Quick Spin: 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR

A rally car for the road, the 2005 Mitsubishi Evo MR offers the heart-pounding, palms-sweating, soil-your-pants sort of driving experience that true enthusiasts relish. Sure, Mitsubishi’s pocket rocket can be lauded for its performance, agility, styling, functionality, and affordability. But the essence of the Evo MR can be parsed down to one simple word – fun. If you’re willing to accept a few white knuckles and an involuntary utterance of “Oh ----!”, this rally-bred baby is for you. If not, that’s fine – there’s a limited number of Evos, let alone MR models, so it is only fitting that they go to appreciative buyers.

For those lucky few who do get a chance to acquire the keys to a new Evo MR, they’ll get about as close as possible to a $36,000 street-legal racer. In addition to the 276-horsepower turbocharged engine and grippy AWD found on all Evo models, the $800 MR package offers carbon fiber trim, aluminum pedals, and high-intensity discharge headlights, among other unique goods. The result is one of the hottest cars on the market, and, oddly enough, it’s parked outside that Mitsubishi dealer you carelessly pass everyday.