The first Mitsubishi Pajero was developed in the early 1980s, it was launched in 1982 and went on sale in Australia in 1983 (SWB) & 1984 (LWB). It was one of the first of the "family 4WD wagons" and in the late 1990s its successor was still arguably the best in its class. From the start, the LWB had an optional 3rd row of seats to carry 7 in total - made for the school run with the kids' friends.

In the 1980s the Pajero had front independent suspension (as later) but it had leaf springs on the live rear axle. Engine options were a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder `Astron' petrol engine (as in the Sigma sedan) and a 2.3-litre turbo-charged diesel. It later gained a V6 of 3-litre and then 3.5-litre capacity.

1984 Pajero LWB station wagon, 5+2-seats, 4-doors;

loa 4600mm turning radius 5.9m;

weight 1650kg (petrol) (unladen),

engines

Astron, 2.5L, petrol, 4-cyls, 2-valves/cyl, sohc;

2.3-litre turbo-charged diesel, 68kW at 4200rpm;

transmission 5m, part-time 4WD, automatic free-wheel hubs;

suspension indep' & torsion-bars / live-axle & leaf-springs, brakes disc/drum;

15" or 16" wheels, fuel-tank 92L;

prices, LWB $17K - $19K $au 1984 (SWB $11K - $14K)

early SWB

LWB

1996 Mitsubishi Pajero SWB GLS, SWB HT, 5 seats, 2 doors

loa 4145mm, width 1785mm, height 1815mm, wheelbase 2420mm, track 1465mm/1480mm, grnd clearance 215mm, approach 40°, departure 35°, ramp break over 153°, turning radius 5.3m;

weight 1765kg (unladen), GVM 2370kg, towing 750kg (unbraked);

2972cc petrol V6 mpi 2-valves/cyl ohc

power 109kW at 5000rpm, torque 234Nm at 4000rpm

transmission 5m/4a, 2-speed transfer case, part-time 4WD / centre diff';

suspension indep'-torsion-bar/live-coil, brakes disc/disc;

tyres 265/70R15, fuel-tank 75L.

1996 Mitsubishi Pajero LWB GLS, LWB station wagon, 7 seats, 4 doors;

loa 4725mm, width 1785mm, height 1900mm, wheelbase 2725mm, track 1465mm/1480mm, grnd clearance 205mm, approach 40°, departure 27°, ramp break over 157°, turning radius 5.9m;

weight 2010kg (unladen), GVM 2650kg, towing 750kg (unbraked);

3497cc petrol V6 mpi 4-valves/cyl dohc,

power 153kW at 5000rpm, torque 300Nm at 3000rpm;

transmission 5m/4a, 2 speed transfer case, part-time 4WD / centre diff';

suspension indep'-torsion-bar/live-coil, brakes disc/disc;

tyres 265/70R15, fuel-tank 92L.

GLS:- 2835cc turbo-charged intercooled diesel optional,

GLX:- 3.5-litre V6, 3-litre V6 or 2.8-litre turbo intercooled diesel,

GL:- 3-litre V6 or 2.8-litre diesel.

1997: Fuller wheel arches and `mouldings' were used to try to jazz-up the design.

1998: Engines options became the 3.5-litre 24-valve petrol V6, replacing the lower specification 3-litre V6, or the 2.8-litre turbo charged and inter-cooled diesel. The GLS Pajero got 16" alloy wheels and steroid-look wheel-arch bulges to cover them.

1999: There were some minor changes (grille, some extras, a lower price(!)) and new names for the Pajero to stretch out its life. GLS (Escape) has a CD player, air-conditioning, and alloy wheels from $40,990. The GLS (Exceed) tops that with a 6-disc CD player, and new trim inside and out. The basic GL now has rear coil suspension, rear disc brakes and Super Select 4WD (selectable 2WD / full-time 4WD) as on the GLX and GLS.

1997 - 1999 Mitsubishi Pajero GLS LWB station wagon, 5 seats (+2 GLS/GLX), 4 doors, dual air-bags and ABS brakes (optional);

loa 4725mm, width 1775mm, height 1910mm, wheelbase 2725mm, track 1465mm/1480mm, grnd clearance 205mm, turning radius 5.9m, approach 40°, departure 27°, ramp break over 157°;

weight 2000kg (unladen), GVM 2650kg, towing 750kg (unbraked);

3.5-litre V6

3497cc, petrol, V6, efi, 4-valves/cyl, sohc;

bore 93.0mm, stroke 85.8mm, c.r. 9.5:1;

power 140kW at 5000rpm, torque 303Nm at 3500rpm;

2.8-litre turbo intercooled diesel

4-cyl, 2-valve/cyl;

bore 95.0mm, stroke 100.0mm, c.r. 21.0:1,

power 92kW at 4000rpm, torque 292Nm at 2000rpm;

transmission 5m/4a, transfer case (hi 1.0:1, lo 1.9:1), rear limited slip differential (std);

suspension indep-torsion-bar/live-coil, brakes disc/disc;

tyres 265/70 R16 on 7.0JJx16 alloy wheels, fuel-tank 92L;

prices 1998 $47,770+orc (petrol, manual, $au 1998), also...

LWB GL, GLX P235/75 R15 tyres, 15" wheels; GL price $37,520+orc (petrol, manual);
SWB GLS 3.5-litre V6, $46.5K;

prices 1999 GLX (Escape) $40,990 + orc.

1999 Japan, 2000 Australia: A new Mitsubishi Pajero was released with monocoque constrauction and independent suspension all round.

2000 Mitsubishi Pajero (.au), station wagon, 5+2-seats, 4-doors, air bags, ABS option;

loa 4775mm, width 1845mm, height 1855mm, wheelbase 2780mm, track 1560mm/1560mm, grnd clearance 235mm, turning radius 5.7m;

approach 42°, departure 24°, ramp break over 155.5°,

weight 1950kg-2110kg (unladen), GVM 2655kg-2720kg, towing 750kg (unbraked),

V6

3497cc, petrol, V6, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, sohc,

bore 93.0mm, stroke 85.8mm, c.r. 9.0:1,

power 140kW at 5000rpm, torque 303Nm at 3500rpm,

diesel

2835cc, diesel, 4-cyls, indirect injection, 2-valves/cyl,

bore 95mm, stroke 100mm, c.r. 21.0:1,

power 92kW at 4000rpm, torque 292Nm at 2000rpm,

transmission 5-speed manual, (V6, 4.234:1, 2.238:1, 1.398:1, 1.0:1, 0.819:1; rev 3.553:1), (td, 3.952:1, 2.238:1, 1.398:1, 1.0:1, 0.761:1; rev 3.553:1), or 5-speed auto (V6, 3.789:1, 2.057:1, 1.421;1, 1.0:1, 0.731:1; rev 3.865:1), , 2-speed transfer case (hi 1.0:1, lo 1.9:1),  GLX, GLS & Exceed Super-Select II 2WD hi/ 4WD hi (centre diff)/ 4WD lo,  diff' ratio V6 4.3:1, td 4.9:1,

suspension indep/indep, brakes disc/disc, ABS option,

tyres GL and GLX 235/80R16, GLS and Exceed 265/70R16, fuel-tank 90L,

Note GLS and Exceed loa +20mm, width +20mm,

Safety options, GL ABS & passenger airbag, GLS passenger airbag & CD stacker,

Fuel consumption V6 14.6L/100km city / 10.7L/100km highway; td 14.7L/100km / 10.9L/100km,

warranty 3 years / 100,000km,

prices GL $41,700, GLX $45,290 (auto +$2.5K), GLS $51,390 (auto +$2.5K), Exceed +$4,800 ($au 5/2000).

2001 October: The `Tanami' is a limited edition Pajero GLS:

2001

Tanami: 3.5-litre V6 petrol manual $51,210 (auto' +$1.8K), 2.8-litre intercooled turbo diesel manual $53,490 ($au 10/2001).

2002 May: Mitsubishi (.au) released a 3.2-litre direct-injection turbo-diesel version of NM Pajero, replacing the 2.8-litre turbo-diesel.

Mitsubishi Pajero, station wagon, 5-door, diesel

weight GLX 2100kg - GLX 2135kg

3.2-litre, 4-cyl, intercooled turbo diesel, direct injection, dohc

power 121kW at 3800rp, torque 373Nm at 2000rpm

5-speed manual / 5-speed auto', Super Select 2WD (hi)/ 4WD (hi/ lo) with centre diff', locked or unlocked

Prices GLX 5-speed manual $49,990, GLX 5-speed automatic $52,990, GLS 5-speed manual $55,810, GLS 5-speed automatic $58,810, Exceed 5-speed manual $61,490, Exceed 5-speed automatic $64,490 ($au-5/2002)

2002

2003 September: A new 3.8-litre SOHC V6 petrol engine (150kW 5,000rpm, 314Nm 3250rpm) replaced the 3.5-litre V6 on automatic models. The 3-5-litre (140kW, 303Nm) continued in manual versions. Prices: $46,390 3.5-L GLX manual, $49,390 3.8-L GLX auto', $48,590 3.2-L GLX Di-D manual, $51,590 3.2-L GLX Di-D auto', ..., $66,990 Exceed Di-D auto' ($au).

2010, .uk: Misubishi Shogun (Pajero) Elegance 3.2, 33mpg, 224 gm CO2/km, £35K.

2013 July: In .au, the 14MY Pajero range went all diesel - 3.2-litre common rail turbo diesel, 147kW@2800rpm, 441Nm@2000rpm, au$51K-$74K.

2021: Production of the Pajero ended in 2021.