Lancer Evolution Prices Are Starting to Look Reasonable
Despite the high price tag, this relentlessly nice Lancer Evolution might signify it’s a good time to buy while they’re still “reasonable.”
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is a car that truly needs no introduction. It’s seen plenty of praise and time in the spotlight from an array of folks. That range spans from your average car-meet attending teenagers to Jeremy Clarkson. As the days of angry V8-worshipping boomers yelling “your Honda will never be worth as much as my Chevelle” trail behind us, we’ve seen Japanese cars skyrocket to figures that genuinely make your eyes water. Things like the Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline, Honda NSX, and FD Mazda RX-7 sort of sit a tier about the Evo, sure. However, their six-figure price tags are starting to make Evos look reasonable.
Even claiming that puts a bad taste in my mouth, knowing my reference for this thought. Why? Because that “reasonable” price comes in the form of this 2003 Lancer Evolution VIII that recently sold on Cars and Bids. The final bid was $56,500. The thought of a $56,000 Evo VIII seeming like a good deal points slightly toward the world of collector cars going to hell in a handbasket, but hear me out for a second. Let me plead my case.
A Future Six-Figure Prospect?
This gorgeous evo is nearly as pristine as the day it left the factory. It’s finished in Weightless White with a stunning black and blue interior. It doesn’t just look well-preserved, though. It only has 6,900 miles on the odometer. Additionally, it has some tasteful modifications. Otherwise, though, it’s pretty factory fresh. Though our well wishes will hope it gets driven by its new owner, we won’t get our hopes up. What we do think, though, is that this car, if kept in this condition, will likely be worth over $100,000 in the semi-near future.
Collectors dig scarcity, right? It’s no secret that when you’ve got money to buy perfect examples of things, you want the most elusive and special version of those things you can get your hands on. It’s also no secret that the Lancer Evolution is critically acclaimed as one of the best enthusiast cars money can buy. A pure rally-bred all-wheel-drive sedan is a fantastic thing. Lest we forget that less than a decade ago, you could still get a twin-turbo A80 Toyota Supra for less than the sale price of this particular Evo.
Evo Lovers, Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Own
The point here is that the Evo is still sort of an example of a cool Japanese enthusiast car that can be had at a fairly reasonable price. Sure, this particular one is a bit of a bad example for affordability. But the point of showcasing this one is that this likely sits among one of the cleanest and most valuable examples in recent market history.
If really nice ones go up, so do not-so-nice ones.
Whether or not you’re looking for an investment-grade Evo, it might be a good time to buy one if you’ve got the means. For all we know, we could wind up with another Japanese legend car that gets priced out of the realm of possibility for us common folk. Then, we’ll all be sitting around thinking, “Wow. Remember when that white one sold for only $56,000? Crazy.”
Photos: Cars and Bids
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