The Man Designing the New Mitsubishi Pajero Took Its Death Personally

Anticipated Return

In the recent past, Mitsubishi has been getting a lot of flak; a once-dominant brand has dwindled down to a scaled-back brand that is competitive in some markets. Mitsubishi’s woes have also contributed to the brand’s cancellation of its enthusiast-driven and legacy-backed nameplates such as the Lancer, Galant, and Pajero – known as the Montero in America.

The latter has already been given the green light for a comeback, with a debut set to take place very soon. As such, the automotive world is ablaze with news about the all-new Pajero/Montero; the latest pertains to its overall design, with insight coming from the head designer himself.

Looking Back and Forward

Norihiko Yoshimine, Program Design Director for the Pajero/Montero project, gave an interview recently, where he spoke about the philosophies behind the design of the all-new Pajero/Montero. Yoshimine was candid, saying that the 2019 announcement regarding the end of the Pajero personally impacted him, and that his automotive design journey was inspired by the Pajero.

When he was tasked with being part of the Pajero/Montero revival, Yoshimine says that the first task was to “understand what the Pajero/Montero represented to people worldwide and why it had remained a cherished icon for so long.”

He goes on to say that the task wasn’t merely to revive the model, but also to create a design that feels distinctly new at first glance but also recognizable as a Pajero.

In the end, Yoshimine and his team decided on two core philosophies: heritage and evolution. This meant the team aimed to advance the design philosophy that has
defined generations of the model, evolving it into a form that confidently looks toward the future. Some key highlights include strong horizontal lines and a sense of solidity, showcasing its capability. Its interior design aims to preserve the ‘spirit’ of the original model while also adding the advanced technologies of today.

The Other Details

Now that we know it’s designed for the legacy fans and to entice a whole new generation of Pajero/Montero owners, it’s important to note that there are a ton of other details already reported about the new model. Firstly, it will be using a ladder-frame chassis, something Mitsubishi dropped in the third and fourth generations of the nameplate. It will also have the iconic triple multi-meter display for altitude, roll, and pitch.

It will also utilize Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control, the AWD system which was first used on the final Lancer Evolution. News has also come out that it’s highly possible the new Pajero/Montero will get an electrified powertrain option that will entice more buyers as opposed to just a pure diesel engine. Lastly, the Pajero project will likely spawn a RAV4-sized competitor that will be more rugged and off-road biased.