Mitsubishi’s Triton Club Cab returns

MITSUBISHI Motors Australia Limited has launched a third body derivative of its latest MN-series Triton one-tonne utility, a two-door four-seat Club Cab variant priced from $38,990.

Joining the dual-cab and single-cab body styles, the Club Cab ends a five-year hiatus for an extra cab-style Triton with flip-up occasional-use rear seats.

Unlike rival king-cab utes, the Triton Club Cab does not have a second set of short, rear-hinged doors to access the rear compartment.

Part of a wider Model Year 2011 upgrade for the MN Triton, details of which are still to be released, the Club Cab is based on the 4x4 GLX model grade and comes fitted with the 4D56 ‘HP’ (‘high powered’) 2.5-litre 16-valve common-rail four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which delivers 131kW of power at 4000rpm and 400Nm of torque from 2000rpm.

As GoAuto reported when the HP engine was introduced with the MY10 series 12 months ago, the engine is markedly more powerful than the 100kW/314Nm 2.5-litre diesel, which continues in 4x2 Triton variants.