Pajero Evolution V55W. The Dakar Homologation Special

Mitsubishi did not build the Pajero Evolution because anyone asked for it. They built it because the Dakar rulebook changed and the factory team needed a road car to point at.

Roughly 2 693 of them left the Nagoya line between October 1997 and 1999. Every single one went to Japan. None of them were sold new anywhere else, and that includes South Africa.

What you get is a two door short wheelbase Pajero with a 206 kW MIVEC V6, independent rear suspension, Torsen diffs front and rear, a track widened by more than 100 mm at each end and Recaro seats. It is the most extreme road going Pajero ever built. It is also a terrible overlander, and I will get to why.

Why the Pajero Evolution exists at all

Mitsubishi ran purpose built prototypes at Dakar through the mid 1990s and won. Then the regulations shifted and the production based T2 class became the serious route for a factory entry. T2 demanded a race car derived from a road going model built in real numbers, with modifications kept inside a tight fence.

So Mitsubishi took the second generation Pajero SWB, threw the widest arches and the best suspension geometry the rules allowed at it, built enough to clear the homologation minimum, then went racing with that shape.

It worked on the first attempt. In the 1998 Dakar, Mitsubishi took the top four places and won 15 of the 16 special stages. Jean Pierre Fontenay won outright in a T2 spec Evolution, with Kenjiro Shinozuka second and Bruno Saby third, both also in Evolutions. The rest of the record sits on our Pajero Dakar wins page.

Pajero Evolution specs

Item	Figure
Model code	V55W
Built	October 1997 to 1999, Japan only
Production	About 2 693 units, roughly 600 with the manual
Engine	6G74, 3 497 cc DOHC 24 valve V6 with MIVEC
Power	206 kW at 6 500 rpm
Torque	348 Nm at 3 000 rpm
Gearbox	5 speed manual or 5 speed automatic
Drivetrain	Super Select 4WD, dual range transfer case
Differentials	Torsen front and rear, lockable centre diff
Suspension	Double wishbone front, independent rear
Kerb weight	1 970 kg manual, 1 990 kg automatic
Width	1 875 mm
Wheelbase	2 420 mm
Tyres	265/70 R16
Fuel tank	75 litres
0 to 100 km/h	About 8.1 to 8.5 seconds
Price new	About 3.7 million yen, plus 150 000 yen for the automatic
Colours	Sofia White, Satellite Silver, Passion Red

Two notes. Production is quoted as “around 2 500” almost everywhere, but the sources that dug into it settle on 2 693. And 206 kW is exactly 280 PS, the Japanese industry power ceiling of the day. People who have measured these engines reckon real output sits closer to 224 kW. Mitsubishi was never going to publish that.

The 6G74 MIVEC V6 is the real story

The standard 3.5 litre V6 in a Gen 2 Pajero is a good engine. The Evolution version is a different animal.

Mitsubishi fitted MIVEC variable valve timing, a dual plenum variable intake, hollow intake valves, sodium filled exhaust valves and titanium valve spring retainers. Those are racing engine parts on a car sold through ordinary Mitsubishi dealers.

The result wants revs. Peak power lands at 6 500 rpm, a completely different character to the 4M40 diesel most Gen 2 buyers know. It also runs a timing belt and it is an interference engine. Belt service falls every 60 000 miles, call it 96 000 km, and if the belt lets go the valves meet the pistons.

The widebody is not a cosmetic kit

This is where people get the Evolution wrong. The flares are not stuck on a standard shell to look tough.

Mitsubishi widened the track by about 125 mm at the front and 110 mm at the rear. The arches exist because the wheels genuinely sit that far out. The shell was reworked and welded for rigidity, the bumpers shortened for a better approach angle, the bonnet given a functional scoop, plus a rear spoiler and extra cooling vents.

If you have read our Gen 2 Pajero guide, you know the wide arch Gen 2 already costs more than the narrow body. The Evolution doubles down. Park one next to a standard SWB and the standard car looks skinny.

The independent rear suspension

A standard second generation Pajero runs a live rear axle on coils. Tough, good articulation, fixable anywhere in Africa.

The Evolution does not. It runs an independent rear, which most sources call multi link and Mitsubishi’s own motorsport archive calls double wishbone. Either way both rear wheels move on their own, with roughly 240 mm of travel front and 270 mm rear.

That change is about speed, not rock crawling. Independent rear suspension keeps tyres loaded over high frequency bumps at Dakar pace. It is why the Evolution drives unlike any other Pajero, and it is why parts are a nightmare, because almost none of it interchanges with a normal Gen 2.

Diffs, transfer case and gearbox

The Evolution keeps Super Select 4WD, so you get rear drive, full time four wheel drive with an open centre diff, a locked centre diff and low range. If that is new to you, start with Super Select explained.

On top of that sit Torsen limited slip differentials front and rear. Torque sensing, mechanical, no electronics deciding anything for you. On a 1997 vehicle that is serious hardware.

Both gearboxes are five speed. The automatic is the common one and got taller gearing. The manual is the one collectors chase, and at roughly 600 built it is about one in five. That premium keeps widening.

Inside

The dashboard is a Gen 2 Pajero dashboard. This was a homologation exercise, not a luxury project.

What you do get is Recaro front seats with deep bolsters and carbon effect trim, plus an auxiliary gauge cluster with a compass, an inclinometer and a differential status display. Air conditioning and electric windows were standard. Safety kit is dual front airbags and ABS, thin by any modern standard.

Did any Pajero Evolution officially come to South Africa?

No. Mitsubishi sold the Evolution exclusively through Japanese dealers. It never appeared in a South African price list and was never homologated here. Any Evolution on local soil arrived as a used Japanese import, which matters, because South Africa is one of the hardest countries in the world to bring a used car into.

