True confession: I’ve always had a soft spot for Mitsubishi autos because many years ago the wife-unit used to have one and yes, it had its faults. But it was a very fine wagon with an Inline Four that idled with scary, almost mystical smoothness. Fast forward to years later, when the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (aka the EVO, hence the odd Devo reference) found its way to my driveway. I immediately was smitten with its wild-child power, it’s ultra-clingy suspension and All-Wheel-Drive, and its wonderful Recaro seats. It was a strange car in every aspect including its name, as I don’t even remember which version of the Evolution it was as the US never saw the first versions which were carving up tarmac in other markets for a few years. There are many Roman Numerals that follow this car like a security SUV in a gated community, and America wasn’t the first market for this wily sedan.

But this is not a retrospective piece, but rather a commentary on the the 2014 model (even though it’s not 2014 yet. How do they do that? Witchcraft!). In many ways it is a typical EVO with the strengths and weaknesses its always had, and I’ll start on the negative first to get it out of the way. This is a $45K car, yet the doors still sound like you slammed an empty filing cabinet closed when you shut them. Likewise there’s lots of cheapish plastic in the interior, and the radio/nav interface is less than brilliant. You will also not set any gas mileage records, for this highly-strung turbocharged dragonette doesn’t (if you will pardon the expression) roll like that.

But other than these foibles, the rest is a bit excellent. The hard parts of this car are a rally racer’s dream, and it’s no surprise it had much success sliding around in the dirt all over the world. First there’s the mill mentioned earlier, which despite its modest 2-liter displacement belts out 291 horsepower of intercooled turbo goodness. Since this vehicle weighs considerably less than a Hummer or even a Tesla S (which is a bit of a tub in terms of mass), it flies low with little effort. This light footprint also helps the chassis flick about with the greatest of ease, as well as stop like a junkyard dog on a chain with the help of some seriously potent Brembos. One area of contention in my camp has been the 6-speed Twin-Clutch SporTronic® Shift Transmission (TC-SST), but they have really sorted this gearbox out brilliantly and it finally achieves what they set out to do-instant, sharp gear changes that maximizes all available power. The manual mode includes steering wheel paddles (which are now downright common), and this is further enhanced by Mitsubishi’s Super All Wheel Control All Wheel Drive with 3 modes: Tarmac, Gravel and Snow to fine-tune response. Is it quick? Very. I clocked 0-60 runs in just over 6 seconds in less than ideal circumstances. Our MR model also included Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, and both offered a (very) firm ride but worked better and better over more challenging pavements as the pace increased. As in the past, steering feedback was excellent. Also similar to past iterations is the use of Recaro buckets to help restrain your innards from flying around the cabin during “antics.” These are very comfortable for the driver, although it should be said my passenger wasn’t wild about them. More adjustments might help this situation, although the design of these fine perches are so focused on the business of driving they do seem odd to those used to “regular” car seats.

All the rest is less than silence, as the car had an optional (and very powerful) 710-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system, incorporated with the standard 6.1-inch central graphic display. There’s a lot of cheapish plastic, which like I mentioned when talking about the door’s acoustics seems out of place on a $45K machine. But the thing is, the money does get spent on the right stuff. From the drivetrain to the chassis to those pilot-quality Recaros the EVO is still a true street-legal rally car that is a peerless joy to flog. As many in the automotive press seem to be on a deathwatch for Mitsubishi’s car concern in the US, it’s wicked little demons like this pumped-up Lancer that make me hope for their survival. It really is unique, and like the company itself worth our patronage.