An auction of historic Mitsubishis could see not one but two cars break the same record auction value for a Lancer Evolution. The two cult vehicles are currently going under the hammer in an online saleroom, and with around a week to go until the sale ends, the cars are looking good to fetch record sums.
Mitsubishi announced it would be departing the UK market last year, and although there were hopes a deal with Renault to sell cars in some European markets would keep the brand alive, the company quickly confirmed those vehicles would not be coming to this country. The brand will continue to sell its current crop of cars until the tail end of 2021, before turning the business over to servicing and maintaining the vehicles already on the road.
As part of that slow shutdown, the company is selling off its ‘heritage fleet’ – which comprises a range of historic vehicles that have been owned and maintained by the business. Based at Mitsubishi HQ in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, the cars have been used for events, marketing and media relations purposes, with some vehicles featured in national and international magazines and websites.
With the auction entering its final week, two Lancer Evolution models look poised to break records. The most ever paid for such a vehicle was in 2017, when a buyer in the US spent $138,000 (£99,000) on an Evolution IX, but Mitsubishi’s Evolution IX, is already at the £59,000 mark.
It might be touch-and-go whether the Evo IX will earn a six-figure fee, but it seems certain that the Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition will break the £99,000 record. That car, with around 10,000 miles on the clock, has a current bid of £78,000, and prices are expected to climb.
More on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution:
The auction, which has been running throughout this month, will end on April 30, with staggered end times for each of the 14 vehicles being auctioned. These include the last Lancer Evolution X FQ-440 MR to be registered in the UK, as well as a championship-winning Lancer Evolution IX rally car and a first-generation Shogun.
Other cars in the auction include a Starion coupe, a 3000 GT and the L200 Desert Warrior built by TV presenter and journalist Tom Ford. Also up for auction are a range of number plates from the Mitsubishi stable, including A1 MMC and 1 CCC (for Colt Car Company, Mitsubishi’s UK importer).
Gallery: Mitsubishi heritage collection auction