Teresa’s View
If drooling over a car causes you to turn your head in disgust, avert your eyes now because my heart is still a flutter over our latest tester, the 2006 Lancer Evolution MR, a high-performance version of Mitsubishi’s rally-bred production sedan.
The average Dick and Jane driver will probably never see much seat time in a Lancer Evolution. Like the Subaru WRX, it’s a car whose primary domain is the rarified competition of the World Rally Championships. Subaru and Mitsubishi further upped the ante with high performance versions. The MR edition — for ”Mitsubishi racing” — is Mitsu’s cheeky answer to Subaru’s WRX STi hottie.
Although not entirely new — it’s based on the coveted MR FQ340, a fully heated version sold in Europe — the 276-horsepower four-cylinder turbocharged MR is a sophisticated piece of machinery and a genuine name-dropper. There are Bilstein shocks, Brembo brakes, Momo steering wheel and Recaro bucket seats. Grippy Blizzak winter tires provided sure-footedness even during inclement weather. Yokohamas are standard. Enhancements include a vortex generator along the roof that directs air to the optional Kong-sized carbon-fiber wing. Extra boost gauges sit low on the dash, but good luck reading them during enthusiastic driving.
The agile Evo MR is reasonably controlled in capable hands. According to Mitsubishi’s specs, it runs 0-to-60 in 4.8 seconds. Power builds smoothly and turbo lag is almost non-existent. Which brings me to the fabulous new six-speed manual gearbox. The ratios allow for a symbiotic connection between the car and driver unfelt in the other Lancer models, reminding you why you learned to drive a stick in the first place.
While it’s not for everyone, the Evo MR is a perfectly flingable rally machine, sure to be a favorite among the tuner crowd. It put a smile on my face.
What Is It?: The Lancer Evolution MR is a four-door, AWD compact sports sedan. Usually this much fun is usually prohibitively expensive, but the Evo MR is reasonably priced at $36K. It is only offered in three exterior colors — silver, gray and “I’m-so-getting-a-ticket-in-this-car” red.
Gadget Rating: 5.6 out of 10. The stark interior is very basic, although shiny silver aluminum bits on the shift knob, handbrake and foot pedals provide some flash. Evidently, Mitsubishi expects owners to upgrade to their own sound system. The standard set-up includes AM/FM with CD player and six speakers. Whatever. While we’re discussing dislikes, I’m not at all impressed with the limited output of the headlights.
Safety: The MR features ABS and all-wheel drive. Depending on the road surface, the driver can select separate “tarmac,” “gravel” or “snow” settings, which is nice.
Cheat Sheet: Since DaimlerChrysler sold most of its stock in Mitsubishi, ownership of the Japanese company has been fluid.