Mitsubishi Has The Opportunity To Relive Pajero With Nissan Patrol Base?

Nissan Patrol is the latest generation. (Doc. Nissan Global)

JAKARTA Nissan and Mitsubishi have long worked together on strategic alliances, sharing platforms for various models in the global market. Now, interesting news has emerged that Mitsubishi is in discussions with Nissan regarding the use of the latest generation of Patrol model base to revive their legendary SUV, Pajero.

This issue strengthened after statements from Nissan's Senior VP and Chief Planning Officer for Africa, the Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania Francois Bailly.

"We are in discussion, but there has been no definite decision regarding technology sharing," said Bailly, quoted from Drive, Wednesday, September 11.

Bailly added that his party still opens up all possibilities to share bases with their partners depending on what kind of negotiations.

"But, we can sell it, it depends on what and how. So, between yes and no," added Bailly.

The latest Nissan Patrol maintains a dashing full-size SUV character. On the front, the iconic V-Motion grip performs bigger and more authoritative, flanked by a Double-C patterned headlights with Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) technology for optimal visibility at night. Not only visually tough, Patrol is also equipped with 22-inch rims, which supports the ability on the highway while improving off-road performance thanks to higher ground clearance.

The seventh generation of Patrol, known as the code Y63, has the Pump Lamp feature that turns on automatically when approaching the vehicle with a key fob or unlocking the door. On the interior, Patrol offers luxury with a new leather bandage on the seat, inspired by Japanese traditional wooden craft, Kumiko.

In terms of performance, Patrol is supported by a 3.5 liter V6 twin-turbo engine that produces 425 dk of power and 700 Nm of torque, an increase of 7% from the previous version using a V8 engine. There is also a 3.8 liter naturally assisted V6 engine option with 316 dk of power and 386 Nm of torque.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Pajero, which has gone through four generations, was last produced in 2021. Its re-existence in the full-size SUV segment will certainly challenge strong competitors such as the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, Mazda CX-90, and Jeep Wagoneer.

If this plan is realized, Pajero's return can be a breath of fresh air for tough SUV fans, as well as add to the heat of competition in the off-road premium vehicle class. Will Mitsubishi present Pajero with new characteristics that maintain its toughness? We'll wait for the continuation.