Skip advert
Advertisement

Mitsubishi Evo VIII

It's early August, and our brand new Mitsubishi Evo VIII FQ-300 is missing. Where its bright yellow bodywork once sat in the street, there's now a huge gap. It's a serious shock, and I can't help pacing up and down the road, hoping there's been some mistake. The optimism doesn't last, though, and 10 minutes later I'm on the phone to the police, reporting the vehicle stolen... The fastest car Auto Express has ever had on its long-term fleet, registration 8CCC, has lasted a mere five days with us.

Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

It's early August, and our brand new Mitsubishi Evo VIII FQ-300 is missing. Where its bright yellow bodywork once sat in the street, there's now a huge gap. It's a serious shock, and I can't help pacing up and down the road, hoping there's been some mistake. The optimism doesn't last, though, and 10 minutes later I'm on the phone to the police, reporting the vehicle stolen... The fastest car Auto Express has ever had on its long-term fleet, registration 8CCC, has lasted a mere five days with us.
Six hours and three taxi rides later, I am still in a long queue in a police station waiting to give a statement. The cops are interested, but not hugely - until it emerges that I am the vehicle's keeper, not the owner. For a moment you can almost see the suspicion in the officer's eyes... Nothing is said directly, but the questioning seems to suggest the law is keen to eliminate me from their enquiries.
The story could have ended there, but just as it looked like we had lost our long-termer for good, Mitsubishi swung into action. It delivered a near-identical Evo VIII (9,000 miles on the clock, registration 1CCC) just in time for a trip to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
After popping into the N

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,640Avg. savings £2,419 off RRP*Used from £8,995
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,840Avg. savings £5,624 off RRP*Used from £12,284
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,310Avg. savings £2,657 off RRP*Used from £9,495
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,435Avg. savings £5,987 off RRP*Used from £11,499
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Ford Fiesta ST confirmed as fast Fords are ‘non-negotiable’
Fiesta ST vs Polo GTI vs i20 N - Ford Fiesta ST cornering

New Ford Fiesta ST confirmed as fast Fords are ‘non-negotiable’

Fast Ford fans rejoice, as the top-brass confirm that ST and maybe even RS models are firmly part of the plan
News
7 Jun 2026
Forget Bugatti, Chery's Tiggo 4 is a car I didn't want to give back
Opinion - Chery Tiggo 4

Forget Bugatti, Chery's Tiggo 4 is a car I didn't want to give back

Forget Bugatti, Mike Rutherford is seriously impressed with Chery's Tiggo 4
Opinion
7 Jun 2026
Radical new Citroen C4 Picasso successor will be boxy, practical and futuristic
Citroen C4 Picasso - exclusive image

Radical new Citroen C4 Picasso successor will be boxy, practical and futuristic

Citroen is going back to what it does best: new MPV will be boxy, practical and family-friendly
News
8 Jun 2026