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Used cars

Buy this Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evo pairing for the price of a Toyota GR86

Two legends for the price of one great modern sports car. Seems like a no-brainer to us

Published: 09 Oct 2024

The Toyota GR86 is one of the finest back-to-basics sports cars we’ve driven over the last few years: fluent handling ability, punchy straight-line pace and a proper manual stick to bridge the two together. But what if you could have all of that and more condensed into one car - or better still, two?

This Subaru Impreza WRX Type RA and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 GSR seem like a good place to start, not least because of the incredible rivalry between the two on the rally world’s biggest stage for the better part of a decade.

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The Impreza is a one-of-1000 limited edition that’s been recently imported from Japan and comes with the typical Sonic Blue exterior paint and less than 84,000 on the clock. And if you need proof of how well it’s been maintained, just look at that interior. You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s been stowed away in a hermetically sealed lab since leaving the factory 24 years ago.

Then we get on to that engine: a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot that remains untouched. That’ll send around 280bhp to all four wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox and out the back of a new stainless steel exhaust.

Brilliant thing, and it’s up for less than £14,000. But why stop there? The Evolution has been imported over too, and though its interior has rustled up a bit of dirt and muck over the years, that exterior is… yeah, gorgeous.

Though the Evo has had some fettling done. Its similarly turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot has been remapped and given a new air filter, boost controller and exhaust system to jump it up to 359bhp. And remember: it’ll carry that power consistently across just about any surface known to man.

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What do we reckon readers: a delivery-mile GR86, or the chance to turn these foes into friends?

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