Subaru Impreza P1 vs. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI Tommi Makinen Edition: intimate enemies

I'm parked on the side of the road in a fantastic Subaru Impreza P1. From my window, I can see the road meandering through a bucolic valley, with a small red dot approaching at a good pace and sounds that remind me of when I used to stand in the ditches to watch races. The road before me is a seesaw in which that red vehicle appears and disappears constantly.

The soft tickle of this P1's engine idling reminds me of its presence. It seems to want to claim my attention as its rival of today, a Mitsubishi EVO TME gets bigger and bigger. I think these two cars will always be bitter rivals until the last drop of oil on the planet is used up.

We are in the North Wales region. And we've come here because we think it's the perfect location to test two cars with clear roots in rallying. At the beginning of the 21st century, in the pages of this magazine there was a constant procession of Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO putting the supercars of the time in check. It was a wonderful stage where these cars showed that they could take on just about anything with wheels on the most demanding roads. Those Subaru and Mitsubishi had a very direct connection with the vehicles that contested the World Rally Championship –WRC–.

What is clear is that there is something special about this test. We are facing two unique cars, belonging to a species that is extinct today. It is as if he had traveled 20 years back in time, to a time of racing cars for the street, with all his rudeness transferred to the road. A few years in which, to give an example, the photographer who accompanies me would be changing the film of his camera between one pass and another.

It was also a time when cassettes were used, remember? In my case, I was dedicated to recording the best songs on the radio on TDK D90 tapes that I still have in some lost box in the storage room. It's a shame I didn't remember to bring them, because it would have been the perfect soundtrack for this test. However, feeling so intimately connected to the car and the gurgling of the Subaru's boxer engine is more than enough, so we can leave the radio alone... as I sense that driving this car will more than meet my entertainment expectations at the moment. steering wheel.

I suspect you don't want to be bored with the history of these two models, so I won't go on too long, except to tell you that the feud between these two cars dates back to the early '90s. In the corner blue we have the Subaru, basically with the mechanical elements of a Legacy RS but compressed to fit into the shorter and smaller body of the Impreza.

What started as a relatively humble sports model soon became something much more serious once Subaru Tecnica Internacional –special vehicles division within the Japanese firm– took over the project. And although the first editions did not reach the European market, it was at the end of the 90s when this P1 appeared thanks to some brave importers. A collaboration between Subaru and rally specialist Prodrive that began in 1998.

The Prodrive One –P1– was hard work. They experimented with 22 different combinations of springs, dampers and anti-roll bars to tweak the Japanese spec – very hard at the front and soft at the rear – softening the front axle to improve traction and stability. The firmer shocks were the work of STI, while Prodrive and Eibach provided the springs, which lowered the ride height by 20mm. The more directly responsive steering originally envisioned never materialized, as did the adjustable center differential or water spray intercooler.

However, the car as a whole was amazing for the time. With 280 hp, it was capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 241 km/h. In my opinion, no other Impreza has managed to match the aesthetics of this P1, the work of designer Peter Stevens, who also drew the 22B at the time. The huge air intake on the hood, the side skirts and the rear spoiler marked a line to follow in the future.

Today, driving a P1 is an experience full of contrasts. If you've ever been behind the wheel of an Impreza, you'll instantly recognize its fundamentals. You are sitting high up in what is perceived as a small, narrow and old car, with basic instrumentation and plastics so hard and shiny... that they dazzle you when the sun hits them.

Turbo start-up delay isn't a big problem. Simply, below 3,000 rpm not many things happen, something perfect to dedicate yourself to driving calmly. Now, from that regime, it is advisable to hold the Momo steering wheel tight and prepare for what is coming your way. With all manner of roaring, puffing and hissing, the P1 becomes a car full of power, and you get the feeling of it writhing as power reaches each of the four wheels.

It revs with a brilliant sound, which only convinces me even more that this EJ20 engine is one of the best internal combustion engines ever... at the level of jewels like the Porsche Mezger M97/76, the Lamborghini Bizzarrini V12 or the four-cylinder Honda K20A. And to top it off, the P1 emits a final howl after 6,000 rpm that makes your hair stand on end. It's definitely epic.

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— altea⁷ Mon Oct 07 21:48:33 +0000 2019

And damn, it's still a very fast car. Furthermore, it is a car that nourishes your senses with perceptions that are difficult to experience in modern vehicles. The feel of the controls, the large number of sounds, that bulge on the hood that you use to point where you want to direct the nose of the car and the gigantic spoiler that is always present in the rear-view mirror… I also love the feel of the five-speed gearbox, with that fine lever that suggests delicacy, despite the fact that it supports constant attacks of engine torque; and the position of the pedals together with the response of the engine are perfect for constant heel-to-toe.

I admit that the P1 has its charm, but if there was a model that at the end of the 90s was spectacularly beautiful and threatening, that was, without a doubt, the EVO Tommi Mäkinen; and more if it was painted in red and white with the relevant stickers. Straight from the WRC stages to the street.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition – that's its full name, though we'll call it TME for short – is actually an EVO 6.5. The EVO 6 was a small development on the EVO 5, a car that largely solved the problem of the narrow body of the EVO 4, with dramatically widened axles and wheel arches. And, apart from gaining in attractiveness, it also affected a dynamic level; and it is that the main objective was to give a car to both Tommi Mäkinen and Richard Burns – official drivers of the brand at that time – that would generate greater lateral grip in the asphalt rallies of the 1998 WRC championship.

