The 1997 event was never short of news, as Mitsubishi dominated the first four places, capped with Kenjiro Shinozuka taking the overall win - a firstfor a Japanese driver. The following year saw an all-out effort to doexceedingly well again and the Pajero/Montero Evolution T2 was entered in the modified production car class and based on the previous year's winning car.

With widened tread from the 1997 car, aiming to improve turning and handling performance, the car performed better than expectations. In 1997, Shinozuka won with a five-hour difference over the fifth-placed car and led the top four finishers. In 1998, the overall winner Jean-Pierre Fontenay won by a larger eight-hour margin: Mitsubishi enjoyed a 1-2-3-4 for the second year in a row. While this gap in part was due to the difference in distance and route, it can be used as major proof of the improved performance of the Pajero/Montero itself. Driving performance over the desert terrain had improved dramatically and the Schlesser-Buggy in the prototype class and the Nissan Patrol (named Safari in Japan) could not keep up with the pace.

The Schlesser Buggy had changed to the Renault engine from the Spanish SEAT and had more horsepower on tap. A new tyre pressure adjustment/deflation system allowed good preparation for ascents and descents. But the reality was that the Pajero/Montero excelled in overall performance.

This year's event commemorated the 20th Paris Dakar Rally and started from Paris for the first time in four years since 1994. In an effort to return to its origin as the "adventure rally", an engine restrictor was mandatory for a level playing field and this added to the elements of adventure and competitiveness.

Certainly one could not expect the power of those Pajero/Montero Prototypes, but this year's Pajero/Montero (a modified production car) did reign over the more modified prototype class cars and the Pajero/Montero 's strength inadvertently betrayed the aims of the organisers.

Landing on the African continent, the Mitsubishi cars formed a 1-2-3-4, even on the challenging stages. Not being prone to mechanical problems, they continued at this pace and held their positions to the finish. The Pajero/Montero won for the second consecutive year. This marked the manufacturer's fifth overall win, making Mitsubishi the manufacturer with the largest number of victories in the history of the Paris Dakar event.

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