Importing one to South Africa. The honest position

South Africa does not allow general imports of used vehicles. ITAC issues permits in six narrow cases only. Immigration with permanent residence. Returning residents who owned the car abroad for at least six months. Specially adapted vehicles for disabled citizens. Inherited vehicles. Vintage or collector vehicles. Racing vehicles.

Two of those look like a door. Neither really is.

Vintage means 40 years or older. A 1997 Evolution qualifies in 2037 and a 1999 car in 2039. There is no enthusiast exemption for a rare 29 year old JDM special.

The racing route needs a Motorsport South Africa licence, and a car imported that way may not be registered locally or used on public roads. You would own a competition only vehicle.

Beyond the ITAC permit you need a Letter of Authority from the NRCS confirming the vehicle meets local technical, safety and emissions standards, then SARS wants duties and VAT. Cars.co.za puts the outcome plainly. You may legally own a grey import here, but you may not register it or drive it on a public road without the right paperwork, and cars caught without it get confiscated and crushed while the owner gets fined.

So the realistic routes are these. Emigrate or return after a long stint abroad having owned the car there. Keep it off road on private land or in motorsport. Or wait for 2037. Any shortcut you get offered deserves suspicion.

What a Pajero Evolution costs in 2026

Values have moved hard for a simple reason. The car turned 25 in 2022, the American import door opened, a large new pool of buyers arrived, and supply is fixed at under 2 700 cars worldwide.

Classic.com puts the average sale near USD 35 900. At the August 2026 rate of roughly R16 to the dollar that is about R575 000 before you move the car anywhere. The Classic Valuer tracks 69 sales with a median around GBP 27 600 and an 82 percent sell through rate. A 1998 car made about GBP 34 000 in the Netherlands in August 2026. A 1997 Australian example took about GBP 37 600 in February 2026.

Originality and transmission drive the spread. A documented, unmodified manual with intact Evolution trim sits at the top and has pushed past USD 50 000. A resprayed automatic on 250 000 km still trades under USD 20 000.

What to check before you buy one

Rust. Rear arches, door bottoms, the base of the roof, the frame rails. Rust is the biggest value killer on any V20 Pajero and Japanese cars are not immune.
Timing belt history. Interference engine, roughly 100 000 km interval. No paperwork means budget for the job immediately, and use quality parts because cheap kits fail on these.
Evolution specific bodywork. Flares, bumpers, spoiler, scoop and decals are model only and mostly sourced in Japan. Check each one for damage or a standard part substitution.
Recaro seats and the auxiliary gauge cluster. Both get swapped out. Both cost a fortune to put back.
Odometer. Verify against auction sheets and service records. Japanese export tampering is real.
Off road damage. These get thrashed. Look underneath at the sump guard, the independent rear components and the diff housings.
Valve stem seals. Age related oil leaks are common now. Watch the exhaust on a cold start.

Living with one. The downsides nobody advertises

Fuel. Combined consumption sits around 15.5 litres per 100 km, call it 6.5 km per litre. On a hot Karoo run with the aircon working you will do worse. It wants good fuel and it drinks it.

Parts. Servicing consumables for the 6G74 are findable. Everything unique to the Evolution is not. Body panels, suspension arms, interior trim and the MIVEC top end come from Japan on a lead time and at a price. Our parts availability and cost guide covers what is easy locally. The Evolution sits well outside that.

Practicality. Two doors, a short wheelbase and a small boot. Read SWB vs LWB, then be honest about whether you want the short one for a week in the Kalahari.

Here is the part people resist. The Evolution is a collector car. Every kilometre costs you money and the independent rear that makes it brilliant at 120 km/h across gravel turns one broken component into a three month wait. If you want a Pajero to load up and disappear into Botswana with, buy a Gen 3 or Gen 4 diesel and spend the difference on fuel. Our heritage pages show where the Evolution fits in the family.

FAQ

How many Pajero Evolutions were made?

About 2 693 road legal cars between October 1997 and 1999, roughly 600 of them manual. Many sources round it to 2 500.

How much power does a Pajero Evolution have?

206 kW at 6 500 rpm and 348 Nm at 3 000 rpm from the 3.5 litre 6G74 MIVEC V6. That equals 280 PS, the Japanese power ceiling of the era, and real output is widely believed to be higher.

Is the Pajero Evolution a good off roader?

Yes, for speed rather than crawling. The independent rear and widened track make it exceptional across fast rough terrain. A live axle Pajero is more forgiving at walking pace and far easier to repair.

Can I import a Pajero Evolution into South Africa?

Not for normal road use. ITAC permits vintage imports at 40 years or older, which the Evolution reaches in 2037 at the earliest. The other routes are immigration, returning residency, inheritance or a motorsport permit that bars road registration.

What is the difference between the Evolution and a normal Gen 2 Pajero?

Widened track and widebody shell, independent rear instead of a live axle, Torsen diffs front and rear, the MIVEC 6G74, Recaro seats and Evolution specific bodywork. The dashboard and most of the interior carry over.

The short version

The Pajero Evolution is a genuine homologation special, built in tiny numbers so Mitsubishi could run Dakar’s T2 class, and it won the event outright in 1998 at the first attempt. You get 206 kW of MIVEC V6, independent rear suspension, Torsen diffs and a widebody shell that earned its arches. About 2 693 exist, roughly 600 of them manual, and values average around R575 000 before shipping. South Africa never received one officially and current import law blocks road registration until these cars turn 40. Spectacular thing to own. Poor choice for actual overlanding.

Have you driven a Pajero Evolution, or seen one on South African soil? Tell me where, what it sounded like, and what the owner paid to get it here.

The Pajero Evolution. Mitsubishi’s Homologation Special Explained