Picture this, it’s the early 1980’s, courtesy of Land Rover’s introduction of the Range Rover in the early 70’s, the SUV market was booming. The general public were becoming accustomed to excellent off road capability, packaged into a more car like machine, as opposed to the utilitarian agricultural offroaders of years prior. There was however one issue, the Range Rover was slowly being priced out of the hands of the average buyer. Cue Mitsubishi and their all new Shogun.

First introduced in 1982, the Shogun was Mitsubishi’s answer to an ever developing gap in the market, a capable offroader, with the creature comforts of a modern vehicle, yet at a price point somewhere in between the lower end Land Rover Defender and the higher budget Range Rovers. 

Originally offered as a short wheelbase vehicle sporting a 2.6 litre four cylinder, 1983 saw the introduction of a longer wheelbase Shogun, which also boasted rear mounted coil springs to greatly improve ride quality. Later models such as the one we see here however, were given the option to pack something really special under the bonnet, a mighty 3 litre petrol v6 engine.

One of the later Mk1’s, this specific Shogun is a final year model, rolling off of the forecourt in February of 1991. Little is known about the Mitsubishi’s early life. We do know that it was purchased by the current owner in early 2021 when they saw it parked up on a driveway in the London area, where it is believed to have been sat for several years prior. 

After the purchase, the current owner set about refreshing the Shogun in order to bring it up to a quality usable standard, having various welding, mechanical and cosmetic jobs undertaken throughout the past year. 

The current owner is now looking to move the Shogun on to a new loving home in order to create room for other projects. 

Stored neatly within the Shogun is a small comprehensive set of paperwork, consisting of various servicing and maintenance records from work undertaken at request of the previous owner of the Mitsubishi in both the London and Surrey area. 

There is also a set of Kenwood operating manuals for the aftermarket radio fitted to the vehicle. Within the folder, we also find a stack of prior MOT certificates from throughout the car’s lifetime. At present the vehicle holds an MOT which is valid until August of 2022. 

The all important V5 registration document is also present with the vehicle. 

Blending quality patterned fabrics with smartly trimmed velour upholstery, the cabin of the shogun is in great order and presents well. The angular cluster of gauges, controls and switchgear that make up the dash piece and centre console is in good shape, the bluish plastics still rich with colour and lacking in the sun fading and wear commonly associated with these big plastic pieces, and the various switchgear neatly housed with the dash are all reported to function well. A further neat touch and nod to the Shogun’s off-road capability is the inclinometer and altimeter placed front and centre of the cabin which is of an equally good standard in terms of condition and quality.

The seating found in the Shogun, a combination of velour and quintessential 90’s patterned fabric, is of a good quality standard. Presenting with strong bolstering and just a few minor signs of wear and tear. The upholstery itself is smart and still a tight fit to the seat frames. A notable feature, with this being a long wheelbase model, is the addition of 2 extra seats in the rear storage compartment, these fold out and open with ease if one moves the rear bench seat forward, making the Shogun easily capable of carrying 7 people. 

Up top we find a well trimmed roof liner, largely free of wear and the staining often seen on lighter coloured headliners. The fabric is still tight and there isn't any apparent sagging that can be identified. Within the roof liner, sits the electronically operated power sunroof. At present, this is non-functioning, as it has been fully sealed up by a previous owner. The carpeting that coats the bottom of the cabin is still plush and presents in good order. 

A symphony of squares, that is perhaps the finest way to describe the exterior looks of the Shogun. The quintessential late 80s early 90s square styling is none more so prevalent than here. Detailed off nicely with a collection of v6 graphics and pinstriping, the Mk1 Shogun is without a doubt an excellent piece of kit from an aesthetic perspective.  

A neat combination of silver paintwork and black lower sections drape over the bodywork. The paint itself is in good shape, the bright silver hue still has a great shine to it. There are however some noticeable blemishes and age related marks to be seen dotted around the body, as to be expected of an offroad vehicle of this age. The front passenger wing has benefitted from a recent respray, as have the Shogun’s black lower sections after new sections were welded in to rectify rust that was present on the vehicle.

The bold plastic trim found around the truck all presents in good order, as does the series of “Shogun” and “V6” badging stamped onto the body panels. The Shogun sits on four excellent alloy wheels, all of which appear to be in great shape. At the rear, we find a full size spare wheel mounted to the tailgate, which is of an equally good standard.

Now, to the beating heart of this Shogun, the mighty V6. Under the bonnet sits a wonderful engine in the form of Mitsubishi’s 2972cc, 6G7 motor. A quality well maintained example, this 6G7, a second generation “6G72” fires into life effortlessly, a raughty V6 tone bellowing from the exhaust system. The current owner also informs us that a new timing belt is in the process of being fitted to the vehicle. 

On the road, the Shogun provides a good quality drive, incredibly comfortable, courtesy of the rear mounted coil springs, with plenty of V6 power on tap at request of the driver and their right foot.

Benefitting from extensive bodywork repairs and welding, the Mitsubishi’s underside appears to be incredibly solid and now lacking in the rust more commonly seen on this era of 4x4. 

Quite simply, where does one go to find another one? A V6 MK1 Mitsubishi Shogun is beyond a rarity, but a MK1 V6 Shogun with a solid underside and equally solid mechanicals, is truly something of a unicorn.

This is a quality piece of automobilia, highly capable of cruising the off road trails and the more urban streets. With a long MOT, this is one ready to be enjoyed right from the first minute.