There seems to be room in Mitsubishi's future for the return of one of Japan's most popular SUVs. We are talking about the Pajero, which went out of production in 2021 and sold more than 3.3 million units worldwide over 40 years.
Work on the successor to the Japanese off-roader has begun, with Mitsubishi Australia's CEO Shaun Westcott admitting that the company has begun planning a 'large SUV'.
The first information
We still don't know if this model will actually be called Pajero, but it is clear that this name could be one of the very first choices. The Australian executive did not want to go into details of the design, engine or body structure (whether it will have a chassis frame or not), but he did say that the car in question is 'a great name and an outstanding product'.
Mitsubishi's launch programme includes several new SUVs
As for the styling, some Japanese media believe that Mitsubishi might go for futuristic lines, like the GC PHEV concept presented in 2013. On the other hand, there are those who argue that the company will focus more on retro styling, a bit like seen with the new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
The mechanical basis
Speaking of mechanics, it is thought in Japan that the new generation Pajero will adopt the platform of the new Outlander. This will be an evolution of the current CMF-C/D architecture, shared by the alliance with Renault and Nissan.
Mitsubishi GC-PHEV Concept
Recall that this architecture supports the presence of plug-in hybrid engines, with the new Mitsubishi possibly having a 2.4 turbo petrol and two electric powertrains for a total of around 390 PS.
The official preview will take place at the end of 2026, while the arrival in dealerships (probably Asian, in a first phase) is scheduled for 2027.
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Source: CarsGuide