New Mitsubishi Triton Rally Car Unveiled Ahead of 2023 AXCR

Third-Gen Mitsubishi Triton Pick-Up Truck

The next-gen Mitsubishi Triton pick-up truck recently made its global debut in Thailand, featuring an all-new chassis and engine, as well as new look. The new model is so impressive, so much so that Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has built a beefed-up rally version of the new Triton, in the team’s bid to retain the Asian Cross Country Rally’s (AXCR) championship title for this year’s edition.

2023 Mitsubishi Triton AXCR Rally Car

Cordially known as the Mitsubishi Triton AXCR, this souped-up rally pick-up truck has undergone intensive endurance testing around Japan and Thailand, clocking over 2,000 KM in the process. Following the testing results, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s director and two-time Rally Dakar winner Hiroshi Masuoka said that the new Triton rally car provides “even better performance than last year’s model in every stage, from flat dirt high-speed stages to muddy low-speed stages”.

As we mentioned earlier, the new Triton AXCR is based on the newly-launched third-gen Triton pick-up truck, albeit with a slew of performance and cosmetics upgrades that are all in-line with FIA’s Group T1 regulations for cross-country vehicles. Highlights include a slew of carbon fibre parts, new black and red Ralliart racing livery, prominent underbody armouring, snorkel for its air intake, and red mud flaps.

Meanwhile, its tailgate door has been removed not only to shed some extra weight, but also allow easier access to its spare wheels set and a winch that are placed on the flatbed. Speaking of wheels, this rally car rides on new 17-inch lightweight aluminium wheels, now shodded in narrower Yokohama Geolandar G003 mud-terrain (MT) tyres.

Its interior has been stripped down to the bone, allowing extra room to install a full roll cage, as well as racing buckets and steering wheel. Thanks to this extensive diet routine, the new Triton AXCR managed to weigh about the same as its predecessor, in spite of its bulkier facade.

The Triton AXCR employs the same 2.4-litre turbodiesel mill as its road-legal twin

As per regulations, the new Triton’s 2.4-litre 4-cyl 4N16 turbodiesel mill remains untouched, with the only modifications made were the addition of air intake snorkel and improved water-proofing seals – making them ready to cross any watery pathways. Predictably, the Triton AXCR gets the peppiest state-of-tune, producing 201 HP and 470 NM.

Just like its road-going counterpart, the Triton AXCR’s turbodiesel engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, sending power to all four wheels through the Super Select 4WD-II system plus a Cusco-sourced front- and-rear limited-slip differentials. 

Apart from that, the rally model gets a beefier set of Cusco dampers with improved off-road-biassed tuning and hydraulic bump stoppers. Elsewhere, the Triton AXCR also gets improved brakes from Endless, featuring ventilated rotors and four-piston callipers for both front and rear.

2023 Mitsubishi Delica D:5 AXCR support car

Aside from the new Triton AXCR, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has also specced-out four new Delica D:5 models with off-road-ready and rally gears. Among key equipment upgrades are the beefy JAOS suspension setup, roof racks with integrated LED spotlights, lightweight Work wheels shodded in Yokohama M/T tyres, as well as the same Ralliart racing livery as the Triton AXCR.

These upgrades aren’t just for styling purposes, as all four of these Delica D:5 minivans will be used to transport the rest of the Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s supporting crew members, including the team boss, Hiroshi Masuoka.

Both the Triton AXCR and Delica D:5 AXCR will make their championship debut at the 2023 Asian Cross Country Rally championship, which will take place in Thailand and Laos between Aug 13 to 19 this year. In-charge of piloting the new Triton AXCR are defending champion Chayapon Yotha from Thailand, Rifat Sungkar from Indonesia, and Asia-Pacific Rally Championship winner Katsuhiko Taguchi from Japan.