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Posted on: Jun 08 2007

Mitsubishi Montero

Popularly known as the big Pajero, Hindustan Motors (a CK Birla Group Company) and Mitsubishi have made a comeback with a new product to rub shoulders with their competitors. This time, it is with a bigger punch -- the Montero. It is a huge SUV loaded with features and competes with the big boys. The Montero is a serious contender for Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Ford Endeavour and Nissan X-Trail. The Montero comes packed with All-Wheel Drive , a powerful engine, gear differentials, stability control and lots of electronic gadgetry to assist the driver in crucial driving conditions. It's one of the more expensive SUVs in India and concentrates on a niche segment. Realising the potential of serious SUV lovers, and after establishing Pajero's market, Mitsubishi and Hindustan Motors are now driving the Mitsubishi brand deeper into the premium segment of the fast burgeoning Indian car market.

The Montero comes in four colours: Black Mica, Dark Bluish Gray Mica, Cool Silver Metallic and White Solid.

Powertrain & Performance
The mighty SUV gets a robust 3.2-litre 16-valve DOHC Intercooled Turbo-charged DI-D engine. It cranks out 165 bhp at 3,800 rpm and delivers 38 kgm at 2,000rpm. Floor the throttle and you experience the enormous power surge of its engine. At any given gear, there is plenty of pull; the Montero is a great sprinter too. It clocks 150 kmph in just 31 seconds and the maximum that the speedometer can hit is 170 kmph.

Shifting is ultra smooth and handling is more car-like. The performance makes one forget that one is driving a huge SUV; let it rip on any surface, there is absolutely no flaw in traction. The AWD is intelligent; if any wheel is not in sync with the other three, the differential and the stability control come in play. The Montero has a lot of electronics to assist the driver; the steering output is nimble and responds accurately.

The Montero's suspension is perfectly tuned to absorb anything that comes its way; there is very little body roll even when touching high speed limits.

Build & Styling
As the big daddy of SUVs, it's humongous, beefy and can sweep a woman off her feet by its masculine looks. Plenty of characteristic curves and the muscular stance of the car make you feel the gusto. The artistic styling plays with the light and shadows on the car surface, and hints at the rugged power lurking beneath.

The chrome accented front grille with huge headlamps synchronises with the air dam. The alloy wheels and the stylised, illuminated side steps add glamour to the Montero. Getting in and out is a pleasure. Inside, the SUV is roomy and luxurious with beige-coloured leather upholstery, wood-finish centre console and air outlet panels, titanium accented power control panel and door handle. The 4-spoke wood steering wheel, gear shift knob, gear transfer and parking brake levers are all leather-wrapped with excellent grip.

All the seats are bucket type; the front seats have four-way power adjusters and are spacious. All the seats have unique folding options; the third row seats are removable, while the second row seats can be folded forward to create more cargo space. The first and second rows can be opened flat for a nice power nap on your journey. This expensive car is worth the money for those who love to go off-road on weekends.
Source: carazoo.com