MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO evolves into a new prototype
MITSUBISHI MOTORS faces Citroën, beginning of a new battle
The MITSUBISHI MOTORS team launched a new PAJERO/MONTERO Prototype for the 13th event. Following the completion of the Dakar Rally in 1990, SBM led the production of test vehicles based on the first Okazaki Proto vehicle, including lighter vehicles and engines with dry sump systems. After repeated tests through actual competition, Shinozuka won the Australian Safari. The 1991 model of the new prototype was completed by integrating the reshaped rear cowl from the Okazaki Proto No. 2 car, which featured excellent aerodynamics. The car had a lightweight multi-tubular space frame chassis and was equipped with four-wheel independent suspension, which was successfully inherited from the standard model. The engine was a 2.2L 4G63 gasoline turbo engine with a maximum power of 320PS and a maximum torque of 45kg-m. A new 6-speed transmission manufactured by Xtrac was added, which had a high-low switching mechanism to switch the transfer gear ratio.
The MITSUBISHI MOTORS team recruited Kenneth Ericsson of Sweden, who drove the Galant VR-4 in the World Rally Championship, in place of Cowan. Drivers Shinozuka, Lartigue, Fontenay and Ericsson formed a formidable team to take the 1991 model PAJERO/MONTERO Prototypes where they were meant to be, the Dakar. Masuoka, who previously took tenth overall in the modified production car class, continued to participate in a T2 specification long wheelbase PAJERO/MONTERO. Incidentally, that year, the 3L V6 gasoline engine was replaced by the 2.0L 4G63 type gasoline-powered turbo engine. This powerful engine was used in the GALANT VR-4 in the World Rally Championship.
The configuration of the 13th event was relatively simple, avoiding the detour from the previous year’s route that ventured through Chad in the first half of the event. The competitors started in front of the Château de Vincennes in Paris and arrived at Lac Rose near Dakar after covering a distance of 9,186 km, of which 6,747 km were competitive stages (SS). The Peugeots did not participate that year but instead, Citroën from the same PSA group fielded four ZX machines. Ari Vatanen was still the team’s ace driver. There were also three Lada prototypes equipped with Porsche engines ready to do battle with the MITSUBISHI MOTORS team. A highly anticipated three-way battle was about to begin.
The African part of the rally started in Ghadames, an oasis city in Libya. Citroën’s Vatanen promptly took the lead with the PAJERO/MONTERO driven by Lartigue hot on his heels. However, the French dropped back due to an oil cooler piping issue. On the last day of the first half of the heated battle, Shinozuka suffered his first retirement since his debut in the rally after a high-speed crash.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS achieved six fastest times, more than the total set by both Citroën and Lada, but Vatanen topped the final overall classification. However, while two Citroën vehicles relinquished the fight due to a fire, the new model PAJERO/MONTEROs demonstrated significant reliability with Lartigue, Fontenay and Ericsson following in second to fourth place in the overall standings.
Result
| Ranking | Driver name | Manufacturer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. VATANEN | CITROEN ZX | 32:20’50» |
| 2 | P .LARTIGUE | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +03:24’06» |
| 3 | J-P. FONTENAY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +03:24’06» |
| 4 | K .ERIKSSON | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +04:54’36» |
| 5 | H. AURIOL | CITROEN ZX | +06:03’29» |
| 6 | A. AMBROSINO | CITROEN ZX | +07:03’34» |
| 7 | P. TAMBAY | LADA SAMARA | +08:10’57» |
| 8 | J. BOUCHET | NISSAN TERRANO | +08:54’33» |
| 9 | G. SARRAZIN | TOYOTA LAND CRUISER | +12:22’22» |
| 10 | J-J. RATET | TOYOTA LAND CRUISER | +13:21’53» |
| Ranking | Driver name | Manufacturer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. VATANEN | CITROEN ZX | 32:20’50» |
| 2 | P .LARTIGUE | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +03:24’06» |
| 3 | J-P. FONTENAY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +03:24’06» |
| 4 | K .ERIKSSON | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +04:54’36» |
| 5 | H. AURIOL | CITROEN ZX | +06:03’29» |
| 6 | A. AMBROSINO | CITROEN ZX | +07:03’34» |
| 7 | P. TAMBAY | LADA SAMARA | +08:10’57» |
| 8 | J. BOUCHET | NISSAN TERRANO | +08:54’33» |
| 9 | G. SARRAZIN | TOYOTA LAND CRUISER | +12:22’22» |
| 10 | J-J. RATET | TOYOTA LAND CRUISER | +13:21’53» |
Spec
1991 Pajero
| Overall length | 4,140 mm |
|---|---|
| Overall width | 1,760 mm |
| Engine model | 4G6, 4 cylinder, DOHC, Turbo-charged |
| Displacement | 2,199 cc |
| Maximum output | 320 ps |
| Maximum torque | 45.0 kg-m |
| Fuel tank capacity | 400 L |
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally has the reputation to be the ‘world’s toughest motor race’, and it was the brainchild of French adventurer Thierry Sabine. Although the vast desert stage was its most emblematic feature, stunning natural landscapes of Africa in mountainous and dense forest areas were also part of the program. “I will show you the door to adventure. Only you can open it. I can take you along if you wish», Sabine once said. In the early days, racers competed for almost two weeks and covered an astonishing distance of 10,000 kilometers starting in Paris and finishing in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, in central Africa.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS first got involved in 1983, and claimed their first victory at their third attempt in 1985. The PAJERO/MONTERO entered the Dakar Rally 26 times and won a total of 12 victories with an unprecedented seven consecutive wins to become known to all motorsports fans around the world as the “King of the Desert”.
