Summary (1988 Paris - Algiers - Dakar)

By 1988, the Mitsubishi Pajero was already established as the top machine in all classes, especially in the challenging T1 class, in which the standard version of the King of the Desert dominated completely. The tenth Paris - Algiers - Dakar, set at 13,000 km, was once again to be a car-destroying, faith-destroying challenge, leading from the Sahara into the savannahs and bushlands of West Africa. The three top drivers hired to bring Mitsubishi to the front were Marathon Man Andrew Cowan, Japanese star Kenjiro Shinozuka and Frenchman Pierre Lartigue. The three were deployed in Sonauto Pajeros in the prototype class, Cowan and Lartigue sponsored by Nikon and Shinozuka by Citizen, two very important partners in Mitsubishi's competition history. Enormous pressure rested on Shinozuka after Cowan and Lartigue retired from the competition unusually early. It became the toughest and most professional running there had ever been. The battle was fierce, but Shinozuka closed in with great strides on the leader, Juha Kankkunen in the Peugeot, until unexpectedly the last long section through the desert of Mauritania was cancelled and the Japanese driver was robbed of his chance of victory. Nevertheless, second place overall in a starting field of 597 after such a hard rally was a personal triumph for Shinozuka. Mitsubishi could once again celebrate an outstanding performance, as Frenchman Belveze took first place in the T1 class.

Final Standings

Position	Start Number	Driver	Manufacturer / Car	Overall Time
1.	205	Kankunnen	Peugeot	42.39.33
2.	215	Shinozuka	Mitsubishi Pajero	+ 02.51.44
3.	208	Tambay	Range Rover	+ 05.03.16
4.	211	Smith	Range Rover	+ 05.52.09
5.	301	Miller	Range Rover	+ 07.01.55
6.	207	Ambrosino	Peugeot	+ 07.44.01
7.	471	Ratet	Toyota	+ 08.55.54
8.	242	Tijtermann	Mitsubishi Pajero	+ 09.53.23
9.	247	Deladriere	Prototype	+ 10.40.59
10.	513	Riviere	Toyota	+ 10.43.11