2002 Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Rally

Parked in front of my local post office, a spiky-haired, 20-something blonde in tight jeans emerges from a battered KIA. Her car's rear bumper is covered with stickers, the most prominent of which reads "Skin Ink."


"Nice car," she says, obviously meaning it. "Really nice car."

The OZ Rally edition outfits the Lancer with extended, color-keyed bumpers, side air dams and appropriate badging. It's named after its specially-designed OZ alloy wheels. (The rear spoiler is optional.)

She's scoping out "my" Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Rally. And perhaps she and her boyfriend are the market for one. The car in question is a pug-nosed little sedan in Lightning Yellow. It's got trick wheels, a rear spoiler, and a definite attitude. This special-edition Lancer, named for those flashy OZ five-spoke "racing" alloys it wears, is an affordable knockoff of Mitsubishi's legendary 280-bhp World Rally car.


Affordable, in this case is a $16,392 sticker. The specs include an Evolution VI white-faced gauge cluster, a 4-speaker, 100-watt, AM/FM stereo (that's pretty decent), an 8-way-adjustable power driver's seat, OZ Rally logo'd floormats, Goodyear Eagle 195/60R15s, color-keyed bumpers, mirrors and door handles and that natty rear spoiler. The Lancer OZ Rally sedan certainly looks the part, with its Sport Touch steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake lever, and brushed metal interior trim.


But looks can fool you.