- Mitsubishi’s new ad hints at a model that could be a Pajero.
- It highlights past WRC and Dakar wins with the rally Triton.
- Final scene shows a boxy SUV with LEDs and sculpted lines.
Mitsubishi and Ralliart have tapped into the collective memory of rally fans with a nostalgic new commercial that recalls what the brand once was, but hasn’t been for some time. The heritage-heavy clips do their job, but it’s the shadowy SUV in the final scenes that draws the eye, appearing to signal the return of the Pajero in a new-generation form.
The ad, titled I Love Adventurous People, weaves together footage from Mitsubishi’s storied runs in the World Rally Championship and the grueling Dakar Rally.
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In the voiceover, the narrator reflects on a stretch of years described as a “black space” for Mitsubishi, hinting at a loss of momentum. Then comes a rally-ready Triton barreling across rugged terrain, set to the riffs of Eric Clapton’s Layla. That truck earned its stripes by winning the 2025 Asia Cross Country Rally, dressed in full Team Ralliart livery.
Is This the Next Pajero?
Towards the end of the video, the Dakar-winning Pajero appears crossing the desert, followed by a new SUV driving on the road. This model closely resembles the prototypes seen during development testing in mid-2025, though it wears slightly less camouflage.
Screenshots: Mitsubishi / Spy Shots: Baldauf
The new model sports the boxy, upright stance typical of an off-roader. Its proportions recall classic body-on-frame SUVs, with a sculpted hood, squared-off fenders, vertical LED accents on the bumper, and thick-set C-pillars.
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The SUV’s appearance immediately after the Pajero has only added fuel to rumors of its return to Mitsubishi’s lineup. Sold as the Montero and Shogun in various markets, the SUV remained in production from 1981 to 2021 across four generations. In motorsport, it holds an impressive record of 12 overall victories at the Dakar Rally, including an unbroken streak of seven wins between 2001 and 2007.
The name has also been applied to three generations of the Triton-based Pajero Sport, produced from 1996 to the present. This model, too, is a likely candidate for a major update, as the current version has been on sale since 2015, with facelifts introduced in 2019 and 2024.
As of now, Mitsubishi has yet to confirm what exactly will appear at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon. However, with the show scheduled for January 9–11, it wouldn’t be surprising if more information, or even a concept debut, arrives in the coming days.
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The ad closes with a message from Ralliart, shared via the brand’s X account:
“Happy New Year. May this new year be the first step toward new adventures for you. Starting today, we will begin airing a new corporate advertisement. No matter how many times you fail, no matter how many setbacks you encounter, you must not stop running. This is a corporate advertisement infused with our desire to share our belief, forged through motorsports, with more customers. RALLIART will also continue to move forward toward new adventures.”