New Pajero rides on the same ladder frame as the Triton pickup. Its standard diesel is reportedly lifted straight from the pickup too. Spy shots point to a boxy, aggressive shape with real presence. The all-new Pajero, previously sold as the Montero in the US, is easily the most eagerly awaited model from the brand in years, though that bar isn’t a high one given what Mitsubishi has been putting on showroom floors lately. Camouflaged prototypes have been caught testing repeatedly over recent months, and on September 2, the brand may finally pull the covers off the finished article. That date comes from Japan’s BestCar, which reports that the reveal won’t be a Japan-only affair. Mitsubishi is expected to show the Pajero across several markets at once, squeezing out as much publicity as a nameplate this significant deserves. Read: Mitsubishi Pulled The Covers Off The New Pajero In A Room Full Of Owners Sales should follow the reveal before long. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but the publication suggests that in Japan, at least, the Pajero will likely land between 5 million and 7 million yen ($30,500 – $42,700). Rugged Design Baldauf So, what can be expected from the new Pajero? On the design front, spy shots suggest it’ll share similar dimensions and a boxy shape with the Lexus GX, though it won’t be as premium as the Lexus. This one is aimed squarely at the Nissan Patrol and Toyota Land Cruiser, and it’s shaping up to drag the brand’s styling into the modern era. More important will be what’s going on under the skin. Underpinning the new Pajero will be the same basic ladder-frame architecture as the Triton pickup truck, although it will be slightly tweaked for a unique suspension layout. Triton Underpinnings Then there’s the powertrain. The Pajero is expected to launch with the same 2.4-liter twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder as the Triton, rated at 201 hp and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm) of torque. For anyone who finds that setup a touch old-school, Mitsubishi is reportedly readying an electrified Pajero, along with an electrified Triton. A report from CarsGuide says that Mitsubishi wants to turn its Thailand plant into a global production and export hub for electrified vehicles. Details on the Pajero hybrid are thin, but it could borrow the Outlander PHEV’s layout, pairing a 2.4-liter gas engine with two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery for 248 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm).
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