There is nothing quite as frightening as a lady all dressed in red, standing perfectly still in a desolate place in the middle of the night. Like a reminiscence from a ghostly tale told to you from decades ago; she stares intently at you with those piercing eyes, before suddenly letting out a loud shriek and disappearing right before your very eyes.

Our faithful encounter with “Lady Scarlet” was not so frightening (thankfully). In fact, the REV team spent a whole day with the said subject of beauty. “Lady Scarlet” is in fact, a coined nickname that REV came up with for this issue’s Cover Car, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. A definite cover-worthy car, when we heard it from miles away even before we could spot it!

The final of its fire-breathing brethren, Mitsubishi’s ninth generation Lancer Evolution is the last model to utilise the “Iron Works”, the tough 4G63 powerplant that has been the faithful mainstay of many generations of Mitsubishi’s sport-bred monsters. A lightweight aluminium chassis, mated to a five or six speeder manual gearbox made the Lancer Evolution one of the zippiest, modern day turbocharged 4WD machines till date. That, coupled with Mitsubishi’s patented AYC (Active Yaw Control) technology, truly made the Lancer Evolution one serious Japanese behemoth, despite its typical sedan size.

Builds in the past have always derived serious horsepower figures; from modest figures of 300hp to astronomical 600hp figures and beyond!

Owned by Pierre, the owner of local automotive workshop Motec Pte Ltd, the said Lancer Evolution has gone through a troubling “trial by fire”. Once bitten, twice shy, Pierre decided that the Lancer Evolution deserved a better future. Stripping it down to the very bones, the car underwent a drastic change from its state of drab that it was left in. Not one single bone was left unturned; this car was going to be the “Big Bang”, as far as Pierre was concerned...

There and then, the engine was cleansed and purified with expert hands and the brainiest of brains; customised, forged CP pistons filled the 4 cylinders, along with premium stuff from Tomei; forged connecting rods, a balanced crankshaft and valvetrain, as well as an adjustable camshaft pulley and metal head gasket. This was combined with one of the best in camshaft business; a mean set of high-lifting camshafts from Brian Crower that provided absolute torque and power to the engine at mid-high RPMs while a set of ARP head studs seals all the business end in.

With the core of the block done, this opened the door for exploring future horsepower-raising opportunities, hence the blank-filling with a steady stream of premium parts; a Walbro 255LPH fuel pump, churning fuel steadily through a Tomei high pressure fuel regulator HKS’s enlarged fuel rail that feeds large Deatschwerkz 850cc fuel injectors. To pair this neatly, the intake kit was upgraded with a HKS Power Flow system with customised piping, fed respectively though an enlarged S90 throttle body. Exhaust gas is channelled out via a legal Fujitsubo end-can, while the entire air-fuel ratio is optimised by an open source reflash.

A reeling long list with more to add, Pierre takes his turbocharged setup seriously. An AEM methanol water injection kit resting in the boot of the car provides cooling capacity, allowing for a substantial boost increase and advance ignition timing without the fear of engine failure. This, paired with cooling goodness in the form of Koyorad’s triple-core radiator and ARC’s enlarged intercooler meant that the Evolution could stay cool and calm under pressure, even in sustained dogfights.

Putting all that power down to the ground effectively meant that the clutch had to be upgraded to handle the brutal horsepower delivery. The Lancer Evolution puts all that fiery energy effectively onto the ground with the aid of a sturdy APi Racing twin-plate racing clutch and an OS Giken flywheel that ensures sturdy power connectivity between engine and transmission. No Evolution is considered “evolved” without additional handling parts.

Already known for its responsive handling characteristics, Pierre’s Lancer Evolution gets a host of tuning parts, such as track customised suspension; H.Drive’s coilover in unbelievable spring ratings! Together with a host of brace and strut bar upgrades from Carbing, Summit and Ultra Racing, the combination gives the Lancer Evolution additional rigidity and also increases its handling predictability at higher speeds.

So much firepower demands an equal amount of stopping power, hence a set of rare and coveted APP (Aviation Performance Products) large 4-piston brakes up front and 4-piston APi Racing brakes to haul the “Mitsu-missile” to a stop on command. The wheels of choice are a set of 17” Rota IK-Rs, shod in ever-sticky Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R rubber.

The exterior of the Lancer Evolution has been given a refresh; covered in a luscious layer of candied red, its little wonder why Pierre refuses to adorn any decals on the fabulous paintwork, leaving room for all to appreciate. Keeping it relatively simple, a set of Varis front fenders provide some degree of shelter for the aggressive offset of the front wheels, while a Ralliart lower front lip provides a subtle tuning look to the front of the car, aesthetic vanity of course.

Finally, a rare and obscenely wide Varis Time Attack GT-wing finds its way to the trunk-top of the Lancer Evolution, providing sure and extreme downforce on the sweeping bends of a circuit.

The interior is befitting that of a track car; a Cusco safety roll cage ensures the safety of the occupants while hitting up the track, while a pair of Bride bucket seats keeps both driver and the optional passenger safe and snug while fending off massive G-forces. Great driving feel and leverage is provided by the courtesy of a Nardi deep- dished steering wheel, linked to a duo of NRG products; a slim quick release and boss kit.

A long gear knob from NRG allows for easy reach and a weighted shift engagement every time. Keeping checks on the boost department is the job of the Blitz boost controller, while engine and other critical temperatures are monitored visually through a set of Defi gauges. A digital eye on the road of Pierre’s choice is the Lukas 9700 Duo DVR.

This won’t be the last iteration of Pierre’s “Lady Scarlet”, for sure. With much room left for wild thoughts, there will be subtle changes, as well as aerodynamic upgrades once this has been put through its intended trial stages at the upcoming Motec trackday that will be happening on 11th October at Sepang International Circuit. REV will be keeping close tabs on this “Lady”, for so many good reasons!

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX CT9A

Engine

CP Pistons, Tomei Connecting Rods, Tomei Balanced Crankshaft, Tomei Valvetrain, Tomei Adjustable Camshaft Pulley, Tomei Metal Head Gasket, Tomei High Pressure Fuel Regulator, Brian Crower Camshafts, HKS Timing Belt, HKS Power Flow Intake, HKS Enlarged Fuel Rail, HKS Engine Oil Coolers, S90 Throttle Body, Walbro 255LPH Fuel Pump, ARP Head Studs, Deatschwerkz 850cc Fuel Injectors, ARC Intercooler, Koyorad Triple-Core Radiator, Samco Radiator Hose Kit, AEM Methanol Water Injection Kit, APi Racing Twin-Plate Clutch, OS Giken Flywheel, Fujitsubo Exhaust

Undercarriage

H.Drive Coilover (F:14kg/R:12kg), Aviation Performance Products 4 -Piston Large Brake Kit, APi Racing 4-Piston Rear Brake Kit, Carb ing Front Strut Bar, Summit Rear Strut Bar, Ultra Racing Fender Bars, Ultra Racing Front Lower Brace, Ultra Racing Rear Lower Brace, 17” Rota IKR Rims, Yokohama Advan AD08R Tyres

Exterior

Varis Fenders, Varis Time Attack GT-Wing, Ralliart Front Lower Lip

Interior

Bride Vios III Low Max Full Bucket Seats, Cusco Roll Cage, Nardi Deep-Dish Steering Wheel, NRG 3.0 Quick Release Kit, NRG Sleeve Boss Kit, NRG Long Gearknob, Blitz Boost Controller, Defi Gauges, Lukas 9700 Duo DVR