Despite never offering the cachet of something like a Land Rover Defender, or even a Toyota Land Cruiser come to think of it, the Mitsubishi Shogun has endured, endearing itself to buyers with a blend of sturdiness, dependability and go-anywhere ruggedness. It's been doing that for 37 years in the UK, in fact, but with European production ending, so the Shogun's time on sale has come to an end.
Since 1982, Mitsubishi UK has sold 114,164 Shoguns across four generations. The current model has been on sale since 2006 in various guises and, though it's fallen short of the class best for a while, has continued in the Shogun mould of off-road prowess, chunky towing ability and near-faultless reliability. It represents another of the breed of unpretentious, simple off-roaders that has suffered with the rise of the SUV. The white car you see here is the last Shogun to be imported - a SWB Barbarian - one that shall remain on Mitsubishi's heritage fleet.
Most on PH will surely know the Shogun for the Pajero Evolution of 1997, the legendary homologation special that ostensibly only served to fulfil changed entry requirements for the Dakar rally. In its near four decades on sale, the Shogun triumphed on the gruelling rally no less than 12 times in one form or another.
Those days seem a while ago now, however, the Mitsubishi range now jam-packed with trendier (and probably more competitive) SUVs: the ASX, Eclipse Cross, Outlander and Shogun Sport. We'll bid farewell to the Shogun, then, how we remember it best - demolishing the dunes on the Dakar.
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