Mitsubishi has a lengthy list of motorsport accomplishments. While the automaker began racing on pavement, the glory really arrived when Mitsubishi took to the dirt. There was a time when Mitsubishi dominated in rally, but the most impressive racing efforts unfolded over the lengthy, grueling stages of the Dakar Rally.
The Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is the winningest vehicle in the Rally’s history. The Pajero Evo has won the event twelve times. There have been evolutions of the Pajero Evo over the years, but all of this Dakar success began with the first win in 1985.
After winning the race, the Pajero Evo, with its iconic Nikon livery, was parked in a Mitsubishi facility. The truck sat, wasting away for 40 years. That’s a fate no iconic racing machine should be forced to endure.
Good news, then, that this legendary Pajero has been restored. In fact, Mitsubishi once again let it feel a bit of dirt and gravel on its tires. A vehicle like this yearns to run, and it’s a beautiful sight to behold.
When you restore an old race vehicle, the goal is to preserve as much of its originality as possible. Any dents, bumps, and scratches earned in the name of battle should be left untouched. Mitsubishi cleaned up some of the livery elements, but otherwise didn’t touch the body.
Instead, the restoration work focused on reviving the engine. Mitsubishi engineers disassembled the engine, reviewed the electrical bits, and overhauled the suspension. A team of veterans worked alongside the next generation of Mitsubishi engineers. This project is almost a symbolic passing of the torch—to show younger employees the company’s heritage.
After everything was bolted back up, the truck was fired up and taken for its first drive in decades. The Pajero Evo looks and sounds as awesome today as it did way back in 1985.
That first Dakar victory for Mitsubishi happened when the race still began in Paris and in Dakar. That year’s race was over 6,300 miles long and lasted for 22 days. Driver Patrick Zaniroli and co-driver Jean Da Silva took the overall victory. A second Pajero Evo was just 26 minutes behind them to capture second place. Third place, meanwhile, was over five and a half hours in the distance. Mitsubishi dominated that year.
It was the beginning of an amazing run in Dakar history. Pajero Evos would win again in 1992, 1993, 1997, and 1998. Then in 2001, Mitsubishi won the next seven races in a row. But all of this rally raid excellence started with one vehicle: the 1985 Dakar Rally-winning Pajero Evolution you see here.
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