Challenger heads upmarket

Mitsubishi is expecting its next-generation Challenger large SUV to be a 'game changer' in the same way Ford is promising the Everest will be a quantum leap for ladder-framed off-roaders.

While the Australian-developed Ranger-based Everest has broken cover ahead of its local launch, with Ford revealing much of the details about its technical package and advanced equipment list, the Mitsubishi is still literally under wraps.

However, the next Challenger – which is based on the new Triton which launches here in May – has been photographed in camouflage in Adelaide, the headquarters of Mitsubishi in Australia. It will go on-sale in Australia no later than March 2016.

Mitsubishi Australia marketing boss Tony Principe told motoring.com.au the testing of the new Challenger in Australia was indicative of its Japanese parent's desire to make it more popular in established markets.

"If it [Challenger] is half as good as what they are telling us then it could change the game in that large SUV area," Principe claimed.

With a bit of prompting, Principe admitted he had not only seen but driven the new Challenger, describing it as "pretty good".

With the exception of the incredibly popular Toyota Prado, ladder-framed large SUVs have battled for popularity in Australia against their more car-like monocoque rivals.

In 2014, 16,112 Prados were registered in Australia according to VFACTS figures, compared to only 1739 Challengers and 1508 Holden Colorado7s. The Isuzu MU-X was significantly better performing, with 4628 registered.

Ford has already declared the Prado a long-term sales target for the Everest. However, Toyota will add a further layer of complexity to the fight when it adds the HiLux-based Fortuner to its Australian line-up early in 2016.

The new Challenger will share the four-cylinder drivetrain of the next Triton, which swaps to a new 2.4-litre turbo-diesel while retaining its 2.4-litre petrol unit. The Challenger will also retain 4WD capability and up to seven seats capacity. Hybrid could eventually be an option for Challenger, as it is promised for Triton.

However, the Challenger will adopt the new Dynamic Shield design language shown off by the updated Outlander, rather than the new Triton's front-end. 

"If you look at the current Challenger, it's probably geared more towards countries like the Philippines and Thailand," admitted Principe. "So probably they hadn't really had western and developed countries in their framework.

"It's clear, if you look at vehicles like the Challenger and the Colorado7, they are a bit agricultural. In countries like the Philippines they are selling something like 2000 per month and they come to us and say 'they are selling 2000 per month why can't you do better ' and we say 'we are not in the Philippines, we are in Australia'.

"Obviously the level of sophistication that is required is much higher and judging by what we have seen with the Triton that is a good example for us. They have been able to raise the passenger car-like quality substantially, it is a quantum leap. And presumably you can go one step further with the Challenger replacement."

However, Principe stressed that testing in Australia had also focussed on improving both the Triton and Challenger's off-road ability.

"There has been a lot of testing in Australia of both the Triton and the Challenger replacement," he said. "So they are obviously pretty keen on our market and they obviously understand that the market conditions here – especially the off-road conditions – are pretty good testing grounds.

"We have taken it to places like Saunders Gorge in Adelaide which is a very serious off-road track. It's an ecological farm out near Birdswood in the Adelaide Hills and it's pretty rugged terrain.

"So there has been a lot of testing of the capability of both the Triton and the Challenger replacement and they are throwing a lot of effort at it, because they want that vehicle to be their iconic large SUV vehicle into other markets around the world."

The importance of Challenger and Triton's success in Australia was underlined at last week's dealer launch of the new Triton, which was attended by some of Mitsubishi most senior global executives including president Tetsuro Aikawa. The chief engineer of Triton and Challenger was also in attendance.