2000 Mitsubishi LANCER EVO VI GSR Tommi Makinen

With just three previous owners, this sought after car was imported to the UK in March 2015 with 99,760km, or 62,000 miles on the clock. Both the speedometer and odometer were altered electronically to read in miles, after which a further 10,000 miles or so have been recorded in the intervening five years.

With recent work to the suspension and braking system, along with the installation of a turbo timer to protect the engine, it is being reluctantly offered for sale because the owner is a serial classic car collector who’s now reached more than 20 cars and is under pressure to thin the fleet a little…

Being sold with a sensible reserve and a realistic guide price, this is your chance to get your hands on one of the most desirable rally-inspired sporting saloons of the nineties.

It makes a change to see a Tommi Mäkinen Edition in a colour other than red, and the black coachwork of this example, along with the heavily tinted rear windows, adds a menace that suits the car’s character.

It’s in good shape, too. With good shutlines, even panel gaps, ripple-free flanks and an absence of dinks, dents and scrapes, this is almost certainly an Tommi with no story to tell – and given the model’s propensity to be owned by men of a certain age who think that a decent performance on Gran Turismo equals a legendary driving ability on the road, the lack of a story to tell can only be a good thing.

The gloriously OTT adjustable rear spoiler is present and correct, as is the ultra-low front spoiler and air dam.

The original white, 17-inch Enkei wheels are in great shape thanks to a recent refurbishment in December 2019 that involved having them acid dipped and then powdercoated. The bright red Brembo calipers peek from within, hinting at the car’s performance. The wheels are shod with high-quality Michelin tyres, all of which have good tread.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Problems are few. The rear offside light cluster has a crack/scuff on it, and there is the odd stonechip and minor dink here and there. Black is an unforgiving colour, and most of the blemishes are only visible at close range and under the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective…) lighting.

None are serious enough to detract from its appearance, and all are entirely consistent with a car that is now 20 years old and thought to be still wearing its original paint. Please see the photo gallery for the full details, and don’t be afraid to contact the seller for more information if you’d rather not travel to see it in person at the moment.

The red and black Recaro sports seats are present and correct, and have the all-important ‘T. MAKINEN EDITION’ embroidered on them. They’re both in great shape with only very little wear being evident on the driver’s seat, most notably on the outer bolster. The wear you can see is what you’d expect given the car’s age and mileage, and we’d be tempted to leave well alone at this stage as it in no way detracts from the way the interior presents.

The rear seats are in an even better condition, showing barely any wear at all. It’s the same story with the carpets, door cards, and headlining; all are still in great condition and belie the car’s age and mileage.

And, at a time when almost every Evo has been modified with extra gauges, it’s refreshing to see one that is standard bar the addition of the controls for the turbo timer and it has even retained the original Momo steering wheel.

The boot is clean and tidy and home to the spare wheel and toolkit.

Work to do is limited to sorting out the door cards, all of which have some loose material here and there. This is a very common problem with all ages of Evo models, and the seller is keen to leave them as they are so the new owner can decide how they want to rectify the problem. We’ve had a squint, and think that some carefully applied glue would do the trick but a more fastidious person might want to entrust the work to a professional.

The Evo had a new clutch kit fitted in 2016, and a front suspension refresh and underseal in 2015. It is also fitted with a big-bore performance FGK JASMA exhaust, which, as you can see and hear in the video, adds a nice bass note without being overly intrusive.

The owner tells us that it drives very well, and is as fast as its reputation suggests. (FQ, remember?)

The engine bay is nicely presented, being clean and tidy without being obsessively so; this is a car you can drive long and hard without having to worry about having to detail it after every drive.

The underside of the car looks great and is in need of nothing. It is also utterly solid and bears witness to the recent expenditure on the suspension.

The Mitsubishi has a brand new MOT issued with no advisories to add to a good MOT past history.

The car comes with a number of invoices and bills to confirm the recent work that has been done to it. It also comes with the original owner’s handbook in Japanese.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner if you have any questions.

Any Mitsubishi Evolution is a special thing, but the Tommi Mäkinen Edition takes the longing to a whole new level. It’s somewhat lacklustre interior hides a dedicated rally special chassis and engine that was absolutely ‘Specially Tuned for Tarmac Stage’.

In a good, original condition bar the exhaust and turbo timer, this is one for the enthusiast who is keen to be able to own and drive the most sought after model of them all; while you might think you want that ultra-low mileage example, you really don’t. The ‘Tommi Mäkinen Edition is far too good to be laid up in a garage gathering dust as it slowly appreciates.

Speaking of which, we think this one will sell for between £18,000 and £22,000, and we’d eat our hats if it is worth less in five years, making this a very sensible way to make all your Gran Turismo dreams come true.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located near Bicester; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.