In fact, this car was so glorious, that if you took a look at the promotional posters of the EVOs of the time, there was no talk anywhere about the quality of the materials or the driver assistance systems, but rather that there were photos of the optional shock absorbers for asphalt or the mud flaps to avoid splashing mud.

The EVO 6 brought with it a smaller but more extravagant aerodynamic kit compared to the one featured on the EVO 5, in line with rally regulations at the time. Thus, the EVO could be as competitive as a WRC, but staying within the regulations of Groups A and N. The TME celebrated the 1999 world championship won by Mäkinen and his co-driver, Mannisenmäki; The car was put up for sale in Japan in the early 2000s.

In addition to revised aerodynamics, it featured a turbo with a titanium compressor shaft, a road-tuned suspension with 10mm lower springs, more direct steering, 17” Enkei wheels, a huge exhaust and, optionally, a sticker pack that combined with the red color of the body made it an exact replica of Mäkinen's company car. It arrived in Spain in 2001 and cost 41,000 euros.

Like I do with the Impreza, I could sit blindfolded and know I'm in an EVO VI TME. That idling so characteristic of the 4G63 engine and the curious smell of the plastics of this Mitsubishi make it unmistakable. I perceive that the seats hold my body better, with a more natural driving position... although my partner prefers the Subaru's. I guess it all depends on the physiognomy of each one. The TME has a more modern dashboard and plastics, while remaining extremely basic.

Both cars are one of those that cannot be used in a vague or lazy way, since it gives the feeling that if you do, you are damaging mechanical components. The EVO takes this insight a step further. Throttle response can be regulated within millimeters thanks to ultra-precise pedal travel. And if you cause a mismatch, even a slight one, when it comes to combining the use of the accelerator, clutch and gear shift, the EVO will make your head shake like a rag doll. It is a car that makes no concessions to finesse. He is rude and demands appropriate treatment.

The five-speed gearbox is also very precise and conveys a mechanical feel that makes you feel as if you were manipulating the gears with your own fingers. Like the Subaru, the TME also allows you to ride more or less calmly, which is useful for me to perfect my handling of all the elements that interfere with the movement of the car.

Don't get me wrong though: TME is best at covering ground at an absurdly fast pace. Its mechanics couldn't be more different from the P1, delivering a sudden burst of low- and mid-range torque that's just as captivating and arguably more effective. When I start to run, the TME becomes a frenetic machine full of rough and gritty energy that makes you wonder if the brand has not been wrong to declare only 280 hp.

We all know that EVOs can be tuned to crazy power figures, but I certainly don't think this car isn't pushing enough even by today's standards. And if we talk about behavior, the TME is also very different from the Subaru. Just take a look at the photos; It seems incredible that the bodywork is so far from the asphalt. But that perception gives a clue to its capabilities, and that is that the TME cares little about the state of the road on which we circulate.

Essentially, I can't think of anything that would cause the TME to deviate from its chosen trajectory. Not even the most sudden change in elevation or the deepest hole will test the reflexes of the driver on duty. It's like an atomic flying saucer flying low to the ground. Told like this, it seems that we are talking about a remote driving experience, which isolates the pilot. But nothing could be further from the truth, since everything the car does is transferred to the driver in the form of useful information through the steering wheel, with steering as precise as a laser. In fact, it's so fast that any degree to the right or left makes a big difference.

However, I am not able to drive the EVO TME in the most efficient way right off the bat. It takes some time to understand everything that this model is capable of. You have to digest its tremendous agility and know how to take advantage of it without being scared. What I can say is that, 20 years later, no car can provide such a driving experience. It seems incredible that such an exciting device is hidden in a body of a Japanese saloon.

Undoubtedly, in terms of pace, these models are on par, although they achieve similar results from quite opposite perspectives. The Impreza doesn't offer the instant responses or hyperactive rear axle of the EVO; the P1 feels much more traditional, an old-school all-wheel drive. And I like it too. It is a car that is always transparent, and through the information you receive from the management you can easily take advantage of it, with less radical but equally effective changes of direction.

A movie sunset causes me a certain melancholy. I remember the sound and fury of the P1. And one last lap in the EVO makes me wonder if there's anything better.

I love the explosive mechanics of the Subaru Impreza P1, and that wonderful sensation of infinite energy every time the mechanics send power to all four wheels, digging into the asphalt in a wild search for traction. And the Lancer EVO TME has me hooked, its dynamic behavior full of nuances and that constantly challenges you to drive down the road as if the devil himself were chasing you.

So, let me tell you, I'm not picking a winner. Trying to give a verdict seems unfair to me. Both are mythical cars. What really worries me is that these two models have allowed me to experience that interactivity and purity that is almost impossible to find in sports cars sold today.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition

Subaru Impreza P1

Engine: 4 cyl. boxer, 1,994 cc, turboPower: 280 HP at 6,500 rpmTorque: 352 Nm at 4,000 rpmWeight: 1,283 kgRel. weight/power: 4.58 kg/CV0-100 km/h: 4.7 secondsVel. maximum: 241 km/hNew price: Not sold in SpainEvo rating: 5 stars