King of Dakar
When it comes to rallying, Mitsubishi is one of the most successful automakers that ever graced the sport. Whether it’s the World Rally Championship or cross-country rallies, you can bet that anything that wore a diamond star was in contention to win. Well, that was the case back in the day.
Mitsubishi also made some great homologation specials in the ’90s. There was the Galant VR-4, Lancer Evolution models from 1 to 6, and the Pajero Evolution. The Pajero, as a whole, remains the most successful Dakar race car ever, with 12 victories under its belt.
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The Backstory
To compete in the production-based T2 category in the Dakar Rally, Mitsubishi needed to produce at least 2,500 road-going examples of the car it intended to race. It had to come with the basic upgrades that would be seen in the racer, so a bog-standard Pajero wasn’t going to cut it. It’s the very reason why the Pajero Evolution was made. It wasn’t because it was a passion project, but rather, it needed to exist.
All in all, about 2,700 Pajero Evolutions were built between 1997 and 1999. Its rarity, history, and racing pedigree make it a valuable model, and Classic.com has market values at around $35,700. One of the 2,700 examples is up for sale on Bring a Trailer, and this JDM-only model just made the trip to America this year. As it’s an import, its history is unknown, and this particular car does have its fair share of age-related blemishes. The paint isn’t perfect, and neither is the upholstery, but it’s still a chance to own one of the greatest performance SUVs of all time.
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The Offer
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Make | Mitsubishi |
| Model | Pajero Evolution (V55W) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Mileage | 116,580 kilometers shown (approx. 72,500 miles) |
| Engine | 3.5-liter 6G74 MIVEC V6 |
| Power | 275 horsepower |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Drive type | Four-wheel drive |
| Exterior color | Sattelite Silver Metallic |
| Interior color | Black |
| Wheels | 16-inch (aftermarket) |
| Suspension | Four-wheel double-wishbone |
| Brakes | Four-wheel vented disc |
| Steering | Hydraulic rack and pinion power steering |
| Current bid | $11,250 |
Interested in this SUV? View the listing here.
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Why it’s Special
There’s a good reason why the Pajero was, and still is, called the King of Dakar. Its record will be very hard to beat, and the Evolution model was key to cementing its legacy. Of course, we have to thank homologation rules for making all of this happen. The Pajero Evolution wasn’t just a three-door model with a wild body kit, as there were huge changes under the chassis. Instead of the usual torsion bar front and live axle rear combo, the Evo had a multi-link arrangement on each corner. That’s not all, but it shows just how far Mitsubishi was willing to go to build a winner.
sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
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sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
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sanmarcosmotorcycles/Bring a Trailer
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About the author
Anton Andres
News Editor