You may recognise this car as a first-generation Mitsubishi Outlander if, indeed, you noticed the early Outlander in the first place.
But this one’s a bit different, for under the SUV-style interior lurks the powertrain of what’s essentially a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII.
The car shares its engine and permanent 4WD set-up with the rally-bred saloon. The power plant is Mitsubishi’s 2.0-litre 4G63T four-cylinder turbocharged unit, toned down a little to 240bhp from the Lancer’s 280bhp, while the transmission is a five-speed auto with ‘Tiptronic’ controls and steering wheel buttons.
There is a useful chunk of practicality to go along with the performance, too. Inside you have spacious comfortable transport for four adults or two adults and three kids, with a decent sized boot.
Yet allied to that is four-wheel-drive grip and a 0-60mph sprint time of just over six seconds. This is a seriously quick car – and it has terrific levels of grip, too.
The Airtrek is being sold by a Japanese import specialist who knows his way around the importation process inside-out, so the buyer can rest assured that all import duties and declarations have been attended to already.
The car has an MOT certificate valid until February 2023 and has a UK V5C, along with a copy of it Japanese export certificate and shipping documents.
The cabin of the Airtrek is functional and practical, just as you’d expect from an SUV. The grey and blue cloth seats are of a sports design and offer good support, but they’re not overtly or notably sporty.
Meanwhile, there’s plenty of room for three on the rear bench, with two full-size seat belts and a lap belt. It’s all very smart and well-presented, with a clean and tight headlining, no excessive wear and a modern touchscreen double-DIN stereo as a means of in-car entertainment.
This is a car that hides its light under a bushel – as to the uninitiated it looks just like a normal Japanese mid-market SUV.
But there are clues. It sits 40mm lower than a normal Outlander. It has wider arches, there’s a lower front bumper incorporating chunky fog lamps and there’s a ram air scoop on the bonnet to feed the turbo.
It’s all in fine fettle, too, with no evidence of any rust or noticeable damage, while the gunmetal grey aftermarket alloys are in good order and are shod with new tyres all-round.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is slightly detuned compared with an Evo, but not so much as to lose its status as a full-on performance car. 0-60mph can still be despatched in a fraction over six seconds and the power delivery is frantic thanks to the punchy turbo, which delivers a sudden boost of thrust when it comes on song.
The vendor reports that it drives very well indeed with no known issues, and that the handling is phenomenal, with great grip and a sharp turn-in allied to instant traction via the all-wheel-drive system.
You’ll have to go a long way to find a better sleeper than this. There are clues as to its performance, but they’re subtle ones. And behind them lies the heart of a rally car – a devilish SUV/Estate that will give most modern hot hatches a run for their money. It’s a very cool thing.
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2004 Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo R
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