MPR14. DIESEL POWER

The development of the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution MPR14 started with bench testing a new three-litre 260bhp diesel derivative of the MPR13's existing petrol engine in Japan. The capacity of three litres was chosen since it offered the best compromise between performance and weight.

The new block was then grafted into an MPR13 chassis to form the first MPR14, which underwent extensive testing in France and North Africa. This programme was aimed at building on the proven strengths of the MPR13, and validating work done on the dyno, to produce a competitive, reliable package with the new V6 diesel mated to a five-speed gearbox.

While the engine itself was essentially developed in Japan, MMSP was responsible for its integration in the chassis, with specialists from Valeo tasked with developing a custom-made cooling system.