Mitsubishi to Revisit its Off-Road Racing Heritage with New Triton
The Mitsubishi Triton is a bakkie we quite like, but the consensus is that the workhorse is starting to show its age. It is good to know that a new generation is on the horizon, but Mitsubishi has also shifted its focus to its long-neglected rally heritage.
Mitsubishi has a rich legacy of going fast off-road, as evident in its iconic models like the Galant, Starion, the renowned Lancer Evo, and the Pajero. These vehicles showcased the Japanese automaker’s abilities and fostered passionate circles that coveted ownership of these remarkable models.
It is seemingly odd for Mitsubishi to select the Triton as the nameplate to reinvigorate this off-road affair. Then again, with the success of competitors like Toyota and their lightning-fast Hilux T1 as well as Ford’s new Ranger Raptor racing bakkie, it is hardly a surprise that Mitsubishi has chosen the Triton as the contender to take the fight to Toyota and Ford.
Although not often discussed on our side of the world, the Triton is already used as a racing platform in the Asian racing scene, winning the Asia Cross Country Rally last year.
The name of the group in charge of building this off-road weapon is Team Ralliart. They are no strangers to the rally raid scene and will adopt this new truck to defend the Asia Cross Country Rally title in August. Being last year’s title winner and with a new toy up their sleeves, it will be an interesting outing, to say the least.
The Asia Cross country rally will start on the 13th of August, and drivers will tackle around 2,000 km of trails, including 1,000 km of special stage events. The race will run over a week.
This new truck is completely remodelled with a new engine, chassis, frame and body. This will also be the perfect testing ground for the new Triton bakkie. Yes, this is a modified variant competing in the T1 group stage, not to be confused with the T1+ cars we see in Dakar.
What does this mean regarding the release of the next-generation Triton? Fortunately for Mitsubishi owners and future buyers, the new 2024 Triton L200 will be unveiled ahead of the racing event on the 26th of July. We could see it in our showrooms by the end of next year.
