Walkinshaw builds a mini Evo

Colts as sold here are hardly the stuff to set your pulse racing – unless you drive one too hard into a slow corner and sledge towards the undergrowth.

And the Ralliart version of the NZ market Colt Plus added go but didn’t address the soggy handling, resulting in a car that had some muscle but no finesse and was capable of delivering a few frights when the power outran the chassis.

Well, it’s indeed the Colt that mercurial Scotsman Walkinshaw is tweaking for the Brits, or so the rumour goes.

Mitsubishi already sells a pugnacious-looking Ralliart version (pictured) of the restyled Colt in Britain, with a 1500cc motor developing 110kW, a close-ratio six-speed gearbox and 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

But now Tom is said to be working on a TWR Walkinshaw edition which gets beefed-up suspension to allow drivers to make use of the power on tap.

The word is that the engine won’t get any more urge but that TWR will tweak and stiffen the suspension and lower the ride height to sharpen the handling. The Walkinshaw edition is also tipped to get an even more aggressive bodykit.

Now if only Mitsubishi NZ would add Tom’s pocket rocket to its line-up.