It's pretty common knowledge that the majority of 2NR readers are male. Turning wrenches, burning rubber, bending fenders, peeling out from stoplights and carrying on the eternal bench race of car versus car. This world is for dudes. It's a man's world after all, right?
Not if Karen Zorrilla has anything to say about that. The Azusa, Calif., resident has been building cars her way for more than a decade and a half, and this JDM-infused 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR is her latest creation. From an Eclipse GS to a DC2 Integra, then a RSX and finally a WRX, Zorrilla's consistent theme has been to build a car that strangers believe to belong to her boyfriend. Not having her creations mistaken as girly princess mobiles (ala The Fast And The Furious 2's fuzzy pink S2000) was paramount, and Zorrilla's Evo has clinched that crown with ease.
Flashback to 2004 and Zorrilla was the perfect example of a diehard Subaru WRX owner. Attending car meets and gatherings, Zorrilla finally spied her JDM unicorn, a 2002 Subaru WRX wagon sporting a set of unique Volk CE28N wheels. That WRX, featured in our January 2005 issue and owned by a "white dude with long hair" known as Jay Bryan, sported more rare and custom modified JDM accessories than Zorrilla had ever seen before. It was, as she happily lets us know, a match made in heaven.
A few months fly by and Bryan soon has sold his WRX off for a Lancer Evolution VIII, which is to remain stock. Needless to say, if you peruse our April 2007 issue, you'll see that Bryan's idea of a stock Evo includes Advan wheels, Endless brakes, Voltex bodywork and 420 wheel hp. After driving Bryan's Evo on a regular basis, Zorrilla knew she had to have her own all-wheel-drive Mitsubishi rally superstar. Zorrilla's WRX was soon traded in for a new Evo IX MR and the build-up began.
Dead set on debuting her brand new acquisition at the 2006 Nisei Week Showoff event in full trim, Zorrilla's daily driver received a few choice upgrades. A C-West front bumper, magnesium Volk TE37 wheels and a set of Endless six-piston front brakes were added. Gaining momentum, Zorrilla took Best Mitsubishi at the show and never looked back.
The C-West front bumper was ultimately dumped in favor of the Voltex front bumper you see now, matched with dramatic Voltex front twin canards. With the stock front bumper and stock oil cooler ducting gone, Zorrilla wisely added in a Voltex oil cooler guide to her bumper. Following an accident with a less-than-attentive Corolla driver, Zorrilla swapped her rear bumper out for a JDM IX unit in order to attach a Voltex carbon-fiber rear diffuser. A Voltex Type V rear wing and front under-diffuser finish up the aerodynamic aspect of the car, while a C-West carbon-fiber hood sheds some precious weight. Tyrant carbon-fiber J-panels and a Perrin Performance shorty antenna are present, but for the detail oriented JDM eye, pick out the HKS Kansai side spats, carbon side mirror covers and Ralliart windshield wipers.