Mitsubishi Montero rebuilt as big SUV wagon fit for off-road
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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TUCSON, Ariz. -- Sandstone slabs as tall as truck tires stepped down a rutted trail too rough for ordinary vehicles.
This natural obstacle, confronting us at the top of a ridge high in the Rincon Mountains east of Tucson, represented the extreme hurdle in a series of driving exercises stretching for miles across Arizona's desert. The drills were designed to show off the off-road capability and dexterity of a new design for the full-size sport-utility by Mitsubishi, mighty Montero.
Predecessors of this big wagon, introduced in 1983 and updated in 1992 with mechanical refinements and luxurious trappings, scored multiple trophies through the years in the ultimate off-road challenge, the Paris-Dakar Rally, which traverses Europe and the African Sahara.
Yet these earlier Monteros, tall and angular with a body-on-frame design that worked well off-road but rode on pavement with the harsh discomfort of a truck, did not measure well against contemporary applications for sport-utility wagons as cushy people haulers.
To address this issue of ride comfort and room for a family of riders, the new third generational design for Montero begins with the proverbial clean sheet of paper. It fashions a fresh form based on a new unibody scheme that provides seats for seven in a spacious cabin and plush fittings mixed with strong mechanical systems capable of aggressive vehicular action, whether on pavement or dirt.
This one measures bigger than the previous Montero -- it's four inches wider but less tall by almost two inches, with the wheelbase lengthened by 2.2 inches and more than three inches added to front and rear tracks. A broader track with the longer wheelbase expands Montero's tire stance, which in turn increases its stability on uneven terrain off-road yet also evens out the plush ride quality on pavement.
A new suspension system deletes live axles in favor of fully independent elements to generate that smooth ride, while new rack and pinion steering makes Montero easy to turn, with the turning circle cut despite a longer package.
For scaling off-road obstacles like those sandstone steps, the wagon's ground clearance was increased by 1.7 inches to a generous 9.3 inches, and the vertical distance front wheels can travel has grown by 1.6 inches.
Further, the position of wheels near corners of the rectangular form with negligible frontal overhang from bumpers and body elements sets up impressive angles which make it easy to approach an off-road obstacle. The front angle of approach expands to 42 degrees now, and at the tail a new angle of departure runs to 24 degrees.
Despite the tall stance with high ground clearance, Montero paradoxically manages to drop the step-in height for riders so it's easier now to climb aboard.
The enlarged passenger compartment brings more room for people as well as cargo, providing three rows of seats with the two back one folding flat to the floor to expand the space for more gear.
Montero also introduces a bold new shape to the sport-ute segment.
It's daring in a windswept New Edge design that disguises the boxy format of a big wagon through the use of defined creases on shoulders and hood to interrupt otherwise fluid contours.
Thick molded bumpers and low cladding wrap around the entire body, curving over wheelwells in eyebrow fender flares that exaggerate the bright alloy wheels. The treatment forms a broad base for the package, anchoring it to the ground and obscuring the squared lines of a wagon.
A two-tone color variation from the monotone treatment is available with bumpers and ground-level cladding cast in a light shade contrasted against the darker body color.
Montero's stubby prow reveals a narrow grille flanked by corner headlamp clusters etched close to front wheelwells. Above, the contoured hood shows edgework in a form that bows upward to meet a raked windshield. Side pillars fade to black so individual windows dissolve visually into a solid horizontal element ending at angular back pillars. The cargo door at the tail slants forward and supports a full-size spare tire.
Previously, Montero offered only one trim option, but the new issues divide into the two segments of XLS and Limited. Both draw from the same V6 engine but differ with automatic transmissions, four-wheel-drive systems and the content of on-board luxury equipment.
The engine, Mitsubishi's 3.0-liter V6, stocks a cam on top and four valves in every cylinder. Recycled from the earlier Montero, it has been tamed and toned with new intake and exhaust systems, then isolated from the chassis with liquid-filled engine mounts that cancel vibrations.
Output runs to 200 hp at 5000 rpm, with torque production up to 235 lb-ft at 3000 rpm.
For Montero XLS, an electronic automatic four-speed transmission is standard, but the Limited goes further by adding a five-speed automatic with Sportronic clutch-less shifter. In Sportronic manual mode, the shift lever slides laterally into a side gate, where to-or-fro stick action bumps up or down the gear ladder one notch at a time.
The four-wheel-drive system employed by Montero XLS has 4WD high and low ranges through a two-speed transfer case. Synchronized front hub locks allow the driver to shift from conventional rear-wheel-drive mode to 4WD high range while cruising at speed. Low range 4WD is available with double the drive force for powering through sticky mud and slick snow, or for inching up or down dicy trails like those sandstone steps our Montero navigated successfully.
Montero Limited gets Mitsubishi's sophisticated Active Trac all-wheel-drive system. A 4WD lever brings electronic shift points for the driver to select 2WD mode with power sent strictly to the rear wheels for fuel-efficient motoring on paved roads. A full-time all-wheel-drive mode for pavement applies power to all wheels but with a bias in torque directed toward the rear wheels. Also, high and low ranges of 4WD with center differential lock are available with the Active Trac system for off-pavement runs.
The new structural design and new active and passive gear make this Montero a safer vehicle. Full-length steel frame rails surround the passenger compartment, with reinforced side pillars and rolled steel door beams in place, along with frontal and side-impact air bags, and a disc brake system coupled to multi-mode anti-lock controls as well as an electronic brake distribution device.
Montero's plush cabin installs comfortable contoured bucket seats in front, a middle-row bench with fold-out center armrest, and the back seat that folds to the floor or pops out for even more storage space. The XLS edition has power controls, a keyless security and an audio system with CD player, but the Limited brings touches of leather and wood trim plus heated seats and mirrors, a 210-watt Infinity sound system with seven speakers, and a power sunroof.
Competitive pricing applies, beginning around $31,000.
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| 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Full-size sport-utility wagon
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| Model Options: |
Full-size sport-utility wagon
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| Wheelbase: |
109.5 inches
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| Overall Length: |
188.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 3.5-L V6
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| Transmission: |
XLS: Auto/4
LTD: Auto/5/Sportronic
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| Drive: |
XLS: Part-time 4WD
LTD: Active Trac 4WD
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/EBD
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
16/20 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 31,000 to $ 36,000 |
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