Dream Cars - Mitsibushi Lancer Evolution

Every one of us at some point or another has admired a performance car travelling along the UK roads, whether it's for looks or performance. We have all dreamed of owning our favourite super car but have come back down to earth with a thud when remembering how much these cars can actually cost. The problem is that these cars look good and perform outstandingly but the majority cost upwards of £60,000. However what would you say if I told you that you could get a new car for half the price but with a performance to outclass some sports cars that cost twice as much? Let me introduce you to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-340.

The third article in this series on dream cars will look at the limited edition top of the range Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-340. Following articles on the Ford Focus RS and the Nissan Skyline the Evo stands out for what it is, a car designed around pure power.

Now lets be honest, the Mitsubishi isn't going to win any beauty contests in fact some might say that it is down right ugly but everyone will have their own opinions of this car. The fact is that this car wasn't designed to be a beauty it was specifically designed to be the beast.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR FQ-340 holds a 2-litre turbo charged engine under the bonnet that can put the frighteners on Porsche owners at the traffic lights. This engine can produce 350 break horse power (bhp) and the can be propelled by the four wheel drive to a top speed of 157 mph. 0-60 time has been recorded at a staggering 4.4 seconds which is faster than the majority of cars in this price range. With all the expected features as standard and with the addition of Sat Nav fitted into your Evo included in the purchase price you definitely get a lot of car for your money. In fact this car carries a price tag of £33,000, which for a brand new car with this sort of money is peanuts.

Now I hear what you are saying £33,000 isn't really cheap but for the brand new car you get you show me a better deal. I do hear what you're saying though; £33,000 is a lot of cash to get your hands on even if it is a great deal. Don't worry there is a massive second hand market for earlier model Evolutions which also come with a blistering performance and quality handling. For example you can pick up a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution II on a 1993 plate for under £4000 and although the performance doesn't match the mark VIII a 0-60 of less than 6 seconds is not to be snubbed.

The only major issue for a young driver wanting performance car insurance for the Evo VIII is the fact that it sits in the group 20 insurance bracket. This means that for a driver over 25 from Hull with 5 years no claims bonus (NCB) and no convictions you can expect to pay up to £2,000 for you performance car insurance, if you're under 25 you can expect to double this.

The fact still remains that even with its high running costs and high performance car insurance this is one of the best value new cars on the market today.