Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Ready to go for a drive? Paul Issa, deputy chairman of the Issa Transport Group, tries out the features of the Mitsubishi Evolution X at the launch, last Friday.

There are some cars, that even if you will never drive one, they still send a chill down your spine when you hear their name.

The Mitsubishi Evolution is one of those cars and when Motor Sales announced that it was launching the Evolution X, and that it was the only one on this side of the hemisphere, the crowds came out to see.

The offices of Motor Sales, on South Camp Road, St. Andrew, could barely hold the racing aficionados, media personnel and curious onlookers who came to witness the unveiling. When the hood was popped on the Evolution X, it was like opening the long sought-after dead man's chest of pirate fame. The oohs and aahs were only matched by the eternal clicking of (seemingly) a thousand cameras. The owner of the Evo X, race car driver, Doug 'Hollywood' Gore, bragged about his new wheels as a doting dad about the success of his children.

Personal playground

The Mitsubishi people promised a show and that's what people got. That section of South Camp Road between the stoplight after Sabina Park and Mitsubishi Motors became the personal playground for Gore and fellow driver, Bobby Marshall, in his Lancer GT. The way was cleared for a few minutes and other motorists obliged for the drivers to show the speed, quick-turning ability and power of the sleek, white-coated motor missiles.

Drooling over the new vehicles were Natasha Chang, Olive McNaughton, Brian Carless, Aleen Bailey, Usain Bolt, André Thomas and Sloane Jackson.

Lee Issa (left) chairman of the Issa Transport Group, and Brian Stevenson, managing director of the group greet each other at the Mitsubishi launch. - photos by Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff photographer

Even Senior Superintendent of Police Reneto Adams couldn't resist looking at the new Mitsubishi. Here, he chats with Vacciana Bruff, service coordinator at Motor Sales and Services.