The Mitsubishi Triton is a compact pickup truck produced by

Mitsubishi Motors is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.Chrysler Corporation sold

captive import Captive import is a marketing term and a strategy for a vehicle that is foreign-built and sold under the name of an importer or by a domestic automaker through its own dealer distribution system. The foreign vehicle may be produced by a subsidia ...

s as the Dodge Ram 50 and Plymouth Arrow truck, and Mitsubishi marketed it as the Mitsubishi Mighty Max until 2002. For most export markets the name L200 is used,"Mitsubishi Forte"
, Mitsubishi Motors South Africa website
Mitsubishi Motors press release, 25 August 2005
Mitsubishi Motors press release, 21 September 2006 though it has also been known as the Rodeo,"2006 Mitsubishi bakkie range"
, Mitsubishi Motors South Africa website Colt, Storm, Magnum, Strakar (used in Portugal since 1999; Strakar is a portmanteau of Strada and Dakar), and others. In 2015,

Fiat Professional Fiat Professional is the brand name and subsidiary of Stellantis which manufactures light commercial vehicles and their passenger variants. It was launched on 17 April 2007 and replaced the Fiat Veicoli Commerciali division. Fiat Professional is ...

launched a rebadged version as the

Fiat Fullback The Fiat Fullback is a pickup truck from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat made from 2016 to 2019. The result of a collaboration agreement between Fiat and the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors signed in 2014, the truck is mechanicall ...

. In 2016, Ram Trucks launched a rebadged version as the Ram 1200 for the Middle East market. Cumulative sales of the first three generations exceeded 2.8 million units around the world."Triton"
, Technology Review 2006, no.18, pp.144–147, Mitsubishi Motors website the pickup truck is sold in every available Mitsubishi market except the United States, Canada, Japan, India and China. In Japan, it was previously sold at a specific retail chain called Car Plaza.

First generation (L200; 1978)

The first generation model of Mitsubishi's compact pickup truck was first sold in Japan as the Mitsubishi Forte in September 1978 and continued until late 1986, when the line was cancelled in the Japanese domestic market for five years. In Japan the Forte was originally sold with the 1.6-litre 4G32 engine (L021P). Later this was updated to the 1.6-litre G32B engine with two-wheel drive (LO25) or with four-wheel drive coupled to the 2.0-litre Sirius G63B with (L026). Offered in basic Deluxe trim, the larger-engined version was also available in leisure-oriented Custom trim. The Custom also has a smoother and less utilitarian bed, without provisions for fitting a canvas top and with fewer hardpoints for strapping down loads. 1970s- 80s Mitsubishi L200 pick up (11294823126)

1970s- 80s Mitsubishi L200 pick up (11294823126)

In export versions, the 2.0-litre petrol version had , while a larger 2.6-litre unit offered . Also popular in many markets, was a 2.3-litre diesel engine. The 1.6-litre Saturn engine rounded out the lineup in many countries. A naked cab and chassis version was also available in some markets. Mechanical features included recirculating ball steering and front disc brakes,

rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...

, and front suspension with

coil spring A selection of conical coil springs The most common type of spring is the coil spring, which is made out of a long piece of metal that is wound around itself. Coil springs were in use in Roman times, evidence of this can be found in bronze Fib ...

Four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...

(4WD) was added in 1981, featuring

torsion bar suspension A torsion bar suspension, also known as a torsion spring suspension, is any vehicle suspension that uses a torsion bar as its main weight-bearing spring. One end of a long metal bar is attached firmly to the vehicle chassis; the opposite end term ...

up front. The rear suspension for both comprised

leaf spring A leaf spring is a simple form of spring commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, elliptical spring, or cart spring, i ...

s with bias-mounted shock absorbers. The 4WD system incorporated an extra lever located alongside the main four-speed shifter. This provided three positions; 2WD in high-range, 4WD in high-range, and 4WD in low-range. In low-range, the vehicle travels at half road speed for any given engine rpm. The

transfer case A transfer case is a part of the drivetrain of four-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, and other multiple powered axle vehicles. The transfer case transfers power from the transmission to the front and rear axles by means of drive shafts. It also syn ...

is chain-driven to the front wheels, making it lighter, quieter, and easier to shift than the more common gear type. As such, the driver can shift between 2WD and 4WD in high-range without using the clutch, with the activation of low-range requiring the vehicle to be stopped. A warning lamp would light when the 4WD was engaged.

