There's something otherworldly about the Mitsubishi Evolution. Maybe it's the super-sized combo of four doors and a spoiler, two features that represent two different classes from two completely polar opposites. Or maybe it's the hustla'-certified Paul Wall-type grillz, better known as the intercooler, brightly situated at the front and center. Perhaps it's the factory turbo, 286 horses, all-wheel-drive format, and lightweight wheels that make the Evolution a sight to see anytime you see it on the freeway, streets, parking lots, car shows and magazines. It makes us want to put on our Timberlands, hike the Alps, and assess our position as self-determining agents responsible for the authenticity of our choices - or simply smoke herb and rethink life.
The Mitsubishi IX is the most diabolical of them all, the SoCo and lime of the entire bar, ready to spring you off your feet and lead you down a spiraling path of pure economic and automotive destruction. It'll make you wish you drowned a shot of cranberry juice with a zero-calorie Powerade chaser instead. Just ask Kyle Park of Long Island City, New York. His '06 Mitsubishi Evolution IX-SE is in a class all its own, a combination of traditional craftsmanship, new-wave couture, and technological dexterity that can make paperweights out of the latest Samsung handhelds. It's a celebration of distinguished flavors inside a celebrated ride.
"I built this car because it has a lot of potential," Kyle simply says, "It cost me about $50K to build and took me two years to complete." Though he didn't say much after that, his Evo sure did a lot of loud yapping - still is, in fact. Take a gander at the accompanying pictures. If the Porsche GT3RS green paint doesn't pique your interests, I'm sure the blinding red interior will make your blood flow like Volvic water. If those still didn't catch your fancy, maybe a glimpse of the engine bay will have you ripping open your Rocawear cardigan to rub the man-tatas like they belonged to Lauren London. If none of the above still makes you want to skip the entre and onto dessert, then sit back, relax, and prop up the Brixton castor fedora. A renaissance has just occurred and it's not in the form of a Kid Sister album.
We've come a long way since the release of the Evolution into the American wild. Kyle's take on the car is the perfect example of what has been accomplished and what needs to follow. The exterior is as pretty as the Manhattan skyline. The Do-Luck wide body kit is a seminal part of the chassis. It toughens up the already beefy Evo and creates the perfect canvas for the Voltex rear bumper, chrome orange graphics, JDM MR lighting, and carbon fiber hood and trunk. Of course, the custom green paint seamlessly combines them all together like an art gallery curator.
Within the walls is a sea of red courtesy of Bride and its signature color. The panels, headliner, back seats, and pillars were all wrapped in Bride fabric. The most notable is the custom-made dash, covered in Bride red and flawlessly put together like a Vera Wang wedding gown. The 330mm Personal steering wheel is soft to the touch, and the ARC titanium shiftknob is as cold as ice. The Defi gauges add the finishing touches to the beautiful interior that we wouldn't mind being trapped in if we were to face the tragic 405 freeway in rush hour traffic. All of which is a testament to Kyle's forwarded thinking sense and hard work. But it's in the engine bay where we can see Kyle's personal masterpiece.