Okay, it’s not really a spy photo . . .

But we were walkin’ the mean streets around our offices the other day, and our crack photographer (i.e., most likely smoking it, considering the blurry image) spied this pristine, bone-stock two-door Mitsu Montero and captured it for posterity on the King of All Krappy Kams, i.e., the camera-like substance that lives inside our Blackberry Curve 8310.

Why? Well, the little Mitsu (also known from 1987 to ’91 as the Dodge Raider) was a dandy little wheeler in its day, with ’89-and-later versions equipped with the peppy 3.0L V-6 that was good for 143 hp, a five-speed grindbox, 4.63 axle gears, 75-series M&S-rated Michelins and 38-degree approach angle to go with its Jeep-like 93-inch wheelbase. There was also an Off Road package you could buy, which included skidplates and a rear limited-slip, and yes, those are good ol’ manual-locking hubs on there, too. And also, well, you just don’t see very many of these puppies on the road (or the trail) anymore, though they are still in production and ubiquitous all over the world as the Pajero. Even with IFS, we always thought the two-door Raider/Montero was an overall bitchin’ platform for a trail buildup . . . but heck, we’re still in mourning over the Mighty Max pickup, so what do we know anyway?