Chrysler variants

The Dodge Ram 50 (called the Dodge D-50 for 1979 and 1980) was a badge-engineered version sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1979 on. The label lasted until 1994, through two generations. Plymouth also received a version of the vehicle known as the Plymouth Arrow Truck, sold from 1979 to 1982. This was Chrysler's belated answer to the

Ford Courier Ford Courier is a model nameplate used by Ford since the early 1950s. First used in North America for a sedan delivery, the Courier nameplate has seen use worldwide for multiple types of vehicles. The Courier nameplate was also used by Ford for ...

from

Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...

and the

Chevrolet LUV The Chevrolet LUV and the later Chevrolet LUV D-Max are light pickup trucks designed and manufactured by Isuzu and marketed in the Americas since 1972 by Chevrolet over four generations as rebadged variants of the Isuzu Faster and D-Max. ''L ...

by Isuzu (both of which had been introduced in 1972), while the

Toyota Hilux The , stylized as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as pickup truck or cab chassis variants, although the ...

and

Datsun Truck The Datsun Truck is a compact pickup truck made by Nissan in Japan from 1955 through 1997. It was originally sold under the Datsun brand, but this was switched to Nissan in 1983. It was replaced in 1997 by the Frontier and Navara. In Japan, it ...

were already available and imported directly from Japan. Mitsubishi itself imported it as the Mitsubishi Mighty Max when it began selling directly in the US from 1982, at which point the Plymouth ceased to be available. The Dodge version had quad rectangular headlights beginning with the 1983 facelift, while Mitsubishis and earlier Dodges had single units in North America. In the rest of the world, importers could choose between single or double rectangular units, as well as twin round headlights. The twin round units were the original fitment for the Japanese domestic market.

was added for 1982. This created the Power Ram 50 in the United States, as in Dodge's nomenclature the "Power Ram" name was used for four wheel drive models. A

turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pr ...

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...

was available in US models between 1983 and 1985. The 1983 turbodiesel was fitted with a ''TC05'' non-wastegated turbo and produced and torque. The 1984–1985 turbodiesels were fitted with a TD04 wastegated turbo which resulted in and torque.

Chrysler Australia Fiat Chrysler Australia, officially FCA Australia, is the official Stellantis subsidiary in that country, operating as distributor of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Abarth, Alfa Romeo and Fiat vehicles. However, there had previously been a "Chrys ...

launched the first generation in April 1979 as the MA series Chrysler D-50. Initially, two pickup versions were sold, the Commercial with the 1.6-litre ''Saturn'' ( 4G32) engine and the higher specification Recreational with the 2.0-litre ''Astron'' ( 4G52) engine. Both Commercials and Recreationals received a floor-shifted 4-speed manual, with a taller axle ratio for the Recreational. Commercials were specified with heavy duty suspension rated for payloads; the Recreational version carries a load. The reason for the halved payload was due to the sedan-type suspension of softer springs and more supple shock absorbers. The Recreational model also featured radial ply tires,

electronic ignition An ignition system generates a spark or heats an electrode to a high temperature to ignite a fuel-air mixture in spark ignition internal combustion engines, oil-fired and gas-fired boilers, rocket engines, etc. The widest application for spark i ...

bucket seat A bucket seat is a car seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from a flat bench seat designed to fit multiple people. In its simplest form it is a rounded seat for one person with high sides, but may have curved sides that partially enclose ...

