1999 Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS Sprint Veilside

Highlights

• Utterly unique Veilside widebody RS Sprint
• Believed to be one of only eight left
• 38,361Km on the clock
• Performance upgrades by Extreme Motorsport
• Rated at 330bhp (at the wheels)

Overview

If you’re going to modify a car, do it properly. Here at PH Towers, we subscribe to the “if you’re going to get wet, you may as well go swimming” school of car modification. If you’re not going to leave it as it came from the factory, don’t just pop on an aftermarket induction kit and some questionable alloys. Do it properly. Go all in.

And when it comes to going all in, there are few better at it than Veilside. Fully paid-up members of the car tuner’s hall of fame, Veilside exploded out of Japan’s burgeoning tuning scene in the 1990s, alongside other luminaries such as Spoon and HKS. The wonderful thing about Veilside is that they always took a holistic approach – their work has always been about a complete package, marrying blistering performance and banzai aesthetics into something much more than the sum of their parts. Their work is also incredibly rare. You’ll go a very long way before you see another Veilside creation on UK shores.

Of course, if you are going to dabble in a spot of tuning, starting from a great base car is probably a good idea. And base cars don’t come much better than the lightweight Evo VI RS Sprint – an official UK Ralliart limited edition Evo VI variant that saw just 12 examples produced, with only 8 believed to still be in existence. This is number ‘03’, and the only one to wear this swaggeringly brilliant Veilside widebody kit. So before we even begin to consider the Veilside enhancements, this is already a vanishingly rare performance machine.

Besides the striking aesthetic, previous owners have gone to great lengths to ensure the go matches the show. Of course, the “standard” RS Sprint wasn’t exactly slow, but this breathed-on monster has been professionally upgraded by Extreme Motorsport to produce a staggering 330bhp at the wheels (368bhp at the flywheel). There are a host of supporting modifications too, ensuring you can confidently explore the car’s capabilities.

As we said, if you’re going to do something, do it properly. And boy, has this been done properly. Bag this Max Power era unicorn and you’ll definitely be the centre of attention everywhere you go.

History and documentation

• Registered in February 2000
• Ralliart UK special edition, number 03 of 12 produced
• Believed to be one of only 8 left, and the only one to wear the Veilside bodykit
• 38,361Km on the clock, verified by the MOT history
• As featured in ‘Total Evolution’ in the July/August 2009 issue
• Current owner since December 2024, three former owners
• Cobra alarm and Cat 1 immobiliser
• Collection of invoices for servicing and maintenance
• Invoices detailing maintenance and modification work by specialists Extreme Motorsport
• Two keys
• Current MOT expires 31 October 2025
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear

Interior

• Grey Alcantara upholstery with black and white fabric centre panels to the seats
• Reply bolstered front seats by Recaro
• Overall the upholstery is in good condition for the vehicle’s age, with some wear showing to the driver’s seat
• Dark grey carpeting and black over-mats with white edging, all appear to be in good order
• Light grey headlining looks to be secure and undamaged, with a few light marks and scuffs
• Electric front windows have been added by a previous owner (originally they were manual)
• Apexi AVC digital boost gauge
• Momo sports steering wheel
• HKS turbo timer
• All of the cabin trim, switchgear and instrumentation presents well, with some light wear and patina from use, but no more than is consistent with the car’s mileage and age
• Alpine CD/radio head unit, with Pioneer CD changer
• Bass enclosure containing two 12” subs and an amplifier mounted in the boot
• The vendor reports no faults or issues with any of the cabin’s features

Exterior

• Scotia White paintwork, with exclusive ‘RS Sprint’ and ‘Ralliart’ badging
• The paintwork shows well, with a few marks and blemishes, but nothing that would concern us
• That striking widebody kit is all present and correct, and looks to be in fine condition, with no damage or misalignment we could discern
• All of the underlying body panels look to be in nice condition too, with good panel gaps, clean lines and no significant corrosion
• There are a few small spots of corrosion on both rear arches and along the lower edges of both off-side doors, but these appear to be quite minor
• DTM Aero Dynamics carbon fibre wing mirrors have been fitted
• Huge rear wing features a single adjustable plane
• We noted a chip to the lower near-side corner of the front windscreen, but it does not interfere with the driver’s vision
• Looking underneath, the suspension components, sills and floor pans all look to be in great condition, with no apparent damage or notable corrosion
• The car sits on a deep-dish set of 19-inch PIAA split rims, which feature white barrels and black multi-spoke centres
• We noted some kerb damage to the lips of both front wheels, but otherwise the wheels look clean and tidy

Mechanical

• 1,997cc DOHC, 16-valve, inline-four turbo
• Short ratio 5-speed manual transmission, with short-shifter kit fitted
• All-wheel drive
• The RS Sprint features a faster steering rack than the standard Evo VI
• Front strut brace
• Extensive performance modifications carried out by Extreme Motorsports and other specialists
• Samco turbo and coolant hoses
• HKS induction kit
• Larger intercooler with water sprayer
• Intercooler hard pipe kit
• Blitz dump valve
• Exedy twin plate competition clutch and flywheel
• High flow FSE 255-litre fuel pump
• ARP ‘Group A’ con-rods
• Uprated actuator
• HKS ‘Blue Flame’ exhaust
• Uprated Evo VIII rear limited slip differential
• Brembo brake calipers and discs, with Mintex pads
• Uprated Bilstein springs and dampers
• ECU remap
• Rolling road tested at 368bhp (flywheel) / 330bhp (wheels)
• November 2024 - new timing belt, balancer belt, auxiliary belt and tensioner, new catalytic converter, front side lights, new gearbox plate
• The car has a smooth, deep baritone rumble at idle, and we’re assured it drives just as it should with no issues or faults reported by the vendor

Summary

There was a gleeful, inventive, devil-may-care joy to the tuning scene of the 90s and 00s. A sense of humour and unadulterated fun that has largely gone from the modern tuning scene. But we’re starting to see a growing appreciation for these brilliantly mad creations.

We can see the appeal – they’re a joyful celebration of what made so many of us fall in love with cars in the first place. It’s all about the endless possibilities of the open road, and enjoying that in something that’s unique to you. Well this slice of tuned JDM madness is definitely unique, and all the better for it.

Whether you’re looking to experience what it was like to drive such an individual machine back in the day, or simply want to enjoy one of the finest and rarest performance cars of the era, make sure this gem doesn’t pass you by.

Non-concierge cars:To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Bracknell, Berkshire.