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Mitsubishi Motors teases new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
In a blink of an eye, it has been 3 years since Mitsubishi dusted off an old sports car name and plastered
This is how a 340 PS, 4WD Mitsubishi Xpander AP4 is built
Your mind snaps to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.Tommi Makinnen and the Evo - best combo after burger
The Saga continues: Proton Saga, 1.8 million units later
As July 9 looms upon us, we take this opportunity to celebrate an iconic nameplate in Malaysian automotive
How does the Honda Civic continue its rise when rivals like the Preve, Lancer, and Sylphy failed?
Ford decided to pull the plug on the Focus in Malaysia.Mitsubishi LancerIt won’t be likely for us
Review: What does the Indonesian media think of the 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander?
Early this month, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) teased the 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander at Mid Valley Megamall
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X called to escort Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia
But we’re more interested that the vaccine was escorted by 2 angry looking Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
11 unexpectedly normal-looking cars with huge engines
However, Mitsubishi owned the rights to the name and the horse connection was never turned into reality.Even
What does the local-assembly Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4L bring us?
After Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0L CKD, the fully-imported Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 4WD, also introduced
While we wait for the Mitsubishi Triton Athlete, let's pay respect to its forefathers
Speak of Mitsubishi, and voices will come out of nowhere, boohooing about the fate of the Lancer Evolution
2020 Mitsubishi Triton Adventure X new colour option reminds us of the Ferrari F1 team's livery
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles, introduces a brand-new
The evolution of extreme Proton rally cars – Does rallying have a future in Malaysia?
We may not have winter stages and tall pine trees, but that hasn’t stopped us from enjoying the
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia shrugs off MCO with positive growth, Xpander to launch soon
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia is seeing positive sales growth after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX Wagon - the first and last of its kind?
Its a Lancer Evo...or is it?
This stillborn Mitsubishi Galant was supposed to challenge the Camry and Accord
In case you were curious about how the Lancer looks like now.Mitsubishi Motors arent too hot on sedans
Mitsubishi UK auctioning off 14 heritage models including Evo VI TME, Evo IX MR, and 3000GT
Among the 14 vehicles are not only a smattering of Lancer Evolutions but a few classic models like the
Scoop: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution to return in 2021 as an electric crossover?
Think of Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) and you’re most likely thinking about its past when it conquered
All-new 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander spied, global debut soon?
The all-new 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander has been spied doing its development rounds.
That one time when Proton and Dr. Mahathir were conned into a USA-export deal
If you grew up in the ‘80s, you would know that our first Proton Saga was developed from the Mitsubishi
Watch this Mitsubishi Triton pull a load of over 19,000 kg!
Mitsubishi Motors Thailand decided to make a record-breaking run with the Mitsubishi Triton by showing
Better Mitsubishi products for Malaysia as MMC doubles down focus on ASEAN?
’s star driver Kenjiro Shinozuka.Of course, you all know the legendary Tommi Makkinen’s Lancer
Review Post us mitsubishi lancer
It is #FalkenFriday and #competition time. For a chance to win this #Tarmac Works 1:64 model of the #Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (2010 N24), please FOLLOW us and RT this post. A winner will be picked at random on Monday 21st. #fridayfreebie #freebie #giveaway #prize #win https://t.co/tHmwcUMiDm
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----1997 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION IV---- Car Price(FOB): ¥2,096,000 (US$19,985) https://t.co/cyaM6J7BWe Love JDM cars? Follow us and visit our website to find more great Japanese used cars. #goonetexchange #JDM #Japanesecars #usedcars #Mitsubishi #Lancer #EvolutionIV #EVO https://t.co/N207moAVVW
------MITSUBISHI LANCER GSR EVOLUTION IV------ Car Price (FOB) ¥1,593,000 (US$15,087) 2000cc 152,185km Turbocharger E-CN9A See more at #goonetexchange or link below: https://t.co/HahKUnaiqT #MITSUBISHI #LANCER #EVOLUTIONIV #GSR #ECN9A #JDM #Japaneseusedcar #importusedcar #car https://t.co/JV2PQqQbds
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In Japan, this body style was marketed as the Mitsubishi Mirage. It was a "six window" sedan. The four window one was the Mitsubishi Lancer. Which was marketed as the Mitsubishi Mirage in the US. https://t.co/ZaUbt8lhtC
Today's #DiRTRally 2.0 #CarOfTheDay is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI! Driven it? Seen it for real? Let us know! https://t.co/fes4MkMomX
Cars I don't think we're even sold in the US: first-generation Mitsubishi Lancer https://t.co/7ASuE2UWx7
Help us locate the driver of this stolen 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer #BYWF304 Suspect may be armed, call 911 immediately or Crime Stoppers https://t.co/lAk7F362ll
You can finally buy a first-gen Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in the US. https://t.co/JL5VopRB5S https://t.co/HSlen7Fr09
Review Q&A us mitsubishi lancer
How much should I pay for a used 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart in the US?
