Remember when Mitsubishi made cool cars? This one springs to mind. In Japan, Mitsubishi sold the Lancer Evolution 9 in wagon form (otherwise known as the Lancer EVO IX). They were rare, and even more so in manual form.
An example just sold during one of those big auctions they run in Japan, and to make it more desirable, it was an MR spec model. You could get the EVO 9 wagon in GT and GT-A form (GT-A was the automatic), and in special MR spec.
The MR badge was always reserved for hardcore variants, featuring stuff like Bilstein suspension, forged aluminium BBS lightweight wheels, aluminium bonnet, roof and front guards for lightness, bespoke brake ducts for better cooling, and the ‘Sonic Hedgehog’ vortex generator up on the roof for the sedan.
So, seeing this example in MR form and with the manual transmission – apparently about 50 per cent of the wagons produced were automatic – makes this an extremely rare and tasty listing.
Why did Mitsubishi make a wagon version of the Lancer EVO? Well, it obviously gave the iconic rally-bred machine increased practicality for real-world use. And as you can see by the listing photos here, you can chuck a set of track tyres and rims in the back with room to spare.
The wagon was apparently not much heavier than the sedan in manual form, weighing around 20kg more. This was mainly due to the heavier folding rear seat, the tailgate and glass, and some reinforcements underneath. Not a bad effort, really. The automatic was about 70kg heavier.
Power comes for the same 4G63 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine as other EVO models, producing around 214kW and 392Nm in the IX, depending on the exact spec. Acceleration from 0-100km/h was possible in around 4.5-4.9 seconds with a good launch.
The MR used a six-speed manual as opposed to the five-speed offered in some models. This provided slightly shorter ratios per gear, improving acceleration, but the five-speed was known to be stronger thanks to larger physical gear sets.
This example was found by Nippon2U, which is a Japan-based car export firm. They can find you a car and get it shipped over to Australia, ready for local registration.
If you’re hoping to get yourself an EVO 9 MR wagon, be prepared to hand out at least AU$50,000, as this example sold for 4,840,000 yen (about AU$44,550, excluding shipping).
