Australian engineering firm Premcar has unveiled its third joint venture model, and its first with Mitsubishi, in the form of the Triton Raider.
From Navara to Triton
Following the Warrior versions of the Nissan Navara and Patrol, the Raider revives a name last used on a Mitsubishi product in 2009, the North American-market model based on the Dodge Dakota.
Similar to the previous generation Navara Warrior, the Triton Raider rates as an off-road focused derivative of the Australian-spec GSR trim grade.
As such, its aim is more the Ford Ranger Tremor and Toyota Hilux GR Sport than the Ranger Raptor.
Premcar outside touches
Aesthetically, the Premcar upgrades include 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Dueller all-terrain tyres, a red under bumper Raider-branded skidplate and bronze Raider wheel caps.
A black grille, new side-steps and decals, plus a Raider badge on the tailgate and a sports bar with red Raider accents round the exterior off.
Underneath and inside
More prominently are the changes underneath the Triton’s skin, where Premcar has widened the front track by 25mm, and increased the ride height by 25mm at the front and 15mm at the rear.
Unique to Raider, and therefore not shared with the Navara Warrior, are Yamaha-sourced performance dampers, uprated springs, redesigned bump stops and recalibrated power steering.
As with the Navara Warrior, the Triton Raider’s interior revisions are minor and consist of a Raider plaque in front of the gear lever and Raider embroidery work for the front seat headrests.
No added power
Up front, and unlike the original Raider which used six and eight-cylinder engines, the Triton Raider keeps hold of the twin-turbo 2.4-litre 4N16 turbodiesel engine.
This means outputs of 150kW/470Nm are directed to the rear or all four wheels through the part-time four-wheel drive system.
A six-speed automatic is again the only transmission option available.
Raider NOT a preview of next Warrior
Going on sale next month, Mitsubishi hasn’t confirmed pricing. However, reports Down Under have alleged a sticker of more than $70 000, which equates to R813 000 when directly converted and without taxes.
Meanwhile, Premcar has denounced claims that touches applied to the Triton Raider will be carried over to the next generation Navara Warrior.
“[It was a] completely separate project,” CEO Bernie Quinn told drive.com.au.
Mitsubishi Australia’s Product Strategy Manager, Bruce Hampel, however, stated that Premcar’s past experience with Nissan came as a no-brainer when devising the Raider.
Revealed last year, the all-new D27 Navara uses the same platform and engines as the Triton, but will only be marketed in Australasia and nowhere else.
An extensively revised version of the current D23 Navara will continue to be sold in other markets, including South Africa and South America, where it carries the Frontier name.
“The fact that Premcar had already convinced Nissan that they meet the requirements, it was easy for us to go in as Mitsubishi and convince ourselves that they have the appropriate levels of quality and engagement,” Hampel told Drive.
“These programs are done by Mitsubishi [Australia] and Nissan Australia independently. There’s no discussion, no collaboration at all. In a way, it’s coincidental that we’ve both ended up at the same supplier”.
Nothing yet for South Africa
For the moment, no plans are being drawn up for bringing the Triton Raider to South Africa.
Mitsubishi Motors South Africa did, however, confirm at the local launch of the Destinator that the “standard” twin-turbo Triton is undergoing final evaluation ahead of its planned launch around May or June.
As a reminder, current Triton pricing ranges from R499 900 for the single cab GL to R889 990 for the flagship four-wheel drive Edition 46 double cab.
