When the Freightliner heads off to an off-road race, inevitably located well off the beaten track, it does so with precious cargo on board. What makes it so special? Well, the Pajero which lurks within its trailer is no ordinary 4 x 4…
Specially designed to take part in Class T within the South African off-road championship series, the Pajero is not new to off-road racing. Prior to arriving in South Africa at the beginning of 2001, it was raced at the Dakar (Kenjiro Shinosuka raced the car at the 1999 Dakar, dressed in spotlight manufacturer, Piaa, colours). It is based on a Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution with a 3,5-litre Mivec petrol engine. The car, owned by Mitsubishi Japan, has a custom-made suspension set-up designed in France by SBM, a race workshop.
The gearbox as well as the front and rear differential are manufactured by X-Trac in England. The shocks are Donerre by-pass shocks manufactured in France, which are truly excellent. It has a 500-litre fuel tank, which is needed for Dakar. It’s also really useful locally, because it means that the team doesn’t have to refuel often. The vehicle has excellent brakes and a six-speed gearbox, which means that it’s very good at acceleration and braking. Its top speed is 170 km/h – which may not sound like much, but it makes for truly exhilarating performance off-road!