2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR Road Test

After all, would you really like to wake up the entire neighborhood every morning when starting up the car? That's not to say the EVO VIII MR's exhaust note is mundane or

It's a shame, but Mitsubishi will only build 6,500 EVOs for 2005 and even fewer MRs. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

anything, it's actually quite intoxicating. But you'll appreciate the muted note the street exhaust system adds if you've ever stood next to a rally car warming up and experienced the spine jarring chainsaw-through-metal rasp of the moderately muffled engine. It's awesome, in small doses.

Speaking of small doses, Mitsubishi will only build 6,500 EVOs for 2005 and even fewer MRs. It's a shame, as such a fine car should be appreciated by many more of the world's 6+ billion than a mere few hundred. Every car enthusiast should have at least one chance to wind the 2.0-liter engine up past its 7,000 rpm redline to its actual cutoff at 7,500 rpm, the engine thrashing with eager enthusiasm before the surge 276 horsepower kicks in and sucks the body back into the race-inspired sport seats. The

By my calculations, stopwatch in hand, 100 km/h takes just under four and a half seconds. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

235/45ZR-17 Yokohama Advan tires dig into the tarmac without complaint, no drama except for tiny chirps at all corners before the rapid acceleration process leaves mere mortal sport compacts far, far away in the rearview. By my calculations, stopwatch in hand, 100 km/h takes just under four and a half seconds, and that's with three out of six gears left to row through.

While I've been in faster sports cars, the most sobering thought is that the EVO MR is a practical sedan. Only a BMW M5, at close to three times the price, comes close to matching the real world combination of comfort for four with thrilling behind the wheel action.