Tougher Mitsubishi Tritons coming

There’s good news for those desiring more performance from Mitsubishi Triton. Not one but two tougher versions are on the way.

Australia’s position as the world’s biggest Triton market outside Thailand has won favour at Mitsubishi HQ in Japan. And now the Triton Absolute tough-truck concept reveal at the Bangkok motor show in March is being used as a ‘blueprint’ for both locally tuned and, eventually, factory fresh tough truck versions.

The Absolute show vehicle was partially designed in Australia to gauge consumer demand. Since its unveiling, it has been trialled by Mitsubishi Motors Australia in secret customer clinics around the country.

The challenge, however, is that even if the Triton Absolute is approved for production, it’s unlikely to appear in this model’s lifetime. Indeed, the first factory Absolute will likely emerge to top out the next-generation Triton – a vehicle that will be twinned with the new Nissan Navara in around 2022.

Now carsales can confirm a tougher new locally-developed version of the current Mitsubishi Triton with more power, torque and capability is set to become available in Australia – and it could be sold via Mitsubishi dealers with full factory backing.

The tougher Triton is the creation of TMR (Team Mitsubishi Ralliart), a Pakenhan (Vic) based operation which has more than two decades of experience in Australian and international motorsport.

TMR was behind many of the design elements seen on the Triton Absolute show car and some of these look set to carry over to the tough new Mitsubishi Triton TMR.

Key to the exercise, however, will be more power, torque, efficiency and response.

Technical details remain under wraps for now, but apart from offering a range of more than 100 performance parts for various Mitsubishi models, TMR has been upgrading the power outputs of the Triton, Pajero and Pajero Sport since early 2017.

For reference, TMR’s $1495 ECU-based power upgrade for the pre-facelifted Triton increased the outputs of Mitsubishi’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder MIVEC turbo-diesel from 133kW/430Nm to 147kW/470Nm – the same as the Ford Ranger’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel – while also reducing turbo lag and fuel consumption.

The new Triton TMR would be available as a complete package, including cosmetic and off-road upgrades, via Mitsubishi dealer network.

The problem is it’s yet to be signed off by Mitsubishi Motors in Japan and until that happens the TMR-tuned Triton cannot be sold as a dealer-fit option with a full factory warranty.

carsales’ own sources within Mitsubishi Australia say the decision is still to be made. If Mitsubishi does not give the green light, the hotter Triton may only be available via TMR itself.

Our sources suggest the Triton Absolute concept is performing extremely well in product focus groups, so it seems all that’s standing between Australians and a tougher Triton is evidence of public demand.

If a higher-performance Triton sounds like you, it’s time to let your local Mitsubishi dealer know.