Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI (1999 – 2001) review – the Subaru Impreza's finest foil

Rarely has a car of such humble origins bristled with so much exotic, motorsport-led energy as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI. It was the last of the pure homologation Evos – road cars built in specific quantities to qualify for use in motorsport’s Group A and N categories – and the last based on the smaller, lighter, second-generation Lancer bodyshell.

Later cars were faster, and more capable still, but there’s just something about this era of Evo; where rival Subaru had adopted the World Rally Car rule set for ’97, freeing it from links to the road car beyond the most elementary, Mitsubishi stuck with Group A and needed the road car to employ the wide arches, towering wing and tweaks to the front air dam – because Tommi Mäkinen needed them, too. It was also the first Evo to be imported in some form of official capacity, after an agreement between the then ‘Ralliart UK’ business and Mitsubishi UK. The lineage ended with the Tommi Mäkinen Edition built as a celebration of Mäkinen’s 1999 championship win – his fourth in a row.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI in detail

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The Lancer Evo’s WRC story began in 1993. Run by the Ralliart Europe team it took over from the rather cool but also rather heavy Galant VR-4, a car which was actually relatively successful in that it won three WRC rounds. The Evo I took the fundamentals of the Galant and put them into a smaller, lighter body. Its 4G63T turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine, mounted transversely, put out 244bhp in the production car and transmitted it to the road through a five-speed gearbox and an AWD transmission. 

And that is pretty much how the formula stayed but it wasn’t until the Evo VI arrived in 1999 that the Evo was available through official UK channels. Thanks to changes in WRC regulations upgrades were required to keep the Evo at the top of the rallying leaderboard so there were some aero changes and a significant increase in the cooling performance of the car thanks to the offset front plate. There were also updates to the coolant passages while an uprated oil cooler helped to prevent the oil from getting too hot during period of sustained heavy loads.

The body was stiffened thanks to an additional 130 spot welds and the suspension was beefed up too, with forged front knuckles while the rear control arms and trailing arms were lighter and stronger, too. The rear dampers were updated to give a longer rebound stroke to improve the rear tyres’ time in contact with the road.

The Evo VI was available in three trims, RS, RS2 and GSR. RS denoted the stripped out low spec version of the Evo, aimed at motorsport teams wishing to take their Evos rallying. There was no air con, fancy seats, electric windows or alloy wheels. The GSR was the road-going version and most Evos in the UK were delivered in this spec and featured climate control, electric windows, sports seats and alloy wheels. The RS2 was a halfway house, based on the RS but with some of the GSR’s equipment.

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There were several special editions too, the most famous of which is the Tommi Mäkinen Edition (TME). It was launched in March 2000 to celebrate the Finnish driver’s fourth consecutive WRC driver’s title. 2500 were built to meet homologation requirements and featured revised aerodynamics, a titanium turbocharger for improved response, suspension revisions and 17-inch alloys that mimicked those on the rally car. 

There was a WRC theme inside as well as a special exterior decal set as an option which aped the design of the WRC car. As with the standard Evo VI the TME was available in RS, RS2 and GSR trims. An Evo VI in Passion red (only available on the TME) is one of the most desirable of all Evos.

There were further special editions including the Zero Fighter which was a tuning package from Ralliart Japan that boosted power to around 330bhp. The RS450 was built be Ralliart UK as a road-going rally car with an extensively modified engine, a roll cage and uprated brakes. It cost an eye-watering £44,000 and could complete the 0-62mph sprint in 3.8sec. 

Another UK built machine was the RS Sprint with a mildly upgraded engine and brakes and if you wanted your Evo to be somewhere in between the RS Sprint and a GSR then Ralliart (now known as Xtreme) would oblige with the RSX. Last up was the RS Monte Carlo of which 12 were built in 2001 to celebrate Tommi Mäkinen’s last victory for Mitsubishi.

What we said

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‘It’s all about the rake with the Evo – the angle of pitch, fore to aft. That, and the lofty ride height. Spot that in the pictures and you’ve got a clue to what makes it so special. No, it’s not the fabled 4G63 motor, although it’s torque-rich slam dunk is so addictive. Nor the five-speed gearbox that offers the sort of precision that most manual sports cars, from any era, would die for. 

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And it’s not the car’s unburstable traction, incredibly supportive seats, ruthlessly sharp, accurate steering, or the fact it looks so purposeful it’s hard for the stomach not to do a little summersault when you see it. It’s about how there’s seemingly not a road on the planet that can faze it. No bump, camber or broken surface can deflect its purpose – namely getting from one end of a road to the other. It just floats magically over everything. 