s, pile carpet, radio, floor console, sports steering wheel and an adjustable steering column as standard. An optional sports stripe package was also available. Options included a weather-tight, fibreglass canopy with foam rubber mattress. This was manufactured by Challenge Industries and incorporated sliding side windows. Later in 1979, a

cab chassis A chassis cab, also called a cab chassis or half truck, is a type of vehicle construction, often found in medium duty truck commercial vehicles. Instead of supplying the customer with a factory pre-assembled flatbed, cargo container, or other e ...

body variant of the Commercial was released. In March 1980, the D-50 was renamed Chrysler L200 Express to form linkage with the newly released L300 Express vans. In October 1980, the Chrysler labelling made way for Mitsubishi badges following the establishment of

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) is a fully owned subsidiary of parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan. The company was established in 1980 and began vehicle manufacturing in that year, having taken over the facilities ...

from Chrysler Australia's old operations. In June 1981, Mitsubishi released 4WD versions of the pickup and cab chassis, both with the 2.0-litre motor. Free-wheeling hubs to reduce noise and fuel use in 2WD mode were optional. In late 1981, the 2.0-litre with five-speed manual was made optional for the 2WD one-tonne suspension models.

Second generation (K00/K10/K20/K30; 1986)

The second generation model was introduced in 1986 for most markets. In Australia, this model launched in October 1986 as the low-cost Triton. In Japan the pickups were not sold for a few years, making their return as the Strada in Japan in March 1991. A facelift took place for the 1993 model year, with a new grille and new plastic bumpers comprising most of the changes. It continued to be produced until 1996. Sales in the Japanese domestic market continued into the middle of 1997. The truck usually has a 2.5 litre diesel or an turbo diesel engine, with the turbo diesel being the only engine available in the Japanese home market. The Triton was not a spirited performer, with a four-wheel drive V6 model having a top speed of . The second generation Mitsubishi truck was also produced in Thailand. Starting out as a fairly utilitarian truck, more comfortable versions were gradually added in most markets. In Australia & New Zealand, a small, 3.0-litre, V6 engine with was added in early 1993. The V6 was not a well liked engine specification by consumers, as it did not tow as well or make as much torque as the diesel four-cylinder engine did, and used much more fuel than the four-cylinder. The 3.0L V6 6G72 equipped models also had a flaw in the design of the engine lifters- noisy lifters resulted in catastrophic engine failure over time. The locally developed L200 Sport range, more stylish and often featuring two-tone paint, was very popular in New Zealand where the L200 was offered with five different engines.

North America

In the US it was known as the Mitsubishi Mighty Max or the Dodge Ram 50. Petrol engines include a carburetted 2.0-litre inline-four or a 2.6-litre inline-four with . Four-wheel drive (non-LSD) was also available, as were a four-speed automatic transmission, two bed lengths, and both regular and Macrocab (extended cab) options. There was also a higher-rated One-Ton model available on regular cab models with the longer bed. In later years the standard engine was switched to a 2.4-litre inline-four producing . This engine was made standard fitment on all two-wheel drive Mighty Maxes for the 1991 model year, while four-wheel drives all received the recently introduced 3.0-litre V6 with .

Dodge Ram 50

The Ram 50 was redesigned for 1987, which was the same year Chrysler introduced the Ram 50's successor, the

Dodge Dakota The Dodge Dakota, known as the Ram Dakota for the final two years of production, is a mid-size pickup truck from Chrysler's Ram (formerly Dodge Truck) division. The first Dakota was introduced in late 1986 as a 1987 model. From its introduction th ...

. Despite this, sales of the Ram 50 continued for another seven years until 1994, possibly because the Ram 50 was a compact and the Dakota was a mid-size. The difference in size and cost left a niche for the Ram 50, and its cancellation may have been due more to a desire to show independence from Mitsubishi than because of any product overlap. The Mighty Max was taken off the US market after the 1996 model year, and its successor was not marketed in North America due to poor sales. The Ram 50 underwent facelifts and modifications corresponding to those of the Mighty Max, with a choice of or bed lengths Siegel, p. 60 and regular or extended Sports Cabs.