1983
The MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO clinches its first victory in the non-modified production car class
1984
With the prototypes dominating the top rankings, the MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO finished 1st in the modified production car class and 3rd overall.
1985
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO takes first overall win. First triumph for a Japanese manufacturer
1986
Paris-Dakar mourns tragic death of founder
All vehicles including the prototypes complete the rally
1987
Beginning of a new era of the Paris-Dakar
Epic battle for victory between MITSUBISHI MOTORS and Peugeot
1988
Paris-Dakar enters its 10th year
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO and Kenjiro Shinozuka clinch 2nd place overall!
1989
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO takes 5 out of the top 10 positions
Demonstrating its high reliability
1990
MITSUBISHI MOTORS takes on Peugeot in the final battle
Prototype Pajero greatly strengthened
1991
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO evolves into a new prototype
MITSUBISHI MOTORS faces Citroën, beginning of a new battle
1992
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO takes victory with a second overall win
Outstanding 1-2-3 finish
1993
MITSUBISHI MOTORS’s second consecutive win and third overall victory
1994
MITSUBISHI MOTORS’s courageous withdrawal
PAJERO/MONTERO evolves into the ultimate off-road machine
1995
MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO demonstrates outstanding stability
The ultimate, constantly evolving off-road machine
1996
1997
MITSUBISHI MOTORS dominates and seals the top four positions, a first in Dakar history
Kenjiro Shinozuka becomes the first Japanese to secure the overall win on Paris-Dakar
1998
MITSUBISHI MOTORS dominates to claim the top four positions for the second consecutive year
The modified production car class PAJERO/MONTERO evolves into the Evolution model
1999
Paris-Dakar begins to see change
MITSUBISHI MOTORS brings forth a new heroine
2000
The 22nd event celebrates the new millennium
2001
First overall victory for a female driver
Deprived of final victory.
2002
Hiroshi Masuoka wins the Dakar, overcoming the humiliating setback on the previous event
2003
Hiroshi Masuoka, first Japanese driver to claim two consecutive victories
MITSUBISHI MOTORS dominates with 1st to 4th positions
2004
MITSUBISHI MOTORS Team wins for the ninth time, taking a fourth consecutive overall victory
2005
Peterhansel and Alphand pocket 1-2 finish, Peterhansel securing his second win in a row
2006
MITSUBISHI MOTORS and Volkswagen go head-to-head
MITSUBISHI MOTORS extends consecutive wins record to 6, claiming its 11th overall victory
2007
PAJERO/MONTERO EVOLUTION Super Production moves ahead
7 consecutive wins, 12 overall victories
2008
2009
Dakar Rally holds inaugural event in South America
MITSUBISHI MOTORS Team’s participation in the Dakar Rally comes to a close
End of the Prototype era
MITSUBISHI MOTORS developed the 1996 model PAJERO/MONTERO Prototypes with a shortened wheelbase and a weight reduction of 50 kg. Their aim was to achieve both high-speed stability and a high level of turning capability, using data gathered through the experience gained during the previous event. While there were improvements to the engine responsiveness, it was required to be fitted with a 34 mm restrictor which reduced the maximum output to 300PS. After the end of the previous event, the organizers disallowed the various manufacturer works teams and their prototypes by deciding to prohibit gasoline turbocharged engines from 1997. As a result, the history of the PAJERO/MONTERO Prototypes, which had continued since 1985, finally came to a close with the 1996 model. That year, the MITSUBISHI MOTORS team opted for a lineup with Shinozuka, Saby and Fontenay driving the PAJERO/MONTERO Prototypes, and Masuoka participating with the RVR Prototype, that shared its platform with the PAJERO/MONTERO.