Depends upon how many miles are on the odometer and what features it has. Here's what you need: Research New & Used Car Prices
What has been an extremely obscure yet historically accurate fact you have spotted on a movie that you found amazing for being included there?
Although it’s not a movie, the U.S. television series ,Better Call Saul, has an incredible adherence to its early-2000’s setting in the context of props, costumes, cars, and art direction. The era is most prominently evident in the show’s approach to technology. The internet was not as commonly used in some parts of the U.S. as it is today, and as such, the internet is not used as a storytelling tool in this show. When a computer is used, it is mainly for the purposes of word processing. This is probably historically accurate for the time period and regional setting. They also represent the use of phones quite well. Although the Blackberry device was somewhat popular, what we know of today as the smart phone did not exist during this time period. In the show, nobody uses phones for texting or for anything else other than phone calls. Although there was technology which permitted text messaging, it was not as commonly used as it is today, because it had awkward functionality, had not quite caught on as a method of communicating with other people, and may have been prohibitively expensive. Some phones also had collapsible antennae; the phone in the above picture may have had one in the housing visible on its left side (near McGill’s thumb). Phones had cameras, but did not have video capability, and this is captured well in the show. Furthermore, coin-operated payphones are featured in the show pretty frequently. Common corporate logos are also given attention. In one scene, Jimmy and his video crew pass by a Jack in the Box restaurant which features the single-tiled red square logo, predating its redesign in 2009. It is sort of incredible to imagine the production design team considering such details. Most of the cars chosen for the show also make sense. Mike Ehrmatrout’s car is a 1998 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, Kim Wexler’s car is a 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Wormald drives a ridiculous-looking 2003 Hummer H2, and Ernesto’s car is a “brand new” 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer. Jimmy’s car, a 1998 Suzuki Esteem, might be too new of a model for the time period for it to have been so beat up. EDIT A few commenters note that in Europe circa 2004, text messaging was a common activity. I think this is true. If I remember correctly, the U.S. was maybe 5 years behind Europe and Asia in the context of cell phone technology during this period. ,Here is an article from 2008 about the text messaging “explosion” in the US,, when it was already popular in other parts of the world. I believe this had to do with the costs associated with messaging in the US, as phone calls were cheaper. Thank you very much to the commenters who pointed this out!
Have you ever shocked a car salesman and caused him to backtrack or make excuses after he realised you’re far more knowledgeable about the vehicle than he is?
I wouldn’t say “shocked”, but I was pleasantly surprised once that a car salesman admitted and suggested that I probably knew far more about the car than he did. It was April 2003; the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was just available at US Mitsubishi dealers for the first time. At this point, the Evo (as known to car enthusiasts) had been an unattainable fantasy car in the US for a decade. Finally, the powers that be in Japan decided it was time to sell a US version of the car. I was on my way to work one day, and drove by the Mitsubishi dealership which was within walking distance of my office. I saw a brand new silver Evo sitting in the “place of honor” in the dealer parking lot, right outside the front door of the showroom. Of course, I had a quick change of plans, and getting to work on time was not so important. I parked my 1994 RX-7 (an obvious auto enthusiast’s car) at the dealership and walked over to look at the Evo. A salesman walked up and greeted me. I asked him how long the car had been there; he said it was pretty new, maybe a day or two. After exchanging pleasantries, he went and grabbed the keys to the car and unlocked it. At that point, he told me that he wouldn’t even try to tell me anything about the car, because he figured I already knew far more about it than he did. He just let me sit in the car and daydream. I ended up buying the car that day, and my biggest concern was how to explain to my wife that I now owned three performance cars, not even including her Volvo. Fortunately, being a father of two young kids, it was easy to explain to her that it was a better Dad car than the RX-7, since it was a sedan with a backseat. And I did use it to run the kids to school, so everybody was happy.