Third generation (K50/K60/K70; 1996)

In 1996, a new generation model was introduced with 2.5-litre turbodiesel engines developing . Other engine options include two sixteen-valve fuel injected gasoline engines and a naturally aspirated diesel. The previous 2.6-litre unit was replaced with a new, considerably more powerful 2.4-litre engine with . The car participated in the Dakar Rally in 2005. Production ended in 2006. These were only built in

Laem Chabang Laem Chabang ( th, แหลมฉบัง, ) is a port city municipality ('' thesaban nakhon'') in Si Racha and Bang Lamung districts of Chonburi Province, Thailand. It includes Thung Sukhla subdistrict (''tambon'') and parts of subdistricts Bu ...

, Thailand, and were also exported to Japan between 1997 and 1999. In late 2001 the third generation pickup underwent a facelift with new headlights and other changes. An SUV model developed from the Mitsubishi Triton, called the

Mitsubishi Challenger The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a mid-size SUV produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors using the Pajero nameplate since 1996 that has spanned over three generations and based on the Triton pickup truck. Mitsubishi has formerly u ...

was released to Japan in 1996. In overseas markets it was also badged Montero Sport, Pajero Sport, Shogun Sport, or Nativa. Challenger shares many components and some body panels (i.e. front doors) with the Strada pickup truck and utilises the second generation

Mitsubishi Pajero The Further information on the Mitsubishi P ...

wheelbase. The Challenger was also produced in Thailand as the Mitsubishi Strada G-Wagon. The Thai model, unlike the same vehicle manufactured elsewhere used the same front styling as the Strada pickup truck that it was based upon. It was retired from production in 2005, but the Challenger nameplate was resurrected for the second generation of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, launched in 2008 and which is also based on the following generation of the Mitsubishi Triton.

Fourth generation (KA/KB; 2005)

The fourth generation Triton was released in 2005. Designed by Akinori Nakanishi, it was built exclusively by Mitsubishi's subsidiary in Thailand and was exported to 140 global markets. It was mostly known as L200 except for Japan and its subsidiary countries' markets. The car had a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine developing . The base version, available in some markets such as the Dominican Republic, had a 2.5-litre normally aspirated diesel engine and the L200 off-road version called the Savana had 200 hp. In Japan, the Triton was exclusively equipped with 3.5-litre petrol engine and 4-speed automatic transmission and was sold from 2006 to 2011 - the only pick-up truck in the market at that time (excluding

kei trucks A kei truck, kei-class truck, or Japanese mini truck is a mini truck, a tiny but practical pickup truck available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive versions, built to satisfy the Japanese '' keijidōsha'' (軽自動車, "light vehicle") st ...

). Despite its success overseas, it was a critical failure in Japan as workmen and traders preferred vans and station wagons. As a result, in August 2011 the Triton was pulled out from Mitsubishi's Japanese lineup. File:Mitsubishi L200 2500 DI-D+ Intense Doppelkabine (IV, Facelift) – Frontansicht, 16. April 2011, Hilden.jpg, 2011 Mitsubishi L200 (first facelift, Europe) File:Mitsubishi L200 2500 DI-D+ Intense Doppelkabine (IV, Facelift) – Heckansicht, 16. April 2011, Hilden.jpg, 2011 Mitsubishi L200 (first facelift, Europe) File:2009-2011 Mitsubishi Triton (MN) GL-R 4-door utility 01.jpg, Mitsubishi Triton dual cab (second facelift, Australia) File:2009-2011 Mitsubishi Triton (MN) GL-R 4-door utility 02.jpg, Mitsubishi Triton dual cab (second facelift, Australia) File:2012 Mitsubishi Triton (MN MY12) GL cab chassis (2015-07-03).jpg, Mitsubishi Triton GL cab chassis (second facelift, Australia)

Fifth generation (KJ/KK/KL; 2015)

In 2014, Mitsubishi unveiled the all new L200 which went on sale in early 2015 (Asia-Pacific) and late 2015 (Europe and the Caribbean). It is powered by a new 2.4-litre diesel engine. Since 2015, the current generation L200 shares the same underpinnings as the newly rebadged Fiat Fullback intended for the European and Middle East markets. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles currently has no plans to introduce the Fullback in the North American market due to the U.S. chicken tax as well as the introduction of the Jeep Gladiator, based on the fourth-generation Jeep Wrangler SUV. For the 2017 model year, Ram Trucks rebadged the Triton as the Ram 1200 for the Middle East market. In addition, due to being plagued by the previous-generation Triton's critical failure in Japanese market (in contrast to its overseas success), in addition to having heavy excise duties for pickup trucks there, Mitsubishi Motors currently has no plans to bring the current Triton to their home market.

