The Lancer Evolution started out in 1992 as a Japan-only car but quickly gained a strong following in other markets. By 1998, Mitsubishi began shipping the car to the U.K. and Europe, but for us to get it here in the U.S., it took 11 years and the great success of its main rival, the Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Finally, in 2003, Mitsubishi brought the Lancer stateside, and the sports sedan market in this great land of ours changed forever. It’s been 13 years since the EVO landed here and Mitsubishi has already pulled the plug on it, making a final run of just 1,600 models that has been dubbed “Final Edition.” The day the news broke was a very sad one indeed, but something good is coming out of it as the very last Lancer EVO to be produced (No. US1600) is being auctioned off with all of the proceeds going to charity.

While one lucky person will get the pleasure of owning the last Lancer EVO ever built, Feeding America Riverside in San Bernardino Counties and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County will split the proceeds right down the middle. This move comes as part of September being Hunger Action Month and will ultimately help feed a lot of people. According to Feeding America Riverside, every dollar it receives supplies meals for nine people.

Don Swearingen, the Executive VP and ECO of MMNA, said, “Mitsubishi Motors is proud to stand alongside our local Feeding America member food banks to help raise funds and awareness in support of Hunger Action Month. Not only did we want to pay homage to Lancer Evolution’s historic U.S. run, but also make a difference in our local community by extending the auction’s reach nationwide. So as we bid farewell to a model that has long been the pulse of Mitsubishi, we stand committed to doing our part to help drive out hunger.”

If you’re interested in bidding on the final EVO, which includes a numbered plaque that reads “US1600,” you can check out the auction on eBay. It has already been posted and will run for one week ending September 15. As of the time of this writing, one bid has already been placed for $46,200, and you can bet it’s going to get a lot higher before the digital hammer drops next week.

Keep reading to hear a little more about the final Lancer Evo ever built.

A Little Sugar on top of A Sad Situation

The final Lancer that is being auctioned off comes pretty well equipped. It’s got the 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder with 303 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque. It rocks Bilstein shock absorbers and Eibach springs to go with Brembo two-piece rotors up front. It has been enhanced on the inside with the pillars, sunvisors, assist handles, and headliner all finished in black. The center console is finished in gloss black and features a plaque that reads “US1600.” All soft material like the seats, floor mats, and boots all feature red accent stitching, and there is a Final Edition animation on the digital display. Outside, it sports the “Final Edition” badge to go with a black aluminum roof and other black accents, Dark chrome Enkei alloy wheels, and a New Diamond White Pearl finish.

Needless to say, if you didn’t get your hands on any of the other Lancer EVOs out there, this is your very last chance. Personally, I think it’s a horrible move for Mitsubishi to discontinue such an iconic model, but all things must eventually come to an end I guess. At least the final model will actually benefit people in need, and that makes for an awesome conclusion to the Lancer’s story. The final model will probably go for an incredible amount of money, but it all goes to a good cause anyway. On a side note, with the Feeding America Riverside getting 50 percent of the proceeds, even if it goes for the current bid of $46,200, that’s $23,000 Feeding America Riverside will receive. At nine meals per dollar, that computes to a total of 207,900 meals. That’s what you call combating hunger.