Top secret: Mitsubishi Triton team in Australia

Australia will play a key role in development of the next generation Mitsubishi Triton utility – and locals will get their chance to tell the company exactly what they want in their new pick-up.

Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi has sent a delegation of three of its most senior staff – the chief designer, engineer and product planner of the new Triton – to Australia to gather information that will help shape the next model due in three years.

Mitsubishi chief engineer Kazuhiro Notani and his colleagues arrived in Australia this week and, after meetings at the company's local headquarters in Adelaide, are due to spend the week in Brisbane conducting market research and talking to existing Triton customers – and those who drive rival vehicles.

The president and CEO of Mitsubishi Australia, Masahiko Takahashi, said Australia was the single biggest market for the Triton – even outselling Thailand and Brazil where the ute is also popular. This means that Australia – and local drivers – will be crucial to developing the new model, he said.

"The current vehicle is such a success that we want to make sure we get it absolutely right," he told the Carsales Network.

"We are very proud to have such senior representatives in Australia on this study tour."

Takahashi said the Triton's market share was strongest in Queensland, which is why the team has started by talking to customers in Brisbane.

The Triton team will make regular visits to Australia over the next 12 months as the next model ute takes shape. The team will use the research sessions to better understand how customers use their vehicles and what improvements they'd like.

Mitsubishi recently uprated the towing capacity of the Triton from 2.7 to 3.0 tonnes on most models – but towing capacity is unique to Australia. No other market in our region does this, Takahashi-san said.

"We listen to the customer and we want to deliver for the customer," he said.

Australian ute sales are typically of premium-equipped, double-cab 4WD models whereas the other main markets for the Triton favour the workhorse single cab 2WD model.

The new Triton, whatever shape it takes, is at least three years away from local showrooms. The model pictured is the Triton Panther concept.

Mitsubishi's move to use Australia as a research base follows in the tyre tracks of Ford and Mazda – who based their design and engineering teams here for the new generation Ranger and BT-50 utes.

Meanwhile, though Toyota Australia has refused to comment, the Carsales network believes the next generation Toyota Hilux is being styled in top secret local design studio.

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