Officially recognized as the 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX,it is simply ""Evo Nine"" to the model's loyal and dedicated followers. As a direct descendant of Mitsubishi's formidable professional rally cars,the Evo arrived in North America for the 2003 model year (Evo VII) as a legend in its own time. With an ultra-sophisticated all-wheel-drive system and high-output turbocharged engine,the Evo is nothing less than a street-legal racecar with performance figures and lap times besting those of cars two- and three-times pricier. There is only one other car like it on U.S. roads today,and its rivalry with the Subaru WRX STi (another rally-car descendant) has all the makings of a classic.