THE RALLY REFUGEE THAT SLAYS B-ROADS FOR LAUGHS

Homologation specials really don’t get much more fun than an Evo VI

- SAM PHILLIPS

A quarter of a century on from its launch, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI has come to be regarded as the best of the Evo breed, for this is a homologation special that can deliver a turbocharged sucker punch to any undulating B-road like no other rally refugee before it.

That alone might be enough of a draw for any buyer on the hunt for a modern classic, but the Evo VI is far more than just stonkingly quick: it comes dripping with rallying pedigree, rarity and performance.

Unlike the more radical touring cars of the day, which were largely mechanically unrelated to their road-going counterparts, the differences between road and rally machines were not that significant.

So the Evo VI is about as close to a bona fide rally car as you can get. It's almost identical to the Group A version that Tommi Mäkinen piloted to WRC glory in 1999 and is defined by an outrageously sophisticated drivetrain built around three key defining elements: an advanced four-wheel drive system, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electronic active yaw control (AYC).