Photo: kelsonik / Instagram
Just look at the upcoming Hyundai Palisade or popular Kia Telluride to understand that Asian SUVs are becoming quirkier in the best possible way. Then, think of the hype surrounding Toyota and Lexus’ flagship off-roaders.
That way, one could easily understand why the entire automotive world is so much enamored with everything crossover, SUV, or truck flavored. And that was just a narrow string of Asia-stemming examples because we need to discuss a massive JDM carmaker’s mishap. Remember Mitsubishi’s legendary Pajero (also called Montero or Shogun) full-size SUV?
Well, after the struggling fourth generation was finally discontinued because of lack of interest from the automaker itself above anyone else, there was insult added to fan injury. As it turns out, instead of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance giving another chance to an iconic nameplate, the manufacturing plant where the Pajero SUV was being made will soon produce mundane stuff like toilet paper and tissues...
Frankly, if one asks around the enthusiast SUV world, people will gladly tell any Mitsu head honcho that Nissan’s Patrol/Armada could sure use some help fighting off the hordes of Toyota and Lexus full-size SUVs. Just think about it for a moment. Toyota has the J300 Land Cruiser running around parts of the world and the third-generation 2023 Sequoia ready to team up with its Tundra pickup truck sibling in North America.
Then, Lexus has upped the stakes to J310 levels with its fourth-generation LX luxury SUV and will gladly fill any slots left open by discontinued rivals. Luckily, virtual automotive artists are always willing to give popular models another go and Russia-based pixel master Nikita Chuicko, better known as kelsonik on social media, has decided to revive Mitsubishi's fabled Pajero.
Naturally, the reinvented, hypothetical fifth-generation SUV takes a revolutionary design step forward compared to its old-school predecessor. The front fascia adopts Mitsu’s latest styling credo and quickly ties the virtual DNA knot with the real-world, fourth-generation (GN) Outlander. Meanwhile, the profile was probably the one that gave the author’s fans a Nissan Patrol/Armada sense of déjà vu, and there is nothing wrong with using some of the potential architecture sibling’s cues.
Update: The author was gracious enough to also highlight a rear three-quarters POV and it looked too deliciously ready for off-road shenanigans not to share (down second below).
Well, after the struggling fourth generation was finally discontinued because of lack of interest from the automaker itself above anyone else, there was insult added to fan injury. As it turns out, instead of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance giving another chance to an iconic nameplate, the manufacturing plant where the Pajero SUV was being made will soon produce mundane stuff like toilet paper and tissues...
Frankly, if one asks around the enthusiast SUV world, people will gladly tell any Mitsu head honcho that Nissan’s Patrol/Armada could sure use some help fighting off the hordes of Toyota and Lexus full-size SUVs. Just think about it for a moment. Toyota has the J300 Land Cruiser running around parts of the world and the third-generation 2023 Sequoia ready to team up with its Tundra pickup truck sibling in North America.
Then, Lexus has upped the stakes to J310 levels with its fourth-generation LX luxury SUV and will gladly fill any slots left open by discontinued rivals. Luckily, virtual automotive artists are always willing to give popular models another go and Russia-based pixel master Nikita Chuicko, better known as kelsonik on social media, has decided to revive Mitsubishi's fabled Pajero.
Naturally, the reinvented, hypothetical fifth-generation SUV takes a revolutionary design step forward compared to its old-school predecessor. The front fascia adopts Mitsu’s latest styling credo and quickly ties the virtual DNA knot with the real-world, fourth-generation (GN) Outlander. Meanwhile, the profile was probably the one that gave the author’s fans a Nissan Patrol/Armada sense of déjà vu, and there is nothing wrong with using some of the potential architecture sibling’s cues.
Update: The author was gracious enough to also highlight a rear three-quarters POV and it looked too deliciously ready for off-road shenanigans not to share (down second below).
Google News