Those who are young enough to be car nuts in the '90s know that there are two special Japanese cars in Europe that are connected to the WRC – the Subaru Impreza P1 and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition.
Just like rivals Colin McRae and Tommi Mäkinen, these two legends of the '90s are exceptional units – and they're facing each other again on a drag strip, courtesy of UK's Carwow.
The two cars are almost equally powered yet with massive differences in their powertrains. Which do you think is faster in a straight-line race?
Gallery: This Rare Subaru Impreza P1 is Every Fan’s Daydream
Let's run down the numbers first. The Subaru Impreza P1 is a commissioned product by Prodrive, with only 1,000 units produced. Just like the rest, this 922nd unit is powered by an uprated turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer engine that produces 276 horsepower (206 kilowatts) and 260 pound-feet (353 Newton-meters) of torque.
The Mitsubishi Evolution VI Tommi Mäkinen Edition is likewise powered by a turbo 2.0-liter, but an inline-four. It also makes 276 hp but with a slightly higher pull at 275 lb-ft (373 Nm). It's got beaten by a Toyota GR Yaris before, though, but we can give that a pass since the latter was a more modern car.
Both blue and with roots from rally racing, the Impreza P1 has a slight advantage over the Evo VI in terms of weight. It's 170 pounds (77 kilograms) lighter, so that could offset the torque advantage of the Mitsubishi.
However, since both cars are equipped with a manual gearbox, the biggest kicker in this race was with the drivers and their skills. Which do you think won? Watch the video atop this page and let us know your thoughts below.
