It is very rare that our job puts us face to face with harsh tragedy, but sometimes the business of informing and enlightening - of selling the tuner dream, in our case - can unexpectedly intersect with the shocking cruelty of life.

In June of this year, the owner of the beautiful EVO VIII you see pictured in this story's gallery, Raffy Bautista, was tragically taken from his loved ones, along with his father and brother. For all of them, it was an exit too soon from this world, and our heartfelt condolences go out to Bautista's kin.

In happier times, roughly a year ago, photographer Ryan Belville first pitched us on Bautista's 2004 Peridot Pearl green flared-out AWD Mitsubishi, and we were impressed right off the bat. As a co-owner of the famous High End Performance in San Diego, Calif., Bautista had an impressive background, and his EVO VIII was a rolling testament to the infallible instincts he possessed as a customizer.

The presence made by his EVO can be felt from feet away, aided by the unique BASF color and INGS+1 wide-body kit, modified by High End Performance and integrated by PJ Bonifacio. Rally racing is in the platform's heritage, and motorsport was played up in elements like the Seibon carbon-fiber hood, trunk lid and front doors, APR GT300 rear wing and side mirrors, and Advan T7 rims.

The car isn't just a looker, though; it seems able to walk the walk, too. Under hood, Bautista upgraded the stock turbo combo with a grip of Power Enterprise issue, namely an RX6R pump and wastegate, titanium manifold and stainless downpipe. Exhaust trails out through a Tanabe Concept G setup, while the charge cools in an ARC heat exchanger and is routed there and to the intake manifold via Aerodyne Industries plumbing rigged with an HKS SSQ blow-off valve.

A custom High End Performance ECU re-flash keeps combustion moving, and manages the Power Enterprise 255 L/H fuel pump and TL 700 injectors. With the turbo providing 22psi of boost pressure, Bautista's EVO puts down a reported 388whp.

Keeping the Falken FK452 rubber at all four corners on the ground is the job of an army of upgrades. In each wheel well, Tanabe SUSTEC Pro S-OC coil-overs provide suspension, and a Carbing four-point under brace and Cusco six-point roll cage and front strut tower brace stiffen the chassis. Body roll is curtailed by way of Tanabe front and rear anti-sway bars, and speed is reined in through Brembo Gran Turismo front six-pot calipers and 14-inch vented and drilled rotors.

The cabin of Bautista's EVO VIII is tailor-made for an all-out sensory experience. The driver in him appreciated the High End Performance Kevlar seat, Takata four-point harnesses and NRG steering wheel quick release for his Nardi wheel.

To balance out the racy bits, he also installed a custom carbon-fiber vinyl floor and suede headliner. The commuting experience is completed with a wicked multimedia setup, consisting of several Pioneer Premier components, a Sony PS2 Slim and a 19-inch Sharp flat-screen monitor.

While we never got to talk to Bautista ourselves, and commend him on his fantastic EVO, our photographer did spend the afternoon with him and some of his family when the car was photographed.

"The photo shoot was really fun," recalls Belville. "The whole family got involved. They had quite a bit of fun just hanging around Ann Arbor, Michigan. I showed them around - we took the motion shots on the freeway and most of the static shots outside of the 'Big House,' Michigan Stadium, the most famous college football stadium in the world."

Belville told us he could tell that Bautista was close with his family. During the photo session, Bautista asked our lens-man to take a picture with just him and his car. Our photog happily obliged, and then asked Bautista's brother to join in. "I looked at the rest of the family and said, you better get in on this, too!" he remembers. (The images of Bautista and his loved ones are featured in our gallery.)

Bautista was also very proud of his Filipino heritage, as reflected by the flag decal he wore on the car, but seemed first to be a family man. In fact, he was moving to Ann Arbor to be with his fiancée; the EVO was trailered from California to Michigan last fall, and he actually planned on selling the car once settled in Michigan.

Sadly, he leaves his fiancée behind, in addition to a long list of loving but heartbroken family and friends. We never met Raffy, but like so many, we loved him because of the magic he could do with cars. May he rest in peace - and may his EVO continue to remind us of the great guy that Raffy was.

OUR THANKS TO HIGH END PERFORMANCE AND THE BAUTISTA FAMILY FOR ALLOWING US TO RUN RAFFY'S EVO.

MOD STUDY

Raffy Bautista's 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

Engine Power Enterprise RX6R turbo
Power Enterprise titanium turbo manifold
Power Enterprise stainless steel down pipe
Power Enterprise wastegate
Power Enterprise 255 L/H fuel pump
Power Enterprise TL 700 injectors
Power Enterprise timing belt
ARC intercooler
Intercooler piping by Aerodyne Industries
ARC air induction box
ARC gradation valve cover
ARC oil catch can
Sun Automobile Hyper Force systems
Sun Automobile Hyper Voltage systems
Tanabe Concept G exhaust
HKS SSQ blow-off valve
Mishimoto radiator
Mishimoto radiator cap
High End Performance ECU re-flash

Chassis Tanabe SUSTEC Pro S-OC coil-overs
Tanabe front and rear anti-sway bars
Carbing 4-Point under brace
Cusco 6-point roll cage
Cusco front strut tower brace

Brakes Brembo Gran Turismo front 6-piston calipers/14-inch rotors

Wheels 18x9-inch Advan T7

Tires Falken FK452 245/40R18

Exterior INGS+1 body kit modified by High End Performance
JDM taillight conversion
Seibon carbon-fiber hood with gold weave
Seibon carbon-fiber trunk lid
Seibon carbon-fiber front doors
APR rear wing (GT300) 67" wide
APR GT side mirrors
PJ Bonifacio bodywork and paint
BASF Peridot Pearl green

Interior High End Performance Kevlar Bucket Seat
Takata 4-point Harness driver and passenger side
Project Mu shift knob
Greddy Boost Gauge
AEM UEGO 6 in 1 Gauge Type UEGO Controller
NRG Steering Quick Release
Nardi Steering Wheel
Custom Carbon Fiber Vinyl Floor
Custom Suede Head Liner

ICE Pioneer AVH- P4900DVD - DVD Multimedia Receiver
Pioneer Premier Series TS-D1720C 6.5-inch Rev Components
Pioneer Premier Series TS-D1602R 6.5-inch Rev Series
Pioneer Premier Series TS-SW2541D 10-inch Subwoofer
Pioneer GM-D7400M 1200.1 Mono Amp
Pioneer GM-6300F 600.4 amp
High End Performance Enclosure
Sharp 19-inch Flat Screen
Sony PS2 Slim

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