MITSUBISHI TRITON XTREME

WALKINSHAW WAVES ITS WAND OVER AN OLD STAGER, BUT IS THE OUTCOME EXTREME?

- TRISTAN TANCREDI

AWALKINSHAW Performance-fettled Mitsubishi Triton has officially entered the Australian market, but buyers will have to be quick to claim one, as a limited run of just 500 units will be available through select Mitsubishi dealers in Q3 of this year.

Dubbed the Triton Xtreme, the limited-edition variant carries a recommended retail price of $71,990, making it around $14,000 dearer than the Triton GSR it's based on. 

Why the Triton? Initially Walkinshaw sat down as a team and looked at the best-selling utes of 2022, soon realising the Triton consistently sat at the pointy end of the charts behind the Ranger and Hilux. And it didn't have a similar halo model like the Ranger Raptor or Hilux Rogue atop its hierarchy.

The process began by 3D-scanning the Triton GSR to provide the Walkinshaw team with exact areas where they could improve the vehicle. From this initial step, it was noted that improving the vehicle's suspension especially for off-road driving - should be prioritised.

An enduring relationship between Walkinshaw and Supashock meant that another collaboration was a natural fit with the aim of supplying the top-spec Triton dual-cab with a state-of-the-art suspension set-up designed to improve both on- and offroad performance.

Supashock 46mm monotube dampers with a 20mm rod design were installed on each corner of the vehicle, with the front units running a remote canister and the rear a piggyback system. Walkinshaw tells us it's a much simpler set-up than those they installed on the second-gen HSV SportsCat, which employed an upside- down damper and sliding bodies.