25 years later, the Pajero Evolution is finally legal for import. This is your chance to get in one.
Today, the gnarliest Mitsubishi SUV you can buy is the Outlander Sport, which is more Nissan than Baja-ready monster.
In 1997, that wasn't the case. The Mitsubishi Pajero was at the forefront of the off-road motorsports scene, and its Pajero Evolution was the Randy "Macho Man" Savage of the Pajero lineup. That is to say, it was "the cream of the crop, oh yeah." Now, you can own one, as this one is for sale on Cars and Bids.
As the story goes, Mitsubishi modified its humble Pajero to prepare it for Dakar. These modified Dakar racers claimed victory in '97 and '98, and Mitsubishi made just 2,500 homologated cars from 1997 to 1999.
Obviously, this car won't go cheap. The current high bid is already $34,000, with two days left. Still, Pajero Evos are truly special, and this 129,000-mile car is long in the tooth while being largely original.
Per the listing, the only reported modifications are the (mandatory if you ask us) "EVOLUTION" graphic on the front bumper, rain guards on the windows, a Nardi wheel, bright bezels for the rear lights, and a Pioneer Carrozzeria head unit with navigation.
All Pajero Evos got a hot 3.5-liter V6 built when Mitsubishi was at its peak. That means 276 horsepower and 257 lb-ft of torque routed to a 4WD system.
We expect to see a few more of these over the coming months. The Pajero Evolution is part of a growing list of 25-year-old cars that are now legal for import to the US. In fact, some of the photos included here show a second, identical Pajero Evo.
However, it's not clear if that one is for sale. Regardless, the listing on C&B states this example comes with a US title, meaning all the potentially sketchy and legally ambiguous work of importing has been handled. We have no doubt this car will cross $45,000 by the time the hammer falls.
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