The Mitsubishi Evolution doesn’t need an introduction for car enthusiasts. We all know what it’s capable of and we all know the impact the badge has had on tuning culture. Many incredible builds have used the car as a base, and very few were left untouched because they were just soo easy to modify. A lot of them also got wrecked by overzealous drivers who were pushing the limits, so seeing a factory fresh, original Evo VI TME (Tommi Makinen Edition) with the signature graphics in the trademark red is a serious drawcard. It’s soo clean in fact that you could eat your dinner off it. Trust me when I say you won’t find a better example of the Evo VI TME anywhere else.
So who the bloody hell was Tommi Makinen? He was a Finnish rally driver who took 4 WRC titles with Mitsubishi, beating the likes of Subaru, Ford and Toyota several times over. Mitsubishi thought it would be appropriate to release a car in his honour, giving people a chance to revel in the success without needing to get their hands dirty. This special edition represents the peak of the Evo VI and indeed the CT8A chassis which began with the Evo IV. Where’s Tommi now you ask? He’s Toyota’s lead motorsport advisor within the GR management. He also worked on the GR Yaris, playing a vital development role in the making (and breaking) of the now famous car.
Under the bonnet you will find a turbocharged 4G63 4-cylinder engine that’s quoted at 276 HP, but realistically it’s around 300 HP. For a car of this nature, it’s more than enough when you combine it with 4 wheel drive. The system was cutting-edge for the time because it was possible to adjust the torque distribution between the front and rear diffs with the push of a button. In addition, there was a passive component that could tweak the yaw angle on the fly, meaning that power could be moved front one side of the car to the other. This technology allowed Mitsubishi to find success and it completely changed the face of rallying in the process.
If I had the means to do so, I would buy this Evo immediatley after getting a hold of an Evo VIII but unlike the VIII, I would keep this one totally standard because it’s already got the bells and whistles. Mitsubishi during this era were really focused on technology and affordable performance, not humdrum SUV’s without a soul. As much as I would love to see it, I don’t think Mitsubishi will ever return to the performance car market as they’re doing fine enough with their pedestrian offerings. Bean counters wouldn’t see the point in an Evo revival, so this car will only become more revered as time goes on. Shame, I know, but money talks.
I believe that documenting a car like this is key for the future of car culture. It gives us a chance to appreciate a golden period in Mitsubishi’s history and teach people about the impact it had on it’s contempories. This car is museum quality, which is absolutely perfect when you’re telling such a wonderful story. I always get a kick out seeing a legendary ride like this – especially one painted red with white wheels and Brembo brakes sticking through. It’s not just history. It’s poetry in motion and I thouroughly intend to preserve each and every verse. My ancestors did the same, although their type of motion wasn’t motorised.
