This fire-breathing rally car is really a Mitsubishi Mirage

The Mitsubishi Mirage: it's sensible, economical, and practical. This little hatchback is one of the most sensible cars you can buy today. Sure, it won't be pumping adrenaline through your veins, but as a runabout, it has a lot to offer.

But sensible isn't on the cards for one particular Mirage, and has thrown the other three attributes out the window along with it. That's because it's been transformed into a ground-hugging, fire-spitting hillclimb rally racer.

Out went the humble 1.2-liter, three cylinder mill, and in goes the 2.0-liter turbo from the Lancer Evolution. If that wasn't enough, the engine was stroked to 2.2-liters, along with a host of upgrades that give the humble hatch about 750 horsepower. But the madness doesn't stop there. Just listen to it.

Aside from the engine swap, the other obvious mod to the car is its bodywork. Chunky fender flares, splitters, diffusers, and a whopping wing help it stay glued to the ground. More traction is provided by all-wheel drive, which also came from the Lancer Evolution. It's stripped out too, and even with all the safety gear and all-wheel drive system, it weighs just a little over one ton. It is said that the car is very competitive, consistently fighting for the top spot every time it's unleashed.

While there aren't any performance figures, we're pretty certain that it can out-accelerate a couple of supercars out there. Plus, with all its aero and handling mods bursting out the seams, it could likely outcorner them too. So while it's 'just' a Mitsubishi Mirage, there is nothing ordinary about this one at all.