As I have alluded to in other blog posts, I have had a growing interest in sportscars since my youth. My first real “dream car” was the 5th generation Honda Prelude. I was primarily interested in the aesthetics of this car more than its performance, but at the time, it was definitely no slouch with its 200 HP 2.2L I4 motor. My research also finds that its H22A4 motor leverages Honda VTEC (variable valve timing) technology. I never had the opportunity to drive one–instead I enjoyed my high school graduation gift, a 1999 Mitsubishi Galant, for nearly 10 years. I always referred to this Galant as my “family sedan with an identity crisis” as I had fitted an aftermarket spoiler to the rear with some Motegi brand Japanese alloy wheels.
How does this pertain to the topic of this blog, you ask? I’m getting there…
So my interest in sportscars was growing during my adolescent years. Gran Turismo was released in 1997 and it introduced me to a load of actual sportscars given its licensing agreements. It used digital representations of actual brands and models, unlike other racing games I had played. It was marketed as a “racing simulator” as opposed to an arcade game and happened to grow wildly popular. This game introduced me to many sportscar models, but one that significantly made an impact was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Even back in the late 90s, there was always a rivalry between Mitsubishi and Subaru when it came to AWD sports dominance, which generally manifested in WRC (World Rally Championship) competition. I always leaned towards Mitsubishi more than Subaru, mainly due to (yet again) aesthetics. The Lancer Evolution models at the time were simply better looking than the Subaru WRX models (in my opinion). That is not to say the Subaru WRX design was bad, it just was not as good as the Lancer Evolution (namely the IV, V, and VI models). Yes, the Nissan GTR was in the conversation, but frankly, it was up there in supercar territory (read: unattainable) and it was not available in North America. To be fair, the Lancer Evolution was also in the same boat… until the Lancer Evolution VIII in 2003.
The second film of The Fast and the Furious franchise, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), further popularized the model as it served as one of the lead vehicles in the movie (with the Evolution VII). This same year marked the release of the Evolution VIII model in North America, the first production release of the model in the USA. I recall the car was marketed in the $30k-40k range, which young adult and college student me was unable to reconcile. More importantly, I absolutely could not handle both financing/price in addition to young adult + sportscar insurance costs! I distinctly recall running numbers back then to see how I could make the math work.
On a couple separate occasions I attempted a test drive. The first time was during college. I can’t remember exactly how I made it to the dealership–I may have had access to my Galant, I may have relied on my girlfriend, or I may have figured out the regional public transit. In any case, I was at the Mitsubishi dealership, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I found the nearest salesman and asked for a test drive. I was swiftly met with a credit check requirement–he probably saw me a mile away. I had no job, so credit check would have failed.
The second time was after college. I can’t remember which car I owned then, but the Lancer Evolution was still a dream. I think at that time they already had the Evolution X available, and rumors were abound of the imminent end of the model. I was not in a serious place to make any commitment to purchase as I was already focused on saving to move the household. However, I still happened across the dealership. I again did not test drive, but I don’t believe I intended to at this point. I just wanted to look at the interior and maybe kick the tires a bit. This being established, I recall being washed with the (now familiar) feelings that come with potentially realizing a dream. The same feeling occurred when I first happened across the 911 Carrera S. The only difference is that saving for a new home down payment was top priority.
The Lancer Evolution model ceased production in 2016, which happened to be the same year I finally saved up and purchased my 2nd home. Once that occurred, I was finally able to save for dream cars, and I have purchased and owned 6 different sports cars in the past 4-5 years. I was going for the WRX STI but ended up with a BMW M240i (M Performance Edition) instead as I happened to step into a BMW dealership during my search for a Japanese sportscar… although I did test drive a WRX. I can’t recall if it was an STI or not, but I remember having some difficulty with the shifter. I also recall that sales guy being a pain in the you know where.
So although the legacy remains, my dream of ownership dwindles year by year as older Japanese sportscars increase in value due to nostalgic adults like myself. While these vehicles serve to be better priced than the MK IV Supra or FD RX7, brief research finds models running in the area of 20k-35k with vastly varying mileage levels. Since the newest models you will find are no later than 2016, that’s saying something.