tyres look as if they’ve got a decent amount of life left in them.

There are some scratches, scuffs, stone chips and blemishes on pretty much every panel, but somehow it all adds to the car’s street-fighter character.

Most of the car’s exterior fixtures and fittings, including the obligatory howitzer-sized tail pipe, seem to be in reasonable order.

The interior is a purposeful, focussed and pretty spartan place.

The bolt-in roll cage means that there’s no headlining, just painted metal.

There are also no rear seats.

The front seats are Sparco buckets with multi-point harnesses.

The fabric on the outside bolster on the driver’s seat has a hole worn through it.

The door cards, front and back are good, as are the steering wheel, dashboard, gear lever and handbrake.

As far as we’re aware, all dials, knobs, switches, levers and toggles – aftermarket or otherwise – do what they’re supposed to do.

The engine bay is clean, dry and everything seems to be in its right and proper place.

The vendor tells us that the coil-over shocks are probably coming towards the end of their optimal service, and the oil pressure gauge doesn't work.

That aside, the car has been serviced, tuned and fettled within the last 2000 or so kms, and whilst he doesn't know what has been done with the gearbox (it could be standard) it feels mechanically sorted.

The undersides of the car look pretty solid from what we can see, and the vendor says that he recently addressed some very minor corrosion issues before they could become anything more time-consuming.

Clearly, you’ll want to see for yourself and reach your own conclusion.

This car comes with all sorts of bills, invoices and receipts covering work carried out by the vendor and his predecessors.

We don’t have anything that covers its time in the Land of the Rising Sun.

We don’t need to.

We know that they look after their cars properly there.

The car has an MoT certificate that’s valid until 10.10.25

The vendor has enjoyed ‘rescuing’ this car and spending time and money getting it into the very impressive dynamic and mechanical shape it’s in today.

He’s only selling because he’s now ready to ‘rescue’ something else.

His loss could well be your gain.

And you’ll get to choose whether or not to keep it as it is, take it even further along the road to awesome tarmac-shredding power, or tone everything down a bit and get it back to nearer factory spec.

Decisions, decisions…

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £15,000 - £18,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.