Given the Mitsubishi lineup today, you wouldn’t guess that the company has a legit racing history. Its success in the World Rally Championship is well known. But the Triple Diamond marque is also the winningest brand in one of the world’s most grueling races. Mitsubishi won the Dakar Rally 12 times. It started with a small SUV like the Dodge Raider in Maggie Valley, N.C. that was recently listed on eBay.
Wild Cat
Don’t let the name fool you. Like the Dodge D50 - opens in new window or tab. and Chrysler Conquest - opens in new window or tab., the Dodge Raider was a Mitsubishi - opens in new window or tab.. In the ’80s, the same truck wore a Montero badge. In Japan, it started as the Mitsubishi Pajero, named after a wild cat species. However, in South America, the name is slang for a vulgar act, so it was renamed Montero on this side of the Pacific.
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In 1985, Mitsubishi entered an almost bone-stock Pajero SUV in what was then known as the Paris-Dakar Rally - opens in new window or tab.. One of the toughest races in the world, the rally started in France but ran most of its stages in Africa’s unforgiving deserts. The route varied from year to year. The 1985 race stretched 8,700 miles over mostly unpaved desert terrain.
The boxy Pajero ran in the stock class, which restricted modifications to safety, fuel capacity, and lighting. Other classes allowed for modification of major components like the engine and suspension. Yet after 23 taxing days, the mighty Mitsu beat entrants from Audi, Citroen, Land Rover, Porsche, and Toyota.
Mitsubishi returned to Dakar with the Pajero (and its subsequent generations) every year until the race was discontinued in 2008. After the global financial crisis, Mitsubishi didn’t return. However, the Pajero’s record for most races won still stands.
True Off-Roader
The SUV for sale under the Raider badge is a first-generation Pajero. Its short-wheelbase two-door configuration mirrors the one that won Paris-Dakar in 1985. It’s a true off-roader, with body-on-frame construction and a low-range four-wheel-drive system.
The seller says the Raider came from an estate sale in California. No rust. The original red paint still looks glossy. Best of all, its 3.0-liter fuel-injected V-6 - opens in new window or tab. is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer reads 135,583 miles.
Values of classic SUVs like Jeeps - opens in new window or tab. and Toyota Land Cruisers - opens in new window or tab. have risen dramatically over the last several years, thanks mainly to their name recognition. However, values of the Mitsubishi Montero - opens in new window or tab., and to an even greater extent the Dodge Raider, trail those blue-chip 4x4s. The $8,000 Buy-It-Now price seems reasonable given the Raider’s rarity and condition. Where else can you buy a vehicle with this kind of racing provenance for under five digits?
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