Woman Maths: Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution

The Pajero Evo is as wide as it is tall, and that’s my interest stirred right there. Throw in boxy arches and rally pedigree, and I’m sold. But being a homologation special, only 2693 were built, all sold in Japan which also means parts are hard to find. Very hard.

When I decided it would be the subject of my next Woman Maths and perhaps a potential purchase, I’d not even sat in one. So I turned to those who know more than I. First was Charlie, who runs the workshop that looks after all my cars. He was delighted with the prospect but warned against rust – I think he was just happy it wasn’t an overly complicated German car from the 1990s. My next step was to find an owner.

Enter Nik Ward, a man who’s owned, wait for it, seven Pajero Evos and successfully raced a few too. I could easily write a whole series of stories about Nik and his dad, Max, but for now, I’ll share just one: when the Dakar moved away from its traditional north African location, the charity that went with it moved too. In the past teams would furnish the schools along the route with equipment and much-needed supplies. Max worried so much about this he filled his Fiat Multipla with such supplies and drove the old route himself, dropping off parcels as he went. This must be the most wonderful thing a Multipla has ever done.

Nik’s top Pajero Evo buying tips are:

– Check the chassis for rust, particularly around the back end

– Ensure there’s no play in the suspension components, as they are hard to get, numerous, and can really affect the handling

– Try to find one that’s as original and complete as possible – parts are a problem

– The good news is that the engine itself is reliable, built for the tough stuff, and also went into other models, so parts are plentiful

Also, as the used car market is in a slump, now is the time to look. Admittedly, imported cars seem least affected, but there are still deals to be done. Surprisingly they’re slightly cheaper here than in Japan and just as numerous, as far as availability goes – both countries have about four or five for sale. But the Japanese cars seemed better kept and with fewer miles, making importing one myself still very tempting.

Currently in the UK:

– £40k for a 60,000-mile manual

– £24k for a 100,000-mile automatic

Remember too that not all Evos are created equal. The majority were automatic, so finding a manual is tough; but Nik says manuals are most likely to appreciate. A red manual is rarest, a silver automatic as common as they get. Which is not common at all.

What appeals most is that, like my CLK Black Series, the Evo started from humble beginnings and was painstakingly developed into something almost unrecognisable. But while you might walk past the CLK without a second glance, the Evo stands tall with wings, fins, hips, and an unmistakable whiff of rally about it. It’s the crowning glory of any car park and draws fellow car park spotters in like bees to honey.

Now I’ve managed to find a tidy automatic to drive, which willingly jumped into action and performed a fraction of its capabilities. I enjoyed every second, despite having no clue what I was doing, and I left thinking what I’d driven was a 20-year-old 4×4 with the soul of a plucky hot hatch that was beyond my current driving skill set. I don’t need the King of the Desert but what’s need got to do with anything anyway? King of the potholes more like.

Lead image by Roger Chan

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