Although the Mitsubishi Evolution Series It will always be remembered for those sedans capable of winning rallies on Sundays and serving as a family car for the rest of the week. There was a time when the name “EVO” also gave life to an SUV. We talk about Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, a very rare and sought-after creation of which only 2,000 + 500 units were manufactured to justify participation – and subsequent victory – in the 1997 Dakar. And best of all, now you can take home one of these jewels.
To understand why this Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is so special, we must go back to the mid-90s, at which time Mitsubishi set out to run the Dakar in the T2 category. The problem with participating in this category was the need for the competition car to have its corresponding street versionwhich is why Mitsubishi embarked on the adventure of creating a hypervitaminated Pajero under the Evolution label, manufacturing a total of 2,500 units only sold in the Japanese market.
The adoption of the nickname Evolution was not done by chance, because this Pajero changed substantially with respect to any other Pajero. To begin with, its engine was a 3.5 atmospheric V6 capable of developing 280 CV of maximum power, a power that is actually believed to be superior given the gentlemen’s agreement between Japanese car manufacturers. This engine could be fitted with an automatic transmission by torque converter, of which 2,000 units were manufactured, or a 5-speed manual transmission, of which the remaining 500 units were manufactured.
The 4×4 drive system was revised and reinforced, keeping the gearbox, but adding LSD differentials on both axles to improve traction. In addition, a new suspension team, more capable brakes, specific protections for the underbody, a new body kit and sports seats signed by Recaro were also incorporated. With all this host of new ingredients, the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution did 0-100 km/h in 8 seconds, reached 205 km/h and took home two Dakar victories (1997 and 1998).
How much would you pay to take home one of the rarest and most sought-after 4x4s ever made?
Considered a real unicorn in the 4×4 world, one of the five hundred units that were manufactured of the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution with manual transmission has just appeared on the auction page of “Cars & Bids“. This is a true rare bird, in apparently very good condition and with minimal modifications compared to the original model. The only catch? an odometer that reads almost 130,000 miles, which would be just over 209,000 km, but which shows how robust this car is, which was designed to fly over the dunes.
