When faced with the prospect of a sudden steep descent the human body reacts by tightening various of its parts, getting the heart to beat faster and to produce adrenalin. This is ‘the rush’. It is what some of us live for.
Going over the edge of a coastal sand dune in a motor vehicle will produce this reaction. To give it some perspective – the coastal dunes on the West Coast of South Africa, albeit a bit smaller than their Namibian cousins, have a ‘face’ of between 35 degrees and 38 degrees. This is generally slightly greater than the average ‘sheer drop’ slides at your local water park.
Since the angle is measured from vertical, not horizontal, a 38 degree slope is as close to falling off a cliff as makes no difference. An ideal playground for a short wheelbase Mitsubishi Pajero.
Following on the upgrades to the Pajero last year, Mitsubishi Motors SA has given the shortstop version a similar boost and also introduced a limited edition ‘Legend’ variant.
The two-door short wheelbase Pajero is updated with a rear diff-lock included in the standard specification. This feature, linked to shift-on-the-fly Super Select 4WD system makes for a very capable, serious off-roader.
Other upgrades to the 2014 model include the inclusion of a rear-view camera, privacy glass, colour-coded door handles and exterior rear view mirrors, as well as a USB port.
The standard Pajero SWB is powered by a 3.2-litre common rail turbo-diesel engine developing 140 kW of power and 441 Nm of torque, which drives the wheels through a 5-speed automatic transmission.
The Super-Select system offers 2WD, 4WD (4H) without locked centre differential, where the power is split 33:67 between front/rear wheels giving the driver the benefits of an all-wheel drive vehicle, including better control for high-speed driving. The 4HLc and 4LLc settings lock the centre differential and split the power 50:50 between front and rear wheels.
Standard safety features include 6 airbags, Active Stability and Traction Control (ASTC) and high intensity discharge headlamps with automatic levelling, while convenience and comfort features include a rear-view camera, park distance control, glass sunroof, multi-function steering wheel with remote controls for the audio system and cruise control. There are also heated seats for driver and front passenger as well as Bluetooth with hands free voice control for the cellphone.
The Pajero SWB has the best break-over angle in its class at 25.2 degrees, as well as many other attributes that are invaluable when the going gets tough. Yet the Pajero still offers an exceptionally easy and comfortable drive in city traffic, highways and on remote country roads.
The Pajero SWB Legend (limited to 30 units) costs R30 000 more than the standard model, but gets extra equipment, worth more than R80 000, including off-road tyres, tyre monitoring system, air compressor built into the engine compartment, nudge bar, dual battery system and roof rack.
The recent media launch of the Pajero involved a drive from Cape Town on tar road for part of the way before heading off on some of the dirt roads that will be used in the Namaqua African Rally for motorcycles and quads later this year. Mitsubishi is the vehicle partner on the event.
The route also included a climb over the mountains at Boegoeberg before ending in Lamberts Bay where we then had a chance to sample the sand at The Dunes, presided over by 80-year-old Oom Joost in his dune buggy as guide and mentor.
It is not difficult, after two days of hard driving, to see why the short wheelbase Pajero has been the most successful single marque on the Dakar and why its abilities more often than not outweigh those of the people inside.
In highway mode it cruises comfortably, the suspension a nice balance between off road needs and effortless city use. The higher seating position provides good all round visibility and the short length makes it super easy to squeeze into tight parking places.
The biggest complaint I have about the vehicle is the red-on-black instrument readout – exceptionally difficult to read things such as the odo in almost any lighting.
Moving on high-speed dirt roads, a quick flick of the lever in 4H gives it poise and stability without the need to fight the wheel as you constantly correct. The traction control also is not massively intrusive and allows a bit of leeway before stepping in.
Getting into the tough stuff, the low down torque certainly helps, as the SWB claws its way up on over daunting obstacles. Equally, on the sand dunes it just growls its way through the various trails we followed, including going up some short dunes faces with the sky the only view you get until the nose returns – gently – to earth.
In all respects a positive upgrade for an icon of the bundu-bashing scene.
| Pricing | |
| Mitsubishi Pajero SWB | R549 000 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero SWB Legend | R579 000 |
Pricing includes a 3-year / 100 000 km warranty and 5-year / 100 000 km service plan.
