Earlier this year, Mitsubishi had revealed their big plans which included introducing two new SUVs and two small cars for the Indian market. Now, rumours suggest that the Japanese manufacturer will launch the Automatic version of their popular SUV, the Pajero Sport, in August with deliveries expected to commence in September.
The new Automatic gearbox in question is a five-speed INVECS-II system with Sportronic function which sends power to all four wheels. This variant is currently sold in Thailand, from where Mitsubishi India imports the completely knocked down (CKD) kits from. The automatic variant will continue to employ the 2.5-litre common rail DI-D diesel engine which churns out 177bhp and 400Nm of torque which is currently offered with a five-speed manual gearbox.
Besides the new gearbox, the SUV is also expected to get some visual updates to give it a fresh look and set it apart from the current car. The Pajero Sport automatic might get a new front grille and bumpers as well as more premium interiors.
Since its launch in March 2012, the Pajero Sport hasn’t received any major updates, except for an anniversary edition variant. The Pajero Sport was initially brought to India as a CBU, but now is assembled at the manufacturer’s Tiruvallur plant in Chennai which has led to a big drop in the price of the SUV. As most of the Pajero Sport sold in India are restricted to cities and highways and the automatic gearbox will significantly increase the car's appeal. All of Pajero Sport’s rivals like the Toyota Fortuner, Chevrolet Captiva, Ford Endeavour and the Hyundai Santa Fe are currently sold with an automatic gearbox.
