Triton Athlete out of the starting blocks

Mitsubishi Motors has lunched a new, special edition version of its accomplished Triton double-cab bakkie: the Athlete. Based on the 4×4 automatic derivative, this upgrade is not purely skin deep, as the Athlete boasts several important enhancements.

However, if it was, that would not be a bad thing… Among the many design enhancements the Athlete features a sporty body kit with bold orange and black highlights (the orange is carried over into the leather-upholstered interior, too) and new black powder-coated, diamond-cut 17-inch alloy wheels.

Safety is another area in which the Triton Athlete has received an upgrade. It now offers seven airbags (dual front airbags, side airbags, driver’s knee airbag and curtain airbags), as well as Isofix child-seat anchors.

Importantly, the Athlete offers an upgraded towing capacity of 3,1 t. It retains Mitsubishi’s superb 2,4-litre MIVEC VGT turbodiesel engine (that produces 133 kW at 3 500 r/min and a 430 Nm torque at 2 500 r/min). It is paired to the same five-speed automatic transmission, which now features shift paddles on the steering column.

Other standard features include bi-Xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, a multifunction steering wheel, an upgraded instrument display, a smart-key system with engine starter button, and automatic dual-zone air-conditioning.

Tonneau or armadillo load-box covers, as well as a larger range of manufacturer-approved accessories, are available from dealers. The Triton Athlete is launched at R559 995 – the same as the listed retail price of the standard Triton 4×4 Double Cab A/T.

It is immediately available from all Mitsubishi dealers in southern Africa, and comes standard with a three-year/100 000 km manufacturer’s warranty and a five-year/90 000 km service plan.