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Beauty meets (b)east

Porsche Carrera 2 - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI RS

The fog desappears slowly, on this Saturday morning. The beauty, black in black, stays near the (b)east, white in black. No we are not speaking about mode, we are looking at two of the fastest way to cross the country, the Porsche Carrera 2 (996) in their last incarnation and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI RS-2.

Two different concept, one target. Enjoy driving. The Carrera 2 is the best Carrera you can get at the moment. You will now say NO, there is the GT3, the Turbo or the Carrera 4. Sure, this cars are fantastic too, but the Carrera spirit, lives in the Carrera 2, lighter than the Carrera 4, satisfying like the GT3 (saving some tousands...) and more entertaining than the new Turbo because of his involving body.

The Carrera first. Elegant, especially in black and silver, with a nice form remembering to the past Carreras, this car will bring you at the work or to the theatre. Yes this exterior shape match every day to day use. Not so, the EVO will bring you at the work, no problem. But if you will park the car in front at the Gran Casino of Monte Carlo, near Bentleys, Jags, Ferraris and Aston Martins, you will notice people looking at you like an extraterrestrial man. The huge body parts are all there, like you would be ready to take off for the next rally stage.

Behind the wheel of this Carrera 2 you will find all the important instruments in front of you, a best example of modern ergonomics. In the middle the rev counter, left the analog speed counter, another digital speed counter. Yes, why two? Maybe the Porsche engenineer think that their clients will enjoy driving Carreras only if they have their driving licence. Maybe. So keep one eye on the digital speed counter.... For the rest the Carrera presents himself very solid, no wind noises coming in, with a good stereo system (10 speakers) letting you feel at home, on your sofa.

A bit different will be your feeling, sitting behind the wheel of the EVO. The interior is very simple. His life is usually very short. After arriving to one preparator, all the interior, togheter with the rest of the mecanical parts will go off of the car and than, after some hard modification, find place in a Group N EVO. The materials als very basic, as the purpouse is. Be light, win races, easy replacements, affordable costs. So in the EVO you won’t feel the beautifullly manufactured leather interior of the Carrera. The instrumentation is very simple too. Rec counter, speed counter, petrol gauge, water gauge. That’s it. So now it‘s time to turn the key!

300 PS (Carrera 2) against at least 280 PS (Evo VI). 35 kgm torque by 4500 rpm, against at least 380 by 3000 rpm. Rear wheel drive, against four wheel drive. Turning the key of one of this cars will be a serious experience. First the Carrera. On the Left hand drive version we tested, you will turn the key with your left hand. The flat six motor will start immediatly. Now first gear and go, second, third, ...7000 rpm, and you will be rocketing at more than you should. Concentration and a firm hand are required. The first bend is in front of you.... The brakes of the Carrera works beautifully, and you slow down, changing from the third to the second in a few milliseconds, forgetting that any other car driver at this moment will think, ...oh goood!...., going in the bend like a TAXI driver at his stand place.

Yes, it is very easy to drive fast with this Carrera. Helped by the Carrera shape, who will contribute to the fact, that the guy in front of you will not try to give gas when you will overtake him, providing respect for the overtaking myth.

And how ist is with the EVO? Looking at the EVO through the rear mirror the driver in front of you may be afraid. This because of the speed of the EVO, fulling the mirror with his front shape with outrageus speed. Some of this drivers will let you overtake, a few will try to keep up with you. What for a mistake. They probably do not know, that they could only keep up in a traffic jam or in a parking...

So you decide to go, and press the pedal. From 2500 rpm the turbo will begin to produce pressure, from 3000 rpm he will let you take off, overtaking all what stays in front of you. At this moment you eyeballs will have some problem to notice where these guys are, and yes, the next bend stays in front of you. So press your foot on the brakes, and decelerate you with the help of this magnificent BREMBO brakes, change down, go in to the bend and uuup... press the pedal down and begin this experience another time.

Now you will ask, whats the difference to the Carrera. To experience it, we choosed our preferite test road, the Flüela pass lokated between Davos and Bever, middle in one of the most suggestive mountain places in switzerland. How many bends? Don’t know... enough to check your driving capabilities. The Carrera first. His perfect gearchange works perfectly with the 300 PS flat six you have in your back. The 996 follows the road like a dog his owner, using his power in every bend , every stright line you will find in front of you. Locked in place, along the choosen line. Coming out of a bend you will have any stability problem. The ESP mounted in the 996 Carrera will help you to keep it in place, so that your only energy will be used to chose the line, brake, give gas and enjoying the exhaust sound.

With the EVO you will need more attention. Not only the lack of an ESP, but the lack of the ABS will ask your brains for more work, and especially for fast works. Then this is a true rally car homologated for the road, not a road car, modyfied for the track. So you will use your right foot carefully by slowing down, and carefully you will come out of the bend with the 38 Nm pushing your EVO out of the corner like the cork of your champagne.

On this famous mountain road, your will feel that the Carrera, because of the lack of a Turbo, up to 2000 meters over the sea, will lose some of his 300 PS. The reaction will be a bit slower, and your right hand will move frequently, to keep the flat six on revs. The EVO has a turbo, so you will rocket up like going down of the mountain.

So which is the ultimative driving experience?

 The characters of this two supercars are different, as the philosophy of the engineers who made it. One for rallying, one as Grand tourer. Because of this, one with ABS, EPS, full automatic AC and other helps, the other without ABS, EPS or othe electronics helps. Our result: 1:1, both cars offers the best on driving feeling for your money.