Is there any difference between cars sold in Canada and the USA?
Quite a few. For decades, Canadian cars have had heftier starting systems, including bigger batteries, and often more powerful starter motors and/or alternators, to deal with the difficulties of winter starting. In a similar vein, as far as I know all cars sold in Canada are equipped with block heaters, the electric plug you see hanging out the front of their grills. (These are available in the US as well, any mechanic can install them, but I haven’t seen any; maybe they’re common in the real frostbelt states). Many models have standard heated outside mirrors and enhanced windshield washer systems. And of course, since Canada went metric, speedometers and fuel measurements are in metric. Paint color options are often different between the two countries. Government standards are different between the two countries. Daytime running lights have been required on Canadian cars for many years. Canadian Pintos were required to be equipped with a polyethylene slab between the gas tank and the rear axle, eliminating the possibility of explosion in mild rear end impacts which became so famous in the US, ending in a recall of US Pintos to install the same equipment in them. Various models and trim levels are different between the two countries. Ford used to sell Frontenacs, Monarchs and Meteors in Canada, lines not available in the US, and the Mercury Bobcat, a version of the Pinto. Pontiac used to sell the Parisienne, a version of the Bonneville, but also relied heavily on Chevrolet models, selling the Astre, a version of the Vega, the Acadian, a version of the Chevy II, and the Beaumont, a version of the Chevelle; in addition, Canadian Pontiac used Chevrolet engines, so that while the Pontiac OHC six wasn’t available, on the other hand Canadian GTOs came with Chevrolet 396 engines. Canada also imported cars the US didn’t, so there were Russian Ladas, basically a Fiat 124, as well as French Renault 4CV, British Morris Minors, German NSUs, Czech Skodas, etc. In the recent era, there are still many models in Canada not seen in the US; the Buick Allure, basically a LaCrosse, the Acura CSX, ISX,and EL, BMW 320i, VW Eurovan, Mazda 5, Kia Rondo, Nissan Micra, Mercedes B-class, Mitsubishi Lancer hatchback, 4 seater Smart car, Hyundai Pony, all sorts of little GM cars from the Far East with Chevrolet badges, US Civic DX is Canadian LX, US LX is Canadian EX, US EX is Canadian Si, US Si is the Canadian SiR; Canada also has Civic CX, and the equipment specs for the similar model are different between the two countries. On the other hand, I’m sure there are also many many low-production makes found in the US not imported into Canada because the lower population there wouldn’t make it worthwhile.
What is the strangest way you found out a friend was wealthy?
This is about how of my new friends found out one of my friend was wealthy. While I joined college for Pre-degree (which is the equivalent of 11 & 12th grade from school), I’ve had this dear friend (Mr. A) since years, always with me. Since I belonged to a middle class background, we did what middle-class kids would. In college, soon we started making new friends. Mr. A looked average in his attire at best and was not handsome by my new friends’ definition. He was down to earth, always had that cute-stupid smile and did not speak much in larger groups. One day, before the class time commenced, our lecturer who’s early into the room, asked us casually what our parents did. (No protests please! This is a usual question in our place and no one generally get offended with such Qs). Each one started answering and Mr. A’s turn came and he proudly (with a smile) said ‘scrap seller’. Context : Scrap seller is not considered a major business in here and the money perceived to be earned, is low. Since this guy was a pleasant guy who never offended anyone around, suddenly there were two groups among students. Those who started showering sympathy on him, and those who distanced him from ‘the group acts of wealthy’. Even our lecturer (after the class) advised him how to mask the profession as ‘business’ in group conversations. He nodded his head in agreement. I was probably the only one laughing, knowing how his family had multiple scrap collection centers across the southern districts of our state and another state, owned a fleet of lorries (cargo trucks) to manage the daily collections and that the monthly turnover ran into lakhs of INR. All the overflowing sympathy continued till the end of academic year. The Annual day was planned and we had to make some arrangements. We needed to bring in a lot of material to college and required a big vehicle. There Mr.A appeared, with his Mitsubishi Lancer (In India in the 90’s, Lancer was an expensive car owned only by the rich) driven in by his driver. None of my friends could believe what they saw. While Mr. A continued to wear his cute-n-stupid smile, at least some among our friends felt guilty of judging him by his looks :)
What is the smartest thing you did when you were a child?
