The Mk3 Centinela was released in mid 1992, just around the time the SUV market was beginning to boom. It was noted to be a significant upgrade over the Mk2, which had been in production since the 70's. It was still a body on frame construction with a solid rear axle, however it used double wishbone front suspension to aid with comfort and roadholding.
This was also the 1st generation of this model to split into different sub models. The Alamo was a 4 door SUV, the Sport was a 2 door SUV with a convertible roof and the Vago once again returns as an SUV based pickup truck.
The Alamo, seen here, was the best seller of the lot. It was avaliable in 3 trims, the Original, Edition (E) and Special Edition (SE). The top of the range SE model had an advanced computerised 4WD system, tan or black leather interior, glass sunroof, a high quality casette player and 2 tone paint. The Edition dropped the 4wd system for a classic 4x4 system and did away with the glass sunroof and 2 tone paint however was still well equipped. The original took off a lot more, coming with a cloth interior, plastic cladding and even no ABS.
All models came with a 3.9 OHV V6 with around 150hp as standard, but the SE model had the option of a 5.9 OHV V8 increasing output to 225hp. Automatic 4 speed was standard on SE and E, however Original had a 5 speed manual.
The Sport model was a 2 door version with a soft top over the rear end. All Sports were supplied with a factory hard top when new. Although it was a simple bed cap with no opening windows, wiper or rear screen heater, it was known for being high quality and well insulated, as well as sound deadened. The Original, Edition and Special Edition return, however the top spec was the Desierto, with larger tyres, lifted suspension and a thicker skid plate underneath, as well as the V8 engine from standard.
The Vago was an extended cab pickup based on the Sport. It had a seperate bed and cab to help with cheap repairs. Also, unlike most pickups at the time, it came with 4WD standard to make up for its heftier price tag. It came only in 2 trims, the Original and the XT. The Original was a bare bones truck designed for offroading, while the XT was more in line with the Edition on SUV models, however it had 2 tone paint, a roll bar with optional spotlights and the option of the 5.9 V8.
And here are the Original trim models, which you wouldn't be likely to see in marketing material. Despite not being horribly equipped as this was a premium 4x4, they only had 3 colours (Gray, White, Olive Green) to choose from and did not include the prestigious options like sunroofs or alloy wheels. However, reliability, fuel efficiency and price were much better especially when equipped with the manual gearbox.
