A four-time World Rally Championship winning car, one of the most popular JDM models with tonnes of street cred, a legendary driver. This can only mean one thing. One of the most exciting cars ever produced with an incredibly strong DNA.
At 6am, deep in the heart of an industrial area I could hear what sounded like a high performance rally car mid way through a special stage.
Over a period of about 4-5 mins, the sound grew louder, until I heard a low level rumbling that was emanating from what was one of the most successful WRC cars of all time. With strikingly aggressive bodylines and an engine note that sounds like it is tearing a hole in space and time, you can see why this car has such a profound history.
Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce to you Eric Cittadino’s 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Tommi Makinen Edition.
SO, before we get into Eric’s car specifically, lets look at why this model is and was as successful as it was on and off the street. Lets start with the driver.
Tommi Makinen, the Finnish genius of rally is a 4 time World Rally Championship winner. Tommi has also won 24 independent rally comps from all around the globe. Its no wonder Mitsubishi named their prized car after Tommi.
The Mitsubishi Lancer has always been in the WRC spotlight throughout its illustrious career and there are now currently 10 separate Evolution models each with their own accolades in rally, track and street racing.
Now we know why it has such a strong reputation as a rally car, why though is it held in such high regards as a street racer? Well, sporting a larger intercooler and oil cooler then its predecessors as well as new pistons and a new (at the time) titanium – aluminide turbine wheel (first ever in any production car around the world).
The affore mentioned however is just for the standard Evo 6.
The Tommi edition also had a new front bumper, Recaro seats with the boss’s name embossed, white 17″ Enkei wheels, Leather wrapped Momo steering and gear shifter, a titanium turbine that spooled up faster, front upper strut brace, a lower meaner looking ride height designed for tarmac and a quicker steering ratio and its this that put it miles ahead of the competition.
Taking a walk down memory lane has been great, nostalgic almost, but back to Eric’s ride. I asked Eric what he has added to the already modded from standard Evo 6.
I couldn’t type fast enough to note everything. It would be impossible for anyone to keep up. After listing what I could in a frantic rush, Eric told me that this list is just the main components.
He skipped the smaller items and gave me the “reader’s Digest version”. So here is a list of what I managed to take note of:
- GSC 274 cams
- GSC Beehive valve springs
- 1050 FIC injectors
- Walbro 255 fuel pump
- Stock ECU with E85/98 dual map tune
- HKS intercooler piping
- GReddy front mount intercooler
- 3 inch stainless exhaust
- Apexi muffler
- Cusco front and rear strut brace and rear swaybar
- Cusco 6 point roll cage
- Ultra Racing under body brace
- Work CR Kai 18×9.5 ‘ + 20 wheels
- Yokohama AD08 Tyres
- DBA T3 rotors
- HKS coilovers
- K&N pod filter
- GFB blow-off valve
There was more but I had to stop Eric as my fingers were beginning to cramp.
Its also worth noting that the work put into this car was completed by a couple of workshops. Meek Automotive in seven hills nsw did most of the mechanical work, It was tuned by Benchmark in Newcastle and the suspension was installed by Heasmans in Sydenham. Eric and his friends have also spent countless hours as well.
This car is so clean that it has been entered in the World Time Attack show and shine every year with the exception of 2016 and 2017. The work isn’t finished by any means. No no no. Eric wants to achieve between 400 – 500 All wheel kw. The Evo
It’s currently producing 257 All wheel kw. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this car and be writing another article on how it evolves in the near future.
Links to Performance garages:
www.facebook.com/BeNchmarkEvolutionSolutions
Photos and Article by Daniel Ferraro
www.ferraroautomotivephotography.com