2003 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8 - TURBO

After satisfying the engine modification goal, AMS decided that, although the "go" aspect of the car fulfilled, it was time to address the "show" factor with some aesthetic enhancements. Subtlety seems to be the theme with the outside appearance of the car. It is all too common to see an EVO with carbon-fiber goodies, and this one is no exception. AMS whored out the EVO with a slew of carbon-fiber body parts that include: a hood from Seibon, a front lip from Do-Luck, a rear bumper exhaust cover from Authority, mirrors from Ganador and B-pillars from Varis. To complete the look, AMS blacked out the headlights and replaced the stock taillights with their JDM counterparts.

Moving into the interior, the "almost stock" look remains as the leather Recaro seats look right at home. As one would expect, there are gadgets and gauges that help monitor engine status, but the locations in which they were placed make it look as if Mitsubishi wanted them there. A carbon-fiber triple gauge mount above the temperature controls houses the Defi BF amber boost, oil pressure and exhaust gas temperature gauges. Also mounted on the center console are the Profec B electronic boost controller and Greddy turbo timer. Overall, the interior is not cluttered with electronics to help maintain the image of the car.

To show that there is a good balance of business and pleasure in their taste, AMS added some in-car entertainment by way of a Sony Xplod head unit accompanied by two 1000-watt Rockford Fosgate amplifiers that power the 12-inch Rockford Fosgate subwoofer. Now, don't think for a second that since they added a sub, the stealthy ness of the car was blown. They made up for the giant speaker by cutting the fifth rim to make an enclosure cover. How's that for covering bases?

After making small changes here and there to the engine, exterior, and interior, the EVO's stance and stopping power had to be addressed. Deciding that the car handles pretty well from the factory, AMS only swapped the stock springs and shocks for a set of JIC A1 coilovers and installed a Cusco carbon-fiber front strut bar and a Progress rear sway bar. A set of 18x9 Privat Fahren wheels wrapped in Eagle F1 255/40/18 tires were used, while slotted and drilled rotors from Rotorpro were added along with a set of Hawk HPS brake pads to make the car stop better.

The subtle look of the car and list of simple modifications not only reflect the company's taste, but also their demeanor. AMS may pride themselves on being turbo setup specialists, but they don't express it by overdoing their cars and trying to shove unnecessary products into customers' faces. Instead, they prove that the products they sell work by installing them on their own cars and backing up the advertised numbers with real dyno charts. With these products and proof, AMS was able build a fun, powerful, dyno-proven daily driver that seems to invitingly say, "Come, take a look at what I have to offer," rather than screaming, "Look what I can do!"