The 2017 Mitsubishi Pajero will stick with its 4WD roots, be positioned below the Land Rover Discovery and get plug-in hybrid technology, according to UK reports.
WITH ITS 15-year old underpinnings, the next-generation 2017 Mitsubishi Pajero is expected to be a big, technical leap forward. In an interview with Autocar, Mitsusbishi Motors UK boss, Lance Bradley said after a global investigation it was decided the next-generation Pajero should stick to its off-road oriented roots.
“A lot of the rivals are more beautiful or more refined but the Shogun needs to be an authentic off-roader: not fancy, not a school-run car but for people who tow horse boxes or actually go off-road,” Bradley told Autocar.
“Of course, that market is limited, but look at the Discovery – there is room for vehicles with utility at their heart. The Discovery is very good but very expensive and we see an opportunity in providing a less-expensive alternative in terms of pricing and running costs, particularly with our plug-in hybrid technology.
“The Outlander PHEV has already proved that if the product is good enough you can change people’s perceptions of our brand, and we expect to make ground in the same way with the Shogun [Pajero],” said Bradley.
Could it be that the Pajero follows the PHEV path and use internal-combustion power to direct-drive only the front wheels, and power the rears by an electric motor? Don’t knock electric drive, it’s quite amazing in the rough.
