Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced that the first generation Mitsubishi Pajero was selected as one of the historic cars thanks to its contribution to Japanese automotive history by the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame2 (JAHFA).
The first Mitsubishi Pajero was launched in 1982 as a 4WD off-road car that combined off-road handling with ease of use by passengers.
In his statement, Tuesday (7/11/2023), 3.25 million Pajero units were produced for four generations until production was stopped in 2021.
Mitsubishi Pajero has been exported to more than 170 countries and is loved by fans globally. In Japan, the Pajero has become one of Mitsubishi Motors’ iconic model series, adding models such as the Pajero Mini kei-car to the lineup in 1994, the compact SUV model Pajero Junior in 1995, and the compact SUV Pajero iO in 1998.
In the arena sports motorbike, the Pajero competed for the first time in the Dakar Rally, which has had a reputation as the toughest rally raid in the world, starting in 1983, and claimed overall victory in 1985.
The Mitsubishi Pajero competed in the rally 26 times until 2009 and achieved a total of 12 Overall wins, including seven consecutive wins, demonstrate its excellent road handling and durability. Knowledge and expertise are gained through motor sports experience and utilized by Mitsubishi Motors to increase the attractiveness of Pajero products and other production models.
Difference between Mitsubishi Pajero and Pajero Sport
Even though they have the same name, Mitsubishi Pajero and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport are actually different. In some countries, the Mitsubishi Pajero has other names such as Montero and Shogun. Meanwhile, the Pajero Sport has the names Challenger, Montero Sport, or Shogun Sport.
In its own segmentation, the Pajero falls into the big SUV class and the Pajero Sport is a medium SUV. The Mitsubishi Pajero was first launched in 1982, and the Pajero Sport in 1996.
Another difference lies in the wheel drive options. The Mitsubishi Pajero is only available in a 4WD version, while the Pajero Sport has two options, 2WD and 4WD.
Meanwhile, Pajero production is made in Japan, and Pajero Sport in various countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Russia and Bangladesh.