The 18th event started in Granada, Spain as was the case the previous year, with a rest day in Zouérat, Mauritania. In the latter half of the rally, the event passed through Mali, which had not been included in the itinerary for four years due to political unrest, after which it reached Guinea then headed north to Dakar, Senegal. This year’s competition covered a total distance of 7,579 km, with 6,179 km of competitive stages (SS). The number of participating vehicles, which had been increasing again since the 1993 event, totaled 295, of which about 40% made it to finish.
In the final showdown for the prototypes, the Citroën team, who had announced its withdrawal from the discipline after that year’s Dakar, resolutely aimed for a victorious end to its fight against the PAJERO/MONTERO Prototypes in order to leave a lasting impression in the event.
Once the high-speed stages began, incidents occurred one after another. Shinozuka, who had set the fastest time in the prologue special stage at a soccer stadium in Granada, got stuck in a rut and damaged his suspension while driving at high speed on an African special stage. After waiting a long time for his support team to repair the damage, he was unable to regain his pace, loosing considerable time as a result.
Subsequently, Saby was forced to retire after overturning his car, rolling four times. The RVR driven by Masuoka ranked third after the end of the first half of the event, maintaining his position as the race entered its second half. However, he went off the track when trying to avoid a local truck that appeared in his way on a special stage, damaging the front end of his vehicle. With only four days left before the finish, the mishap set him back to fifth.
To add to his despair, he hit a stump hidden in the grass and damaged the suspension in the next to last special stage, slipping back to sixth overall.
Teammate Fontenay kept up a constant pace with no major problems, ranking third overall. Masuoka finished sixth overall, Saby landed in seventh, and Shinozuka was 17th. Despite their efforts, they were unable to resist the onslaught from the Citroën team. On the other hand, Jean Pierre Strugo of France, Migel Prieto of Spain and Carlos Sousa of Portugal, dominated the non-modified production car category with a 1-2-3 class result and tenth to 12th places in the overall standings. In addition, French driver Tambay ranked 13th overall and second in the modified production car class.
Result
| Ranking | Driver name | Manufacturer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. LARTIGUE | CITROEN ZX | 65:44’38» |
| 2 | P. WAMBERGUE | CITROEN ZX | +01:11’54» |
| 3 | J-P. FONTENAY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +01:42’13» |
| 4 | A. VATANEN | CITROEN ZX | +01:49’53» |
| 5 | S. SERVIA | CITROEN ZX | +03:16’45″‘ |
| 6 | H. MASUOKA | MITSUBISHI RVR | +06:26’20» |
| 7 | B. SABY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +11:06’06» |
| 8 | G. VISMARA | SSANGYONG MUSSO | +20:22’40» |
| 9 | T. DELAVERGNE | NISSAN TERRANO | +21:17’09» |
| 10 | J-P. STRUGO | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +23:38’51» |
| Ranking | Driver name | Manufacturer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. LARTIGUE | CITROEN ZX | 65:44’38» |
| 2 | P. WAMBERGUE | CITROEN ZX | +01:11’54» |
| 3 | J-P. FONTENAY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +01:42’13» |
| 4 | A. VATANEN | CITROEN ZX | +01:49’53» |
| 5 | S. SERVIA | CITROEN ZX | +03:16’45″‘ |
| 6 | H. MASUOKA | MITSUBISHI RVR | +06:26’20» |
| 7 | B. SABY | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +11:06’06» |
| 8 | G. VISMARA | SSANGYONG MUSSO | +20:22’40» |
| 9 | T. DELAVERGNE | NISSAN TERRANO | +21:17’09» |
| 10 | J-P. STRUGO | MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO | +23:38’51» |
Spec
1996 Pajero
| Overall length | 4,420 mm |
|---|---|
| Overall width | 2,070 mm |
| Engine model | 4G64, 4 cylinder, DOHC, Turbo-charged |
| Displacement | 2,416 cc |
| Maximum output | 300 ps |
| Maximum torque | 60.0 kg-m |
| Fuel tank capacity | 420 L |