Well, my father has this habit of telling me anecdotes from when my younger brother and I were small, and this particular incident dates back to 1998 when I would be about 18 to 20 months old. My family and I often used to go out by car and the arrangement was always the same. My father used to drive the car, my mother would sit in the passenger seat next to my dad and I would be in her laps. Now driving can sometimes be a boring task especially for a kid, so just to strike conversation with me, whenever we would travel somewhere, my father would point to the car directly in front of us and tell me the name of the car. For example, if we have a Suzuki Esteem right in front of us, he would point to it and say “Esteem” or if there is a Mitsubishi Lancer in front of us, he would say “Lancer”. This was a general routine and my dad would ALWAYS do this. So once we were again going somewhere and my dad pointed to this car in front of us- But before he could tell me which car this was, I uttered “Indica”. Mind you I was just over one and a half years of age and I could not read what is written behind the car. So my parents are shocked and they ask me “How do you know which car is in front of us?” And I told them that every time my dad told me the names of cars, I would remember them by remembering the appearance of the tail lights of the car since that is different for all cars and hence I knew this was Indica by looking at the tail lights.
What are 5 iconic cars whose end shows the end of an era?
The long and successful history of the Indian automotive sector has over the years witnessed many manufacturers setting their shops. These manufacturers have managed to aggregate countless product launches together in our market. While some have turned out to be a runaway success, many others have in turn become colossal failures. Keeping them aside, there are a few cars which draw a fine line between the two irrespective of whether they have succeeded or not. Here are five such iconic product launches that have left behind a cult status amongst the masses and written their names in the history books when it comes to the Indian automotive market: Maruti 800. Starting off the list is the humble Maruti 800, with many of us having some or the other memories associated with it. The 800 was the first product to be coming out from the collaboration between Maruti and Suzuki, which together formed a good public sector company back then. Launched way back in 1983, the 800 was a breath of fresh air as compared to the cars that existed back then. It was nimble, comfortable and an amazing car to drive. No wonder Indians fell in love with it over time, with the small car being the first for many families. The 800 was easy to drive as well which put lakhs of women under the driving seat. Around the time of its launch, there was so much speculation of whether the 800 could handle the rough Indian road conditions given its shape and size. In a couple of years time, all that doubts were cleared as the Maruti 800 not only survived, but even thrived on our roads. According to me, this is the biggest moral victory an automaker operating here has given us. All of us bid a tearful goodbye to it in 2014, but not before the car sold more than 2 million units during its tenure here. In the end i would like to say that there will be many cars that will come and go here, but none of them can even touch the legacy that the Maruti 800 has left behind. 2. Tata Sierra. If you ask any 90's kid about which of the Indian cars from the era would you like to revive, I think a majority of them will be choosing the good old Sierra. This is enough proof of the car growing in stature even after its exile from the market. The Sierra was launched in 1991 and was Tata Motors second foray into the passenger vehicle division after the 207. But it was the first of the typical passenger vehicles that came from the automaker. Back in the day, the Sierra was some sort of a status symbol to own, with the SUV being ahead of its time in terms of equipment it used to offer. The trademark of the car was the availability of just three doors instead of five, which put it in line with many international standard SUV's. This also led to a few flaws, notably the back seat passengers finding a bit of difficulty in ingress and egress. But there was nothing quite like it back then and even after that. Unfortunately, Tata Motors discontinued the Sierra in 2000 but there is talk of the SUV making a grand comeback to the Indian market, albeit in electric form. Thus, this is reason enough to be excited for the hardcore lovers of the Sierra and I am looking forward to that taking place. 