Car of the Day 10.5.09
Landin Williams and Evan Griffey, 10.2.2009
The Lancer Evolution IX is the last stop for the venerable 4G63 engine that powered the marque to four straight WRC driver’s titles from 1996 to ’99. The engine was a go-to player for street tuners since its days in the original DSMs, the 1989/90-and-up Eclipse/Talon/Laser. In the Evo IX the powerplant is at its zenith with the addition of MIVEC variable cam technology, hollow cams, revised cylinder head cooling passages and a larger compressor housing on the 16g turbo. Power is rated at 286 but this is merely where the party begins as the Evo is one of the best-ever tuning platforms. Big power, in the realm of 700 horsepower, awaits in the tuning garage. The Evo driving experience is as much about grip as it is about thrust. The IX’s all-wheel drive system features an active center differential that splits torque front to rear from any ratio between fully locked and fully open and front and rear limited-slip differentials that feed the torque to the individual wheels.
Many awe-inspiring modified versions prowl the highway and byway of America and abroad. But the baddest of the bad has to be the HKS CT230R Time Attack Evo. A true terror, its menacing Stinger Red based paint scheme a blur, this car has defied space and time on both sides of the Pacific.
In 2007 this Mitsubishi dominated the Super Lap Battle event in Unlimited AWD class. Skillfully piloted by none-other than drift star Nobutero Taniguchi the HKS Time Attack Evo set the record at famed American time attack venue Buttonwillow Raceway. Its time of 1:43.523 broke the old mark by a whopping 5.383 seconds and still stands as the track record. Many have taken swipes at the time but none has succeeded in toppling the HKS Time Attack Evo. As a result the former record holder’s time is no longer even in the top 10.
The HKS Time Attack Evo also has a place of honor at the birthplace of time attack, the Tsukuba Circuit in Shimotsuma, Japan, where it was the first car in the 53s, its 53.589 also a long standing track record. With 560 horsepower and a supremely well-honed suspension the car illustrates the potential of the Evo line and forces tuners to aim high if they plan to impress.
Mitsubishi Evo IX & HKS Time Attack Evo Gallery
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