Safety

Latin NCAP

The L200 in its most basic Latin American configuration with no airbags and no ESC received 0 stars for adult occupants and 2 stars for toddlers from

Latin NCAP The Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) is an automobile safety assessment programme for Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 2010, it offers independent information to consumers about the safety levels of new cars in the ...

in 2019.

Euro NCAP

The L200 in its standard European configuration received 4 stars from

Euro NCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in Februa ...

in 2015.

Markets

Malaysia

The fifth generation Triton was launched in Malaysia in May 2015 being fully imported from Thailand. It was available in five variants: Triton Quest (MT), Triton MT, Triton VGT MT, Triton VGT AT and Triton VGT Adventure (AT). The VGT models came with a 2.5L variable geometry turbo engine capable of producing and . The Triton MT had a 2.5L common rail turbo engine capable of producing and and the Triton Quest had a 2.5L DOHC common rail engine with and . Two limited editions were made available including the: Triton Phantom Edition in January 2016 and the Triton Knight Edition in May 2016. Both were limited to 200 units each. In September 2016, alongside of the change of engine for the VGT models to a 2.4L MIVEC VGT turbodiesel engine capable of and , the Triton VGT Adventure X was also launched as the new range topper. In April 2017, the Triton was updated. Changes included additional safety features for the VGT models, change in the steering wheel design and different colour choices. In September 2017, the Triton VGT AT GL was launched and was positioned in between the Triton MT and Triton VGT MT. In November 2017, the Triton VGT AT Premium was added to the lineup. In January 2018, the Triton Athlete was launched as the new range topper. In January 2019, the facelifted fifth generation Triton was launched in Malaysia with five variants: VGT (MT and AT), VGT Premium (MT and AT), Adventure X (AT only). The 4x2 Quest model remained unchanged.

Philippines

The fifth generation Triton, known locally as the Strada was launched on 20 March 2015 and was offered in 6 trim levels; GL 4x2, GL 4x4, GLX 4x2, GLX V, GLS V and GLS Sport V. All trims were initially offered with the 2.5-litre 4D56 engine. In August 2016, the 2.4-litre MIVEC VGT engine was added alongside the GT trim. The facelifted Strada was launched in January 2019. It is offered in 4 variants; GLX Plus, GLS 2WD, GLS 4WD and GT 4WD. Facelifted C&C and GL models of Strada was launched in February 2020.

Facelift

The Triton was refreshed for the 2019 model year at the 2018 Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok, Thailand. This update consists of new front fascia, which is inspired from the Pajero/Montero Sport, Eclipse Cross and Xpander, new teardrop taillight design treatment as the Pajero/Montero Sport, and slight changes in the interior for some variants. This model also received a rear air circulator located at the interior roof. File:2019 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian X DI-D Automatic 2.3.jpg, 2019 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian (facelift; UK) File:2019 Mitsubishi L200 Warrior DI-D 2.3 Rear.jpg, 2019 Mitsubishi L200 Warrior (facelift; UK) File:2019 Mitsubishi Triton Exceed 4x4 2.4 KL1TJ interior (20190722).jpg, Interior

Sales

References

External links

Mitsubishi Triton official website
* (global) {{Dodge Truck Timeline Triton Cars introduced in 1978 1970s cars 1980s cars 1990s cars 2000s cars 2010s cars 2020s cars Pickup trucks Rear-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Off-road vehicles Euro NCAP pick-ups Latin NCAP pick-ups Cars powered by longitudinal 4-cylinder engines