One of the notable features about the Shogun Pinin is that
although a compact 4x4, it is, unlike most rivals, available
with a fully fledged 4WD system. This makes it a true off-roader
and not merely a 'soft-roader' that will struggle at the first
bumpy track or steep hill. The hardware used in the 2.0-litre
Pinins is SS4-i (SS standing for Super Select), a four-mode
system operated from a selector lever situated between the
front seats.
The mode for everyday driving is, as with Easy Select, '2H'.
Here, drive is to the rear wheels only, on the basis that
on good road surfaces you don't need anything more.
The first 4WD setting is '4H', which adds drive to the front
wheels, and like Easy Select it allows shift-on-the-fly. But
one important difference is that you can use 4H on dry roads
without fear of transmission wind-up.
Indeed, in 4H SS4-i is in 'thinking' mode, because although
you've selected 4WD, power is still only fed to the rear wheels
until surface conditions dictate that the front wheels need
it too.
This is achieved via a device in the centre differential
known as a viscous-coupling unit (VCU), which senses when
the rear wheels are losing grip, and instantly feeds drive
to the front wheels so that they can help with traction. This
could happen when, say, you hit a patch of ice on the road.
The benefit is that the vehicle is only using 4WD when it
really has to, and so is always running as smoothly as possible
as well as optimising fuel economy.
While the above mode is suitable for driving in a mix of
road conditions, '4HLc' is intended for slippery off-road
terrain, wet grass for example. When 4HLc is selected, the
VCU is bypassed and drive to the front and rear axles is locked
up, which takes out any speed differences between the front
and rear wheels. Thus, provided all four wheels are still
on the ground the Shogun Pinin should keep moving.
The '4LLc' mode is the low-ratio version of 4HLc, with ultra-low
overall gearing allowing you to use high revs at low speed
in order to get the most traction. Changing between 4HLc and
4LLc is only possible with the vehicle stationary.
The 1.8-litre models in the Pinin range use a simpler 4WD
set-up, one where the driver doesn't have to decide anything.
Four-wheel-drive is permanently engaged, with the centre differential
splitting engine torque in the ratio 50/50 front/rear.
The most impressive 4WD system in the Mitsubishi armoury
is SS4-II, used in the Shogun. It offers the same four modes
as SS4-i, except it overlays an increased level of sophistication,
which eases selection and improves on-road driving characteristics.
The 2H function is unchanged over SS4-i, but in 4H the VCU
splits the engine torque in the ratio 33/67 front/rear as
opposed to the 50/50 distribution in SS4-i. The benefit here
is that the bulk of the power going to the rear wheels gives
better balanced on-road handling, making the Shogun feel more
sporty through corners. However when slippery road or off-road
conditions demand, the VCU will automatically split the torque
accordingly, from 33/67 front/rear to 50/50 front/rear.
The 4HLc and 4LLc work in the same way as in the Pinin, being
the two settings for off-roading. However the driver also
has the option of locking the rear differential, for side-to-side
locking of the rear axle.
Thanks to clever electronics, SS4-II offers a simple, effortless
engagement of the modes. To switch between them, the driver
slides a lever on the transmission tunnel through the four
positions, with a press-down action preventing accidental
selection.
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