For almost a decade the magnificent Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has been carving a reputation as the supercar slayer. It has, quite literally, set the pace in four-wheel transport, for when it comes to blitzing the distance from point A to point B nothing, but nothing else comes close. Except, of course, the next evolution of the Lancer Evolution.

Welcome to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. "Even better than ever" say Autocar: "the way it fuses supercar performance with advanced all-drive grip and traction seems more the stuff of Gran Turismo 4 than mechanical engineering," they rave.