By mid-1996, Mitsubishi's rallying success began to really reflect in Lancer Evolution sales. The 1996 WRC season brought Mitsubishi, together with a blisteringly quick Finn named Tommi Makinen, its first World Rally Championship drivers' title. The fiercely competitive Makinen borrowed the phrase "maximum attack" and used it to devastating effect. By 1997, rallying had captured the imagination of petrol-heads all over the world and Mitsubishi sold 6,000 Evolution IVs in the first three days of its launch! In quick succession, the Lancer Evolution VI came to be and in the latter-half of 1999, Mitsubishi unleashed a special edition to celebrate its favourite son’s four consecutive WRC drivers' titles from 1996-1999 - the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI 'Tommi Makinen Edition' (TME). The Evolution VI was already a technological tour de force, but the TME had a more responsive titanium turbocharger, uprated and lowered suspension ('tuned to give improved initial response on tarmac surfaces'), quicker steering, a different exhaust, a new ECU, beefed-up transfer case internals, a redesigned front bumper for even better cooling and authentic 17-inch WRC Enkei alloy wheels. Plus, there was a special interior, featuring embossed Recaro seats, a MOMO steering wheel and red stitching. The performance upgrades saw the 0-60 mph sprint obliterated in 4.4 seconds and a maximum top speed of 150 mph. Power was rumoured to be over 300 bhp, rather than the 276 bhp 'agreement'.

Widely regarded as the finest Lancer to wear the Evolution badge, it was now available in five colours, with Passion Red and Canal Blue joining Scotia White, Pyrenean Black and Satellite Silver. Only 250 TMEs (across the five colours) were officially imported into the UK, with 100 examples going to Australia, and the rest sold domestically in the Japanese Market. Official figures show that of the UK's allocation, only 50 examples were in Passion Red, the signature colour for a TME. According to Mitsubishi, it was these Passion Red cars that automatically received the renowned racing decals, known as a 'Special Colour Package' (SCP), meaning these cars were factory-fitted with black door handles (so as to not break the line of the long profile decal). In the world of Mitsubishi aficionados, the consensus is that there were just 212 official factory SCP examples of the TME produced worldwide.

The car presented here then is very special indeed. Not only is it a genuine Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition (CP9A / SNGF2) SCP car (i.e.1 of 212), but it is also an official UK-market example. This means it was officially imported by Mitsubishi-affiliated 'Ralliart UK', hence it would have been professionally SVA'd and is supplied with UK service books, a calibrated speedometer, an unleaded-spec fuel restrictor, cold-climate battery and an alternator, plus it is individually number with a plaque in the cabin - here it reads #014, making this car one of the first few officially designated for the UK-market.

Supplied new via Grosvenor Garage of Tunbridge Wells to its original owner, a Mr Roger Conway of Kent, he owned and cherished the car for almost 21 years (being the car's only previous keeper), applying his private registration number of 'ROG 4Y' to it; he also ensured all its original Ralliart paperwork, history file, with many receipts, plus its original and complete book-pack were retained, and they accompany the car today. Remarkably, this very special car has covered a fully verifiable 25,000 miles from new, supported by MOT and service records. The car did receive some choice upgrades (which receipts account for, plus their professional installation) in the care of its original owner, but we are assured these are all fully reversible should the TME aficionado wish for 100% standard specification. The car passed to our vendor after a period of being laid-up, but has, reassuringly, just had a full service (including a new cambelt), a thorough professional detail and a full MOT as part of its recommissioning. This car has the potential to brought on further by the right owner, knowing how desirable and collectable these UK examples are, making this car truly worthy of its status.

Over the years, Silverstone Auctions have been privileged to achieve some exceptional prices for a number of these rare and special Japanese sports cars, considered by many as the ‘ultimate Mitsubishi’ for the road and are proud to have sold TME #001 for £146,250 in July 2021 – a World Record price. Indeed, for modern-classic collectors in America, they can as of 2023/24, legally import and enjoy these cars – what an opportunity! ‘Type UK’ TMEs are hugely coveted and rightly so and rarely do such low mileage, low owner examples such as this appear for sale on the open market, not to be missed.

Please note the following additional details -

The car presented is confirmed by marque experts as being chassis #14 of the UK-supplied Ralliart examples.

It is in need of some recommissioning, perhaps more than we were first lead to believe, and has the potential to be an A1 example of these very sought-after models. It has just had a full service (invoice for £2,652 refers) but will require some further engine set-up work to pass an MOT and run correctly (details on aforementioned invoice). There was just insufficient time before the auction to carry this work out.