3. Maruti Suzuki Zen. Well, who doesn't remember the Zen. The car has become an icon and rightfully so, with even most of today's kids recognising it. This hatchback gave us the concept of the jellybean design and was light years ahead of the 800, with all due respect to the latter. It was launched way back in 1993 amidst much fanfare and quickly managed to establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. Despite the wave of competitors that came thereafter, the Zen managed to hold its own and the car was itself a star irrespective of the brand name. It struck a chord between the enthusiast and the family and Maruti Suzuki cashed in on its craze by introducing a slew of variants on the car. The most prominent one was the three door carbon and steel variant, with many examples of it being well maintained by their respective owners. Maruti Suzuki even exported the Zen to many markets across Europe, with the hatchback being sold as the Alto in other markets. This in some ways prompted other automakers to see the huge potential that exists in our market as soon as the economy opened. Maruti Suzuki discontinued the car in 2006 and revived it in 2008 as the Zen Estilo, which did not find much favour amongst the public. But that is a different story altogether and does not take away the shine from how influential the Zen has been overall in our market. 4. Toyota Qualis. While a few could question the design of this pepole mover, none may question its durability and reliability. This is because Toyota had built their reputation under this MPV and keeping the Innova aside, there is no other car from their stable that has done wonders as big as the Qualis. Launched in 2000, the Qualis was subject to a lot of criticism due to its design and the questionable launch it was given by Toyota. But all of that sort of vanished as pepole tried their hand inside the Qualis, which turned out to be a masterstroke by the brand. Toyota being Toyota had spent years doing research on the market and it was pretty clear from what they were doing back then. The Qualis was much more superior than its rivals, namely the Tata Sumo and Mahindra Bolero who were massive names themselves back then. Thus, the Qualis went a step further as compared to the two and by good measure was appreciated by the public. It was as good an individual car as compared to the taxi and became a default choice for the large Indian family. Remember pepole mocking Toyota for launching the Qualis? That happened again as soon as the automaker phased out the popular MPV in 2005. This showed how much the Qualis had become associated with our landscape and pepole. Toyota brought forward its replacement in the Innova and 15 years down the line it is safe to say that the automaker knew what it was doing again. Why is it the discontinuation of the Qualis the end of an era? Because there came no such MPV that was no-nonsense in function with old school ruggedness after the Toyota. 5. Mitsubishi Lancer. Mitsubishi made its much awaited entry to the Indian market in 1998 with the Lancer. The popular sedan was a class apart back then not only in India, but in the overseas as well. This was because Mitsubishi back then we're at the peak of their powers, dominating endurance events and rally circuits alike. In fact, most of their cars had similar traits to their rallying pedigree and the Lancer that came here was no different. The Lancer was embroiled in some serious competition with the Honda City and Maruti Suzuki Baleno and was leading the pack for the time being. It gave us some amazing flashes of performance in a price that was in some ways affordable. Comfort was also a high selling point in the car despite having a low slung look, as a result of which the car became popular amongst those who loved to be chauffeur driven. Sadly the lack of resources within the company here led to its demise, which resulted in the car remaining the same as its rivals got regular updates. Thus, the Lancer went out of the radar and was silently discontinued in 2008 in metro cities. It is fair to say that the Lancer outlived itself in India having only a few minor updates coming to it. But it has always been a popular car in the enthusiast circles, with many examples of it seen either being modified or tuned by them. The Lancer despite its exile will always have a niche for itself in the history of our market. According to me, these have gone on to be products not only remembered with pride, but also nostalgia by the Indian public over the years. There are so many other cars which I could have included such as the Hindustan Ambassador, Fiat Palio, Tata Nano etc., but the question only asked me to choose five of them. This is the best out of which I could make a complication and I hope you all have liked reading it as much as i liked writing it to you. Picture Credits: BS Motoring and Google. Thank you.
What does a person's choice of vehicle say about them?
