Mitsubishi Pajero

The Mitsubishi Pajero is a sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. It was named after Leopardus pajeros, the Pampas Cat which is native to the Patagonia plateau region of southern Argentina. However, since pajero is an offensive term for "wanker" in Spanish, alternative names have been used for many markets overseas. It is known as the Mitsubishi Montero (meaning "mountain warrior") in Spain, India, and the Americas (excepting Brazil), and as Mitsubishi Shogun in the United Kingdom. Discontinued in the United States as of 2006, the vehicle continues to sell well in the rest of the world in its fourth-generation guise.

Thanks to their success, the Pajero, Montero and Shogun names were also applied to other, mechanically unrelated models, such as the Pajero Mini kei car, the Pajero Junior and Pajero iO/Pinin mini SUVs, and the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero/Shogun Sport. Main rivals are the Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SWB/LWB and Nissan Patrol.

The first generation made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1981, and was launched in May 1982. Initially, it was a three-door, short-wheelbase model available with a metal or canvas top and three different engines options:

2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol (2000/2.0)
2.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol (Astron 2.6)
2.3-litre naturally aspirated diesel (2300 D)
2.5 liter turbocharged diesel (2500 TD/2.5 TD).
3.0 liter V6 petrol (3000/3.0).

Mitsubishi Pajero Interior

The second generation also saw the introduction of Super Select 4WD (SS4) [known as ActivTrak 4WD in some markets] and multimode ABS, which were firsts on Japanese four-wheel drives. SS4 was ground-breaking in the sense that it combined the advantages of part time and full-time four-wheel drive with four available options: 2H (high-range rear-wheel drive), 4H (high-range full time four-wheel drive), 4HLc (high-range four-wheel drive with locked center differential) and 4LLc (low-range four-wheel drive with locked center differential).

Mitsubishi Pajero Inside

The Philippines and other developing nations received this third generation Pajero in 2003. The vehicle was completely redesigned, inside and out and had a lower, wider stance. A lower center of gravity meant the Pajero had better on-road handling manners and the newer body had over three hundred percent more torsional rigidity. The biggest change to bring this about was that the Pajero utilized a unibody construction, as opposed to the previous body-on-frame (box-ladder). This also permitted a longer suspension stroke. The fuel tank was also relocated to between the axles for better safety. The third generation Pajero moved one size up from mid-size to full-size SUV.

The fourth generation was introduced at the Paris Motor Show on September 30, 2006. New interior and exterior styling were accompanied by enhanced safety with dual-stage SRS front airbags as well as new side-impact and curtain airbags. The Super-Select 4WD II system was retained, complemented by an improved Active Stability & Traction Control (ASTC) system and electronic brakeforce distribution. With skid plates, heavy weight components and 8.7 inches of ground clearance the vehicle retains its reputation as one of the toughest and most capable 4x4s.