And yet as Henry and I note wryly, unlike something such as the current Renault Sport Mégane Trophy-R, it also works at any speed. You don’t have to be going flat out in the Mak to be engrossed, challenged and rewarded. In fact, it’s a supremely demanding car to drive smoothly, slowly, insisting on absolute confidence and precision. If only cars were still made like this.’ – Adam Towler, evo 271 – Group A icons

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‘‘Fizz’ and ‘zing’ seem to be words specifically invented to describe the Evo’s 4G63 engine, which sounds thin and digital after the Impreza’s flat-four but more than makes up for it with its frenzied delivery (probably a chunk more than the quoted 276bhp) and ruthlessly sharp throttle response. 

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Everything about this car is so precise, so perfectly in focus, it demands your full concentration, whether it’s the stunningly tactile shift of the five-speed ’box – the envy of most pure sports cars – or the way the Active Yaw Control gives it a sense of hyper-agility. 

Where the Impreza is far more traditional in its handling balance, the Evo is a freak, seemingly always able to turn in, whatever the corner entry speed, then settling into a neutral power-on stance through and out of the turn. It’s a car that demands and then brings out the best in you, the driver.’ – Adam Towler, evo, 2024

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‘The Evo VI’s steering has very firm self-centering which keeps it tracking straight, and a sophisticated ‘yaw control’ system which gauges the attitude of the car when you’ve turned into a corner. 

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It then steers the rear wheels fractionally and juggles the torque in the four-wheel drive system to stabilise it. Once you’ve felt it in action a few times you’re a convert, though when you’re really leaning on the grip the sensation is slightly surreal.

‘With that hint of compliance in the steering and body movements that seem quite exaggerated by today’s standards, the TME can feel a little lazy at first, but in fact the car is super-alert and ultra-agile. It feels so light on its wheels, too, with suspension that soaks up bumps so beautifully that the car almost seems to float above the road.’ –  John Barker, evo 006 (April 1999)

Mitsubishi Evo VI: prices and buying guide

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Prices of Evo VIs are definitely on the rise and you’ll have to dig deep for a perfect low mileage example, especially for one of the rarer special editions. Prices are nudging £100k for the best of the best collectible examples, but assuming you want to drive your Evo VI rather than just look at it then there are still plenty of cars in the £20k-£30k bracket that will deliver many years of enjoyment. 

Condition is more important than mileage so it pays to thoroughly check any potential purchase, preferably with an Evo specialist. One of the big questions is whether to buy an officially imported UK example or to either buy an import that’s been here for a while or to import one yourself. 

If you don’t know what you’re doing the latter route could be a painful one, but it could land you a gem for less than you’d pay over here – it’s risky but could be rewarding. If you’re looking at a Japanese market Evo then make sure it was undersealed when it arrived on these shores as they weren’t given any protection from new. 

Verifying history will also tend to be easier on a UK market car – trying to figure out servicing receipts and invoices written in Japanese will be beyond most of our capabilities. Ensuring all the paperwork is in order is imperative with these machines, especially service history as the oil needs changing every 4500 miles with the Active Yaw Control’s fluid requiring replacement every 9000 miles. The cambelt and balance shaft belt should be replaced every 45,000 miles. 

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Obviously, there were detail changes between models, but the most important thing is that if you’re looking at a special edition model make sure it’s not a regular Evo VI being dressed up to look like a desirable RS Monte Carlo or a RS450.

Despite the 4G63 2-litre lump pushing out 276bhp it’s proved to be pretty durable provided the service schedule has been adhered to. Grey or blue smoke could indicate worn rings and bore problems or a turbo that’s on its way out. It can sound a bit tappety when cold but should quieten once warmed. Check for coolant leaks and manifold heat shields that are past their best.

Clutches can wear quickly on modified or hard driven cars. Whining from the transmission can indicate gearbox of transfer box woes while a groaning from the rear could indicate a fault with the AYC diff which is potentially expensive if a new unit is required although a new pump can often cure the problem. Unscrupulous sellers have been known to remove the warning light bulb for the AYC to mask a problem so make sure the light comes on with the ignition.

Rust can be a problem on Evos, especially if the underseal was scrimped on imported cars so check sills, boot lids, chassis legs, suspension mounts, inner wings – just about everywhere really. The suspension doesn’t have too many weak spots although front top mounts can go off. More or less every example will need some fettling – they’re 25 years old after all – so budget for some expenditure on bushes and what not. Part of the joy of an Evo is the way it handles so it pays to make sure that its underpinnings are in good condition.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI specs