The clever people at Japanese giants Mitsubishi have brightened our day by unveiling the Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 - billed as the "fastest and most extreme Lancer Evolution ever released".

So how is it faster and more extreme than ever before? Well, the new Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 will come with a 2.0-litre turbocharged MIVEC (“Mitsubishi Innovative Valve-timing Electronic Control”, if you please) petrol engine that delivers 403bhp and 387lb.ft of torque, and will help the car to reach a 0-62mph of 3.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. It’s hardly slow, is it?

In terms of styling, the FQ-400 is said to pay homage to the legendary Evolution VI rally car, and it looks even more aggressive than its Lancer Evolution X FQ predecessors, aided by a 30mm drop in the front ride height.

Similar to the Evolution VI, the FQ-400 has a  “heavily vented” bonnet that helps heat break free from the car’s engine, and there is the presence of a lightweight composite front bumper that “incorporates the company’s trademark ‘jet fighter’ grille with carbon-fibre elements on its leading edges”. Nice.

The new Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 has been given a hefty price tag of £49,999, which is already facing criticism from members of the motoring press, and will hit the UK market this June.

If you're thinking of adding one to your garage, you’ve not got long to wait, but until then you can familiarise yourself with the new Mitsubishi by checking out these on-the-open-road pictures.