Mitsubishi's future is in SUVs

[Scouter1]

https://practicalmotoring.com.au/car-news/mitsubishis-future-is-in-suvs-2015-toyko-motor-show/

Mitsubishi says its future is in SUVs, as the brand’s design boss tells Practical Motoring the Evo is dead and a pajero replacement isn’t in sight. Yet.

...Offroaders haven’t been forgotten, and the new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (previously Challenger, changed as part of a global name alignment) will be launching shortly in Australia, and available in dealerships before the end of 2015. No word yet on whether “Pajero” will be used in South America, or whether the UK will lose their Shogun name which is what they know Pajero as.Speaking of Mitsubishi’s flagship 4X4, there is no replacement Pajero in sight, and when pressed Mr Kunimoto said only it “would be a while”. The current model is on a platform first seen in 2000, so that’ll be money’s worth out of that development for sure. Mitsubishi say they “will update” the Pajero, but weren’t to be drawn on what that might be, or when. I was hoping for an indicator of a new motor and six (or more) speed automatic, but we’ll just have to wait and see. However, there is now an improved infotainment unit in the MY2016 Pajero which we’ve briefly covered here.

Cheers,
Stephen

[Ian Sharpe]

No new Paj in sight!. That must be BS, they must have something at least in the planning stage. if they havent they are stuffed as they have left their run too late, IMO. All major manufacturers have passed the Paj long ago.

[Scouter1]

Challenger / Pajero Sport

Some news on Challenger / Pajero Sport front as well from the same article:

Above the Outlander-based vehicles there will be the Pajero Sport, and Pajero which look to be the more serious offroad vehicles – certainly our early analysis of the Pajero Sport indicates it will be a vehicle that touring offroaders can buy with confidence, continuing Mitsubishi’s strong reputation for offroad vehicles. In fact, we hear that Mitsubishi recently held focus groups and were impressed by the commitment of Challenger owners to their vehicles, and just how often and far they are taken offroad. Good that they’re listening! Both vehicles will be diesel-only, as Mitsubishi do not see much of a future for petrol 4X4s based on sales figures, and given less than 5% of Pajeros are sold as manuals in Australia we can expect automatics only in the future.

Cheers,
Stephen

[grhyso]

Anyone looked at sales stats of the Pajero?
August 2015
Challenger - 169
Pajero - 290
MU-X - 457
Prado - 854
Jeep GC - 945

Sales for utes are interesting and you can see why the Triton has received it's update so soon.
Amarok - 473
BT-50 - 673
Navara - 708
D-Max - 821
Colorado - 1114
Triton - 1709
Ranger - 1740

My observation is Mitsubishi aren't enjoying selling both the challenger and Pajero both with low sales numbers in the same country. Not sure what other countries have in regards to one or the other or both selling but I reckon they want to wring every last possible sale out of the current Pajero platform and hope the Challenger sales go through the roof with the new platform. If sales are good enough eventually just drop the Pajero from the line-up. Unless they want to upgrade the Pajero to take on the Landcruiser and Patrol segment it's sort of in a nowhere land only really challenging the Prado and Jeep GC in my eyes and they are both nearly or over three times the sales.

If they do want the line to continue I wouldn't be surprised if there's a Pajero NY or NZ or even a new model designator, based on the same platform but with cosmetic upgrades sort of like gen 3 to gen 4's. A new motor, possibly V6 CRD and a 6 speed auto. Run that for 2017-2020 then a new model on a new chassis etc.

[conquistador]

Guaranteed worldwide if the new challenger is moderately successful and pajero sales remain flat. The pajero would be retired.


The halve year results suggest all forward efforts are going into small medium suvs
which are projected to grow strongly out to 2020. Their growth for large is flat till then. I would argue its downhill. This is in part due to Europe which I think the
Challenger and pajero won't meet upcoming emmision regs.


Reading through the lines their looking for a platform sharing deal for the next pajero with electric drive units displayed in the gcphev. Battery tech won't catch up till 2020 though.

[Bing]

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/mitsubishi-pajero-to-be-axed-20151028-gkkuee.html

A small SUV doesn't have the ability to replace a Pajero. They must have some options in mind.

[Pickle]

I find it very hard to believe the Pajero will be ditched. Pretty sure we will see one next year.
Dave

[Ian Sharpe]

I find it very hard to believe the Pajero will be ditched. Pretty sure we will see one next year.
Dave

yeah but a completely new model?

IMO Mitsu could be thinking of dumping the big Paj, otherwise they would have released a completely new model a couple of years back to keep for with the other makers. They have left it so long because they are going to dump it. IMO

[s311_bvm]

I don’t think that MMC will kill the Pajero. I do however think it will be at least 2018 before we will see a replacement.

I think MMC will update the Pajero for MY17 to include the 8 speed that they are releasing In the new Challenger / Pajero sport. It must bolt up as the current 5 speed Pajero box is used in Triton behind the 4N15.

Interestingly the 4M41 now appears to meet Euro 6 if fitted with a DPF as sold in Japan, however Power drops to 140 KW from the Euro 4 Aussie spec of 147 KW.

I suspect that for Australia the plan will be add the DPF by November 2016 but provide the 8 speed as a deal sweetener.

Another interesting development is that MMC have decided to provide Fiat with the Triton for European markets as the Ram 1500 is oversized for Europe. These types of deals are often a two way street so perhaps Pajero will receive the VM Motori A630 for higher spec Pajero’s for MY18, 179 KW and 570 NM sounds good.

When Pajero finally gets replaced I think it will need to compete with the 2016 Ford Explorer and the next LR Discovery as MMC will be keen to try and get back into the North American market as a full import after the recent closure of the Normal Illinois Mitsubishi factory.

[conquistador]

For starters they're running out of the alphabet! Only ny nz left.

[pajeromack]

Anyone looked at sales stats of the Pajero?
August 2015
Challenger - 169
Pajero - 290...
...Sales for utes are interesting and you can see why the Triton has received it's update so soon...
...Triton - 1709
Ranger - 1740

My observation is Mitsubishi aren't enjoying selling both the challenger and Pajero both with low sales numbers in the same country. Not sure what other countries have in regards to one or the other or both selling but I reckon they want to wring every last possible sale out of the current Pajero platform and hope the Challenger sales go through the roof with the new platform. If sales are good enough eventually just drop the Pajero from the line-up.

I do agree. As you see in the sales figures, dual cab utes have really taken off and are (deservedly) sucking up the R&D dollars.
Enclosing the rear of a Triton and calling it a 'Pajero Sport' is a lot cheaper than designing a big monocoque 4WD and trying to sell it at a profit in today's market.

Why take the risk?

Mitsubishi clearly can not justify the expense if the ROI isn't guaranteed to be there. Instead they are trying to string along the Pajero with token face lifts and interior upgrades. The big issue might be the struggling emissions compliance of the 3.2L engine.

Meanwhile the competition and other vehicles in their stable surpass the struggling Pajero.
We see that the new Challenger gains the latest Triton underpinnings and new off-road smarts including hill descent control and terrain selection. The Pajero promises... carplay.

[Ent]

Engine aside the Pajero is still a competive design. Mitsubishi probably reuse more parts across the range than any other manufacturer that I have noticed. The weakness is in the engines. A Pajero with European performing V6 would be an impressive vehicle. 4x4 designs are generally very long lived in production runs.

Updated electronics and transmissions stolen from other models will extend its life. The Achilles heal is limited engine choices. The 2.4 engine is the smallest in its class and will lose out in towing minded buyers eyes.

The weakness may be the power handling of the super select drive train. This and CV joints might be the killer of a high torque engine.

[caroma]

This makes me sad.

[Bing]

More doomsday hints on the Pajero.

http://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/reviews/2015/large-4x4/mitsubishi/challenger/mitsubishi-pajero-sport-2015-review-54812?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=carsales_041115&utm_content=carsales_041115+CID_54fd3c9e6f03e16c1017a8e0970849da&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=Read%20more

[caroma]

The worst part of all this is that people who don't pay much attention to Mitsubishi vehicles are gonna think that this is the New Pajero, when it isn't.

"Have you seen the new Pajero? Looks like s***! Therefor by extension, your car is s***."

"...but it's a Challenger..."

I actually don't mind the look of it but the general public consensus is the opposite.