For car enthusiasts there is usually one model that they come across during their formative years that begins a love for all things cars.
It could be an old school Porsche on the streets, it could be the roar of a V8 supercar on a child's first visit to the racetrack, or the downshift blips of a V10 Huracan...
The front end is Roneel's favourite part of the car, and we agree, it's super aggressive without being over the top!
For Roneel, 22 and studying, he was very specific in letting us know that the Evo 9 was the particular model that drew his attention. Yes there were standard influences in The Fast and the Furious and Need for Speed, but an IX was the goal from the get-go. He says, "the body lines, the wing, the history behind the motor means there is nothing to fault for the model. Having a brother who loved Subaru STIs it was obvious I was naturally going to fall in love with a rival".
So the dream car was cemented from an early age, but not the timing. Roneel was two days into a life of unrestricted vehicles when an innocent Carsales browse turned into the plunge into the money pit known as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Love how the CT9A has purposely built rear fenders, silver brings out the angles perfectly!
Roneel admits that it was too good to pass up, "I was lucky with my purchase. The previous owner. Had done all the tasteful mods, including the 5-speed box, flex fuel, cams, injectors and a 270KW tune by the boys at Benchmark Solutions".
The car was purchased relatively complete, with Roneel complementing what had already been done cosmetically with small bits from Carbonetics, along with our personal favourite set of wheels for the CT9A chassis, AME Tracers.
Rear spats are very underrated, as are all small enhancements...
An issue for so many Evo owners is taking the car to the point of no return. What starts as a street car, turns into the "powerful streeter", to a weekend build, which ends up as a 10-second car that gets towed to every location. It gets lost on a lot of us, that the car was built with usability in mind, it was created to be the everyday vehicle that would destroy any rival on tarmac or gravel.
Name a wheel that fits more naturally than the AMEs, we'll wait.
We'll see if Roneel stays true to his word, he insists right now that he is "just happy to be at 350KW, don't want a big power build on the car". To pull him away from pursuing more power, he intends on spending his spare cash on more cosmetic enhancements, most notably a moulded widebody with a full respray. Jake Reyburn's Riviera Blue IX is the inspiration, and if Roneel's end product looks anything like that, we're in for a treat!
"I just want 350KW" - Roneel Chand (2020)
Before we round up our feature, Roneel would like to thank Benny from Benchmark Solutions, Saad from Bula Racing, Van from NextMod, Ray of Haus of Detail, Rodney for his interior and Andre from DNA Motorsport for making his IX experience such an enjoyable one thus far.
We look forward to seeing more of Roneel's Evo on the streets, and would love to contribute to his future build plans!
SPEC SHEET
POWERTRAIN
- GSC S2 cams with springs and titanium retainers
- Lightweight pulley
- Innovate boost controller
- 3" meek hotside pipe with turbo outlet
- Timing belt replaced at 27,000km
- Plazmaman Pro Series Intercooler
- Plazmaman Coldside/Hotside piping
- 4” alloy intake pipe with KnN filter (supplied/fitted by benchmark)
- Turbo timer
- Walbro 300lph E85 pump
- ID 1300cc injectors
- Flex sensor - zeetronix
- Braided Clutch Line
- Evo 9 RS gearbox
- NPC spring button clutch
- Invidia 02 housing
- 3" front pipe
- 100 cell cat
- Tomei ti catback
SUSPENSION
- MCA Purple Coilovers 9/10kg springs
- Front and rear whiteline swaybars
- Ralliart rear diff bushes
- Ultra racing, front member brace (painted silver)
- AME Tracer 18x9.5 +15
- Nitto Invo 255/35/18
INTERIOR
- Custom centre console gauge pod moulded on ash tray
- Interior blacked out with suede roof
- Window tint
- JL Fab&Design Ralliart floor mats
- Ralliart handbrake cover
EXTERIOR
- Vortex generator
- Genuine weather shields
- Carbon Fibre Lip kit (all around)
- Z speed style +10mm front fenders
- Headlights- demon eye, amber delete (Haus of Detail)
