The Mitsubishi Pajero will finally be removed from sale next year, with the icon's Japanese factory to be shuttered in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, largely limiting Australia's large off-road SUV options to the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol.
Mitsubishi made the announcement when forecasting a staggering expected operating loss, with the brand bracing for a loss of 140 billion yen ($1.8b) when the Japanese financial year ends in March 2021 - the company's biggest loss in 18 years.
As a result, the brand is making moves to reduce it workforce, cut models and streamline manufacturing, with the brand targeting a 20 per cent reduction in overall costs in the next two years.
And the first to go will be the Pajero. The off-road icon - last fully updated in 2006 - remains on sale in Australia for now. In fact, it was just updated for 2020 here, with Mitsubishi trimming the line-up from three to two models, and adding extra equipment.
The SUV was axed in Japan in 2019, but continued in export markets. But the bell will at last toll for the mighty Mitsubishi next year, with the brand citing falling demand, and with it falling profitability at the Gifu Prefecture manufacturing facility, for the Pajero.
“To pave the way to recovery, the top priority of all executives is to share a sense of crisis with employees to execute cost reductions,” said Mitsubishi Chief Executive, Takeo Kato.
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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