A car is really just another piece of outerwear, one that is worn on roads when going more than 5 mph. Just like a plain jacket doesn't say much about the person who wears it, a plain car really doesn't say a lot about the person who drives it, which isn't to say that drivers of plain cars haven't made a strong and considered choice to drive those cars, it's just hard to tell from the outside. Maybe it gets more interesting when you look at a particular person's car history. How about mine? 1992 Jeep Cherokee Limited, As a child I was obsessed with versatility. For my first car, I wanted something with a full time 4wd system so that I could leave it engaged at all times. It was also small enough to park and my parents thought I would be safer in a primitive SUV with a 190HP engine. 1990 Audi V8 Quattro, Entering college, I was over the SUV thing and wanted a sedan. I was obsessed with Audi after seeing a Michele Mouton videotape that I had checked out from the library. This car was a 2 ton, murdered out German luxury sedan with the most sophisticated awd system of its time. Black on black leather, fast, and unflappable. 1991 Toyota Celica All-trac Turbo, This was my first proper rally car. In the early 1990's, Toyota built a very limited number of turbocharged, awd Celicas that were largely hand built to meet a production requirement for the race cars. I found a used one and had to have it towards the end of college. It looked like a normal Celica but was quite unique mechanically. I loved it for this uniqueness. 1999 Audi A6 Avant, After I landed my first job out of college, I decided I wanted something that was sophisticated and understated. I leased an Audi A6 wagon, because the interior was beautifully designed and finished. At the time, there were three "Atmospheres" to choose from, which encompassed not only colors but the finish of the wood as well as the type and stitching of the leather. I wanted a wagon because of its uncompromised combination of the handling of a car with the utility of an SUV. Also, since I picked a gold metallic, my car was all but invisible to cops. 1985 Toyota Supra P-Type, As a child of the 80's, I've always loved the angular, creased paper designs that typified Japanese techno-design. I got this car from a friend and cruised around, Japanese Camaro style. It was a great car, full of bizarre 80's gadgetry like inflatable air bladders in the 14 way adjustable seats. It was also really prone to oversteer and was cursed. One friend borrowed the car and ran it out of oil, requiring an engine replacement. Another spun it into a tree. Nobody died. 2000 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab Longbox Z71 4X4, After I bought my first house in Austin, I thought I'd live the TX lifestyle and I leased a huge pickup truck, ostensibly for house projects and such. This was utterly stupid on my part. The truck was huge, gas guzzling, and completely impractical. I had inadvertently become one of those white collar suburban dads and couldn't look myself in the mirror. 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX, In the early 2000's, I watched Initial-D, an anime about Japanese street racing culture. This made me crave the Japanese unobtainium that had largely disappeared from the US market, so when Subaru said they would bring the WRX to the States, I pulled the trigger. I got two of my friends to join me in a group by and negotiated a sight-unseen purchase for a WRX for $500 over invoice. It wasn't trying to project any image of virility or affluence, other than the color it was just another small Japanese econocar. I admired this car's honesty. It was tinny and cheap feeling but had the heart of a lion. It had character. 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, After a couple years with the WRX, Mitsubishi announced they were importing their even more special Evolution to the US. As opposed to the WRX, which was a solid economy car chassis with a big engine, the Evolution was a crappy economy car chassis that was heavily modified by racing engineers to become a race car for the street. The car was wacky and Japanese, it had cockpit adjustable headlights, a giant carbon rear wing, and no cruise control. The view from underneath was arguably more beautiful than the view above, full of forged aluminum components and big brakes. This is the first car I really learned how to work on myself, and for all its complexity, it was an easy car to maintain. This was also the first car I took to the track. 2004 Ford SVT Focus EAP, When I became a Ford employee in 2004, I decided to dogfood by driving a Ford. The Ford Focus, in its original US iteration, was very close to the award winning Focus in Europe. The Focus had an unusually sophisticated suspension, so much so that the Germany-based team was poached by Volkswagen. In Europe the Focus was a premium compact with lots of available luxury features. In the US, the Focus was decontented to meet aggressive US price targets, with one exception, the SVT Focus. The SVT Focus was a hotted up hatchback with a Cosworth engine, six speed manual transmission, and big brakes and tires. Mine was the EAP, which had additional features normally reserved for Europe, including awesome heated leather Recaro seats, bixenon headlights, and fancy wheels. It was an awesome hot hatch. 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, I replaced my Evolution VIII with an Evolution IX. It was basically the same car, in a better color and road manners. I loved it just as much. 2007 BMW 335i, In 2010 I went to Europe for work, and found myself in Berlin for a few days. While there, I admired all the German cars which were competently driven and well maintained. After returning, I decided I would try driving some used BMW's, and I found myself temporarily smitten with the 335i. I foolishly sold my Evo and bought the BMW. The BMW was great in every objective way. It was fast, smooth, efficient, comfortable, luxurious, and reliable. It did not, however, have any character. It did everything well but I was tired of seeing my car everywhere, with people behind the wheel who didn't really care about what they were driving. 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR, After a period of some stress in my personal life, I decided that I really ought to be driving a car I like, and went back into the Mitsubishi fold. Sure, the dealers are awful and the future of the company is uncertain, but no car company has hit the magic combination of performance and utility of the Lancer Evolution. I'll take my chances and smile as I straighten out that next curve. Also, I seem to have a thing for sedans with big wings. 1989 BMW 325i LeMons Race Car, ,(RIP), I started participating in 24 Hours of LeMons racing last year, and this past weekend we took our Ecto 1 clone to Infineon Raceway for its inaugural race. It was a great car- up until the point some joker in a Ford Probe put it into the wall ahead of Turn 2. 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata After tracking my Evo concurrently with driving the crappy LeMons car, I realized that my super fast high tech rally car was doing most of the work. I wanted a car that was fast in corners and slow in straights, one that required skill to drive quickly. The first gen Miata was really a labor of love for the Mazda team, as they had to convince senior management of the market for a small, cheap sports car. Unlike most cars, most of the Miata's components were designed specifically for that car, and there's a purity in its execution that other cars seem to lack. More Miatas are raced than any other car in existence. It took me months to find the perfect car- if you're interested in some tips for Miata hunting, shoot me a message! 2006 Toyota Prius I got a new job that involves a 45 mile commute on highways. This is about 22,000 miles a year. I didn't want to commute in the Miata next to giant trucks and adding that many miles to my Evo would incur wear and tear and depreciation. So I bought a Prius. You can learn more on ,my blog: The enthusiast’s case for buying a Prius,. Basically I determined that a Prius is the ultimate travel pod because it was comfortable, efficient, and much more durable than a regular car, even though it depreciated like everything else. It also has a unique combination of features that make it an easy commuter. Also, at $10K and depreciating around 10% each year, the argument for cost savings via lower fuel consumption and maintenance makes a lot more sense. 2002 Honda S2000 After selling the Miata to make space for my wife's new Corvette, life provided an opportunity to park another car indoors. So I got the movie version of the Miata- the Honda s2000. It's the first generation model (the AP1) with a 2 liter engine that revs to 9000 rpm. It was designed to commemorate Honda's 50th car building anniversary and shares almost no parts with other Hondas. I got mine with the rare removable hardtop and it's a great commuter with an incredible shifter. 2002 Audi Allroad Quattro This was the first big purchase we made for the arrival of our new baby. It's a 12 year old Audi that had 17,000 miles when we bought it. I love 2002 Audis because that was the year before they got decontented to adjust for the strengthening Euro. This car is interesting because Audi refused to build a 'tough looking' vehicle to enter the crossover market, so they took their largest wagon and substantially modified it for mild off road use. The body panels are mostly unique to the car, including a matte black ribbed black roof, the fender flares are bolted to modified fenders rather than stuck on top of the wagon fenders, and the suspension lifts to provide over 8" of ground clearance if the need arises. Inside is an incredibly well appointed interior with leather that is made from Kryptonian cows. Try and find a used allroad with cracked leather seats- you can't. On the negative side, fuel economy is not great, and the car is incredibly complex, with twin turbochargers on top of that adjustable suspension. However, this is a popular car with a vibrant community, and most of the points of failure have been addressed by the aftermarket with aplomb. Time will tell.
Beranda