It’s shaping up to be quite a nostalgic week, especially for fans of Japanese cars. We were greeted with the Toyota Mark X Final Edition yesterday, a farewell to a series that started 50 years ago with the Corona Mark II. It’s a great story, but this one will resonate more with Malaysians, as the Mitsubishi Pajero is a household name that needs no introduction. A true icon.
MMC has started selling the Mitsubishi Pajero Final Edition, a 700-unit run to bid farewell to the famous 4×4, which will be discontinued in the Japan market in August. Note that this does not involve other markets, but it’s possibly a matter of time before the ageing icon bows for good. The Pajero Sport sold in our region is a completely different beast, as it’s based on the Triton pick-up truck.
Launched in 1982, the Pajero became popular due to its blend of off-road capability and (relative) passenger car feel. The second-generation Pajero surfaced in 1991 with the now famous Super Select 4WD system.
A big shift came in 1999, where the third-generation Pajero adopted a monocoque body with a built-in ladder frame, achieving both weight reduction and high rigidity. In 2006, a heavily-revised version debut as the fourth-gen Pajero, which persists till today. As of March 2019, over 640,000 units of the Pajero has been sold in Japan, in addition to the countless units sold worldwide and used in harsh conditions.
Speaking of that, conditions don’t come harsher than in the Dakar Rally, and the Pajero is an undisputed legend in the world’s toughest race. Since its first entry in 1983, the Pajero has collected 12 overall Dakar Rally wins, including seven successive victories in a golden spell for the 4×4. Pajero = Dakar, and the race success it enjoyed burnished the model’s reputation for being tough as nails.
Lastly, the JDM Pajero Final Edition is based on the highest spec available and includes a black leather interior, powered front seats, seven-inch touchscreen head unit with navigation, black roof rails, a long sunroof, rear differential lock, front/side/curtain airbags and illuminated scuff plates with the LE’s serial number. Buyers will also get unique stickers and a Citizen watch with matching serial numbers.
Powered by a 3.2 litre turbodiesel mated to a five-speed Invecs-II automatic transmission and Super Select 4WD II, the Mitsubishi Pajero Final Edition is priced at 4,530,600 yen (RM168,343) in Japan. Check out the massive image archive below. Which version of the Pajero is the one permanently embedded in your head?
GALLERY: Mitsubishi Pajero archive images
GALLERY: Mitsubishi Pajero in the Dakar Rally
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pajero evolution. legend.
So sad to see this iconic legend game over. Thank you Mitsubishi for creating such game changing SUV for us. I wish Proton also have an iconic car but they don’t have any, such an unfortunate for Proton.
Do u know what really iconic means?
As a regular off roader since 1994 and also a Paris Dakar fan, it’s sad to see the Pajero name coming to an end.
It used to be THE off road vehicle until overtaken by Landcruisers and newer SUVs.
It is not all gone however.It is now incarnated as Trition pick up, a popular choice by Malaysians, bedsides the Hilux.
My favorite will always be the short wheel base 3 door version.Thank you for the memories Mitsubishi Pajero. Sayonara.
Pajero name isn’t coming to an end, Pajero Sport is still around.
Yeah i get your point, just kidding lol
MMC did bring in the Pajero. Starting from 2010 with petrol 3.8L V6 in Exceed trim priced at 300k+. Then they quietly discontinued the model due to low demand, but I heard MMC can still get it for those really interested.
Gonna miss this iconic legend baby. I remember back in the 90s. My dad had one and my 2 uncle also had one(they painted all 3 black) and they always drove their pajeros every year for our tradition balik kampung convoys. It’s also my first car after i got my license back in 2010. Drove it till the end of my degree days, ahh the memories.. And sadly my dad traded in his beloved Pajero for an Outlander earlier this year.
All the iconic cars that made Japanese car brands famous are dying rapidly, replaced by shitboxes like Vios & Mirage/Attrage.
When I was a kid, I just called every 4wd “Pajero”. How famous it was during those days.
My grandfather was crying while reading this
Mitsubishi needs a tight slap.. Discontinue all the popular models.. lancer, galant and now pajero.
Haven’t you heard? They have been bought over by rensult- nissan alkiance.
Why didn’t MMC bring the 3.2 diesel as cbu units? Maybe bring a few in to sell as a farewell u it saja. And when will we have the new model pajero sport in malaysia?
My father bought one back in 1992 then sold it because we moved to another country. Then when he had the chance he bought another on 2006 we used 9 years then we replaced it with another one in 2015 and we still use it to date. PAJERO is the car I grew up with.
Finally. It just got uglier.
More likely, it became cumbersome and expensive. First pajero was affordable and utilitarian
Pajero is synonym with SUV/4×4 in the 90s…