An Evolved Evolution Of The Past
Gozales said he was inspired by the original Pajero Evolution’s two-door body style, a configuration that’s grown increasingly rare among most SUVs – the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler notwithstanding. The shorter wheelbase would mean greater maneuverability and an improved breakover angle off-road, even before adding the Evolution goodies. The imaginative 2026 model looks undeniably like its 1997-1999 forebear, with a stubby rear end that’s at odds with the longish hood. Gonzales’ Pajero doesn’t quite have the same wide-body stance as the original, with arch extensions instead of chamfered fender flares, but there are still several clues it’s an Evolution.
Could There Be Some Nissan DNA Under The Evo Skin?
To reiterate, this 2026 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is purely a fan rendering, but we do see a fair amount of Nissan coming through the design. The recently revealed Patrol (an overseas twin to our Armada) has the same sharp front window opening, and the overall proportions match the Nissan SUV with its midsection removed. Speculation had abounded that Mitsubishi would revive the full-size Pajero – discontinued in 2021 – using parts and platforms sourced from its Japanese partner, and the rendering takes those rumors into account.
25 years later, the Pajero Evolution is finally legal for import. This is your chance to get in one.
If that were the case, the Evolution featured here would probably get a NISMO-tuned version of the Patrol and Armada’s twin-turbocharged, 425-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, perhaps with as much as 500 hp to fit its Ralliart heritage. The body-on-frame SUV would also probably get some adjustments to its full-time four-wheel-drive system, with torque vectoring to help it kick around tight, dirty corners in the far reaches of Morocco or Patagonia. Alas, we’ll probably never know. With Nissan in dire straits and the Mitsubishi brand an afterthought in the US, the odds of a reborn Pajero Evo are slim to nil. Still, that won’t stop us from dreaming.
Source: Enoch Gonzales Designs
