Mitsubishi manufactured the third-generation Pajero in China. However, the car in the photos is an import. Imported Pajeros are very rare as the locally-made cars were much cheaper. Mitsubishi did officially sell some imported Pajeros in China, but only the top-spec top-trim variants that were not made locally. So, how this base model ended up in China is a bit of a mystery.
Interior
The Pajero GLX interior with fabric seats, an aftermarket radio CD player, and lots of hard gray plastics. It has a large-diameter steering wheel, a tall gear lever, and an old-school handbrake.
Engine
Mitsubishi manufactured the third-generation Pajero from 1999 until 2006. Mitsubishi offered various diesel and petrol engines. This GLX model has the base 3.0 V6 petrol unit under the hood, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The output of the engine was 146 hp and 235 Nm.
The spare wheel cover looks quite fancy, with a 3D-style Mitsubishi logo. The rear window is enormous, especially compared to modern SUVs, where rear windows are getting ever smaller. Note the extra fog lights in the bumper. The tiny tires seem barely capable of off-roading, but I guess this GLX model isn’t really meant for riding in the mud.
The license plate area is too narrow for the wider Chinese license plate, a sure sign of an unofficial imported car. It has a small silver-colored Mitsubishi logo and GLX badge. Interestingly, the rear windshield wiper is located in the middle of nowhere on the tailgate. Beautiful car! More on the Mitsubishi Pajero in China soon.