It has been less than a month since the debut of the all-new sixth generation of the Mitsubishi Triton but the automaker is already thinking about future upgrades including a digital instrument cluster and four-wheel disc brakes.
While it is common for automakers to start working on facelifted or next-generation models from early on in the lifecycle, we haven’t gotten used to hearing about planned upgrades from high-ranked officials. Contrary to that trend, Yoshiki Masuda, Chief Product Specialist at Mitsubishi, openly spoke to Australian media about what they have in mind for the Triton’s future.
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As reported by CarExpert, Masuda said that Mitsubishi wants to add rear disc brakes to the Triton replacing the existing rear drums which were retained from the previous generation despite the increased weight. This change could be applied in a future “minor model upgrade”, allowing the pickup to become compatible with more ADAS and autonomous parking functions. Besides the safety credentials, the Product Specialist added that there are also “performance factors” behind the need for rear disc brakes.
Most rivals of the Mitsubishi Triton in the midsize pickup segment – including the Toyota Hilux and the Nissan Navara – also come with rear drums. However, the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok siblings get rear discs in their high-spec trims, a feature that comes standard in Chinese offerings from Great Wall Motors (Cannon X) and SAIC (LDV/Maxus T60).
Masuda also noted that another welcome feature in the Mitsubishi Triton would be the addition of a digital instrument cluster. The new Triton is currently limited to a 7-inch display squished between the analog instruments, but a possible update could bring the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that is already available in the Mitsubishi Outlander.
It is not clear when Mitusbishi plans on integrating the aforementioned features into the sixth-gen Triton. Our colleagues down under suggest that this could happen in a facelift, although judging from the timing of the launch this is at least 4 years away. However, the additions could happen a lot sooner than that, as part of a model-year update.
During his encounter with the Australian media, Masuda also confirmed that the new Triton is a “Mitsubishi-only” project – including the ladder-frame chassis, turbodiesel engine, and the entire development. The Product Specialist claims that the involvement of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance was limited to “some information exchange”.