The new 2019 Mitsubishi Triton is undoubtedly one of the Japanese manufacturer's most important releases of recent times; especially given the explosion of demand for double-cab utes in places like Australia and New Zealand.
And, by and large, the new Triton is a worthy addition to the segment indeed. We road-tested it last month, finding it to be a well rounded upgrade over the previous model — both in terms of the (admittedly divisive) styling changes and in terms of new technology.
Now, Mitsubishi have revealed an enthusiast-focused model at the Bangkok Auto Show overnight.
It's called the Mitsubishi Triton Absolute, and — yes — it is still currently just a concept vehicle. But, judging by its production-ready appearance, it wouldn't surprise us if the model's status changed in due course.
Read more: Road test — Mitsubishi Triton VRX takes on the ute giants
What's different on the Absolute then. Well, it's been raised by 50mm via a lift-kit that enables increased suspension travel and a more staunch appearance. The latter is naturally backed by a tough wheel and rubber combination in the form of Falken Wildpreak off-road tyres and beadlock wheels. A blackened grill adds to the 'murdered out' aesthetic.
There's also, weirdly, a lot of carbon fibre. The light-weight material appears on the revised wide-body fender flares, as well as on the tailgate (which itself sports a big, proud, indented Mitsubishi logo).
Red and grey accents scattered along the front and rear skid plates and roof-mounted red grab handles above the doors and bed are among the other styling changes, while buyers hoping to hit the dunes and the dirt at night also get a roof-mounted LED light bar.
The aforementioned suspension changes appear to be the only performance differences in the Absolute concept, meaning that the 2.4-litre MIVEC turbo-diesel engine (making 135kW of power and 437Nm of torque) likely remains untouched under the bonnet.
Not that this would make for a huge drama in the sales department. Yes, bigger power to match the big looks would be nice, but having a small engine hasn't stopped possible rivals like the 2.0-litre bi-turbo Ford Ranger Raptor from being sales successes.
All to question now is whether Mitsubishi will put the tough looking Absolute into production. We'll keep you posted.
