2022 Mitsubishi Pajero imagined as next-gen four-wheel-drive
Once spoken about in the same breath as the LandCruiser and Patrol, we imagine what a new-generation Pajero could look like.
The Mitsubishi Pajero came to the end of production this year, ending a four-decade run as a proven, capable four-wheel-drive.
While it felt its age in recent years, for a long time the Pajero was one of the main family off-roaders available on the market, with the Mitsubishi fighting in the same class as the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.
Faced with closed borders, sales of the Pajero saw a resurgence in the latter part of 2020 as Aussies rushed out to buy SUVs capable of taking them across the country with a caravan in tow.
With that in mind, we wondered if Mitsubishi hadn't closed the book on the Pajero a little too early, and started imagining what it would look like if the Japanese car company decided to invest in a brand-new model.
Our resident Photoshop artist Theophilus Chin took inspiration from Mitsubishi's current design language, but with the large, squared-off dimensions offered by the Pajero family over the decades.
But to power the Paj, we have to look outside of Mitsubishi's current range. With rumours the upcoming Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series will be powered by a 3.5-litre hybrid turbo petrol V6 powertrain, it makes sense to look to the wider Renault-Mitsubishi-Nissan Alliance range for something on par.
Perhaps not the obvious choice, but on paper it makes sense to cherry-pick the R35-generation Nissan GT-R's 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 – which is strongly suspected to be offered with a mild-hybrid system in the coming months. Even in a detuned state, it would have more than enough power and torque to keep the SUV moving.
A turbocharged, hybridised version of the new Nissan Pathfinder's 3.5-litre naturally-aspirated V6 could also be an adequate choice.
Mitsubishi hasn't hinted at plans to revive the Pajero, making it unlikely we'll see anything resembling these renders for the foreseeable future.
Let us know in the comments section whether you would like to see a Pajero make a comeback.
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