Mitsubishi Pajero to Stop Production Next Year, Leaving Stage for Pajero Sport

It felt like Mitsubishi would just keep building it forever, it’s almost the end of the line for the Mitsubishi Pajero.

Mitsubishi discontinued the Pajero in its home market last year though it’s continued manufacturing it for export markets such as Australia and the Middle East.

After a successful 39 years run, and more than 3.3 million global sales, the production of the legendary Mitsubishi Pajero will be stopped by next year, gradually leaving the stage for the now popular Pajero Sport.

Though the production will cease next year, the sole distributor of Mitsubishi Motors in Nigeria, Massilia Motors, has assured that it will still back up the model with quality after-sales support in terms of service and genuine parts.

Its factory – the eponymous Pajero Manufacturing plant in Sakahogi, Gifu Prefecture – will be shuttered by 2023 due to declining output.

Last year, the plant’s production accounted for around 10 per cent of all Mitsubishi production in Japan. In the same year, Mitsubishi was the eighth best-selling automaker in Japan after almost all its domestic rivals.

The Pajero used to consistently outsell the smaller, Triton-based Challenger by a significant margin. When that model was replaced with the Pajero Sport, however, the tables turned.

In 2016, in the Pajero Sport’s first full year on the market, Mitsubishi sold 6,238 of them and 4,049 Pajeros. Last year, Mitsubishi sold 6,477 Pajero Sports and 2,847 Pajeros; so far this year, the newer SUV is outselling the veteran by three-to-one.

The shuttering of the Pajero Manufacturing plant is the first Japanese plant closure for Mitsubishi in almost twenty years. The company is trying to cut fixed costs by ¥100 billion (A$1.3 billion).

General Manager of Massilia Motors, Mr. Olatunji Itiola stated: “Though Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has announced the end of production of the model next year, the Pajero will still be available for purchase till end of 2021 due to popular demand.”

“We assure all our Pajero customers that Massilia Motors, known for its pedigree in after-sales backup, will continue to support the legendary Pajero with quality service and genuine spare parts.”

And to reaffirm Massilia Motors as a trust worthy and reliable company in the provision of quality goods and reliable services, the Group Managing Director/Country Delegate of CFAO in Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Pelletier was recently recognised by the Business Day newspaper and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with the Next Bulls Award.

The Next Bulls Awards celebrates private companies for their impressive growth, market reputation, regulatory compliance, and world-class corporate values.

The plant has manufactured every generation of Pajero – known in some markets as the Shogun and Montero – since the first generation was launched in 1982.

September 29, 2020