India pioneering car company, Hindustan Motors Limited (HM), which manufactures Mitsubishi cars in India under a technical agreement, has launched Pajero Sport, the widely acknowledged Mitsubishi SUV owing lineage to the legendary Pajero, record winner of the world’s toughest driving contest, the Dakar Rally. The Pajero Sport was unveiled at a news media conference in New Delhi by A Sankara Narayanan, Director, Hindustan Motors, and Mr. Masahiko Ueki, Executive Officer and Corporate General Manager of Asia and ASEAN Office, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Japan. Pajero Sport offers best in class power and torque with VG turbo engine and yet provides better fuel efficiency. It is marked by strong specifications like maximum power of 178 PS, maximum torque of 400 N-m, on-demand super select 4 WD facility, rear stabilizer and a turning radius of 5.6 meters.
The newly introduced vehicle, with its stylish aesthetics, robust build quality, absolute power, creature comforts and versatile driving dynamics, is expected to do better than its legendary predecessor. That is why the slogan coined for the new vehicle states: Go. Play. Notably, even as the SUV segment witnessed much turmoil in India in 2011 and grew by 18 per cent, Pajero clocked 28 per cent growth. Speaking on the occasion, Sankara Narayanan asserted that the legendary Pajero had always managed to lend to its owners a unique aura and standing, thanks to its repeated exploits in the toughest of car rallies around the world. “Pajero Sport, launched in India today, introduces a new generation of SUV thinking, fusing fun and comfort of urban driving with the thrill and excitement of all-terrain off-road driving. It is a perfect amalgamation of power, luxury, style, safety and comfort,” he observed.
Significantly, it was during Narayanan’s stewardship of Hindustan Motors that the tie-up for manufacturing and marketing of Mitsubishi Motors’ vehicles by HM from the latter’s Chennai unit was inked. Pajero was launched in India in 2002 when Narayanan was HM’s managing director. Ueki informed the media that Pajero Sport has been well accepted by Asian customers as a new type of urban premium SUV. It has comprehensively outdone the competition in the Asian countries where it has already been launched. “We are confident that Pajero Sport will do superbly in India as well,” he added. Stressing upon the strong bond between HM and Mitsubishi Motors, Ueki categorically stated, “I would like to express my commitment that Mitsubishi Motors will continuously introduce new models in the Indian market.” Initially being launched as a CBU, Pajero Sport is competitively priced at Rs. 23.53 lakh, ex-showroom New Delhi. Bookings will start from March 13, 2012.