Since my Lancer is a 2008 model, I naturally never had a color display in the instrument cluster. In 2019, I finally installed the instrument cluster from an ASX. However, there was one small drawback: it didn't have a startup animation. But why? I couldn't answer that question back then... In 2022, the time had finally come: I upgraded my ETACS from A319 to A321, now with a startup animation. I have since upgraded to ETACS A322 with a final update. I acquired the US0000 emblem, and that was the starting point for installing special Final Edition parts. The Final Edition speedometer, with its unique start-up animation, is particularly special, as it was only installed in the Evo and is a limited edition. But anyone who thinks you can just buy a used speedometer and install it... is mistaken.... First you have to find one, and if you do find one, they are very expensive, and customs, import duties and shipping costs are added on top. Once you finally get it, you still have to swap the dials, reprogram it to kilometers, and enter your mileage. And it's also tricky to make sure the needles don't start jumping when you start it up.... But in return, you get a beautiful, rare speedometer with a special animation. And one more thing that has always interested me: Is it possible to change the animation to the normal Mitsubishi start-up logo via ETACS? NO - Mitsubishi, or rather Nippon Seiki, simply swapped the logos 1:1.... So you can reprogram a rare, expensive Final Edition speedometer to display the startup animation from Peugeot and Citroën.... That hurts....

In 2012 I gradually began to redesign the engine compartment in the colors red and carbon. Dom strut painted red Carbon radiator plate Carbon fuse cover Red cable conduits Stainless steel screws with red washer Red engine cover with dragon Air intake wrapped in carbon fiber foil BMC sports air filter Ralliart radiator cap Windshield washer fluid reservoir cap in red Carbon fiber hood dampers Air intakes on the hood in red

A headliner with stars is simply beautiful. There are many kits available for installing them. Since I enjoy DIY projects, I created everything myself. It uses approximately 100 LEDs, but not haphazardly. The blue LEDs represent constellations. In total, I have eight constellations: Draco (a must, of course ^^), Ursa Minor, Orion, Leo, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Auriga. The white LEDs are additional and add depth to the starry sky. The starry sky automatically switches on with the interior lights, but can also be controlled via remote control and the internet – provided it's activated by the rear interior lights. I even tweaked the system so that only the starry sky comes on and not the rear interior lights... As part of the Final Edition upgrades, the headliner was made black, and that's even cooler than with the beige one, black like night, now even during the day....

One of my more recent upgrades is the Recaro seats from the Evo 10. I only have them in cloth, but they're extremely comfortable, not cold in winter and not hot in summer. They may only be cloth, but they come fully equipped – heated seats and side airbags. Unlike the leather seats in the Instyle trim, the Recaro seats' heating system is extremely fast and much warmer. Absolutely indispensable in winter. The lateral support is also superb; you feel truly connected to the Lancer. I bought these used for €1400, but they are in perfect condition, no scratches, no abrasions... Of course, I also had to upgrade the seats themselves. I added red decorative stitching, which accentuates the shape of the seats, as well as a Ralliart logo and emblem. I also ironed on a dragon on the back. Below the Recaro logo, I added the lettering "Evolution X," and I also attached a chain with a dragon on each seat. One drawback I was already aware of is that they don't have a pocket installed in the back (the original leather seats also only have one pocket installed). So I made myself a bag with red stitching; it's simply convenient and provides indispensable storage space.

In 2014 I decided to buy the OEM aluminum hood from the Evo; I simply ordered it directly from Mitsubishi (1100 € unpainted without accessories) and had it painted in my car's color. I used genuine carbon fiber air scoops from Seibon Carbon. I positioned my self-designed logo on the center scoop. I had already installed the gas springs on the steel hood, which presented a minor challenge. The gas springs were too strong for the aluminum hood, so it wouldn't close. I reversed the springs, and lo and behold, it worked better.

Here you can see all my projects at a glance:

In Austria, it's a long-standing tradition for car enthusiasts to buy personalized license plates. In 2012, I finally got one, but the number 1 was already taken, so I went with W-LANCE2. Now the number 1 has become available, so I have that one too. So, I have two personalized license plates.

Although I'm a non-smoker, I installed Climair wind deflectors in 2022. Of course, they're in dark smoked glass, and they blend in very nicely.

I have a Teltonika RUT850 Wi-Fi router installed, which has a 4G connection and a download speed of 150 Mbps. I use it with a MultiSIM from Drei, so I don't have any additional costs. I was asked why I need Wi-Fi in a car these days? I have installed so many devices that are connected to the Wi-Fi network that this has become indispensable.

In 2012, I had the windows tinted from the B-pillar back, using the darkest tint legally allowed at the time, 80%. I think two years later the limit was changed to 95%. Real bad luck back then... I'll have them replaced eventually. Up front, I have clear LLumar shatterproof film on the upper windows for security purposes.

Since my Lancer is a 2008 model, tire pressure sensors weren't yet mandatory. The requirement for new cars in Austria only became in effect in 2014. From that point on, sensors were installed in the Lancer; however, these only warn when a tire is low on air and don't display information like tire temperature. Therefore, in 2017 I installed Bluetooth tire pressure sensors, both in my summer and winter tires. This allows me to directly read the pressure and temperature, and to set various warnings myself.

The pre-production model was built for this purpose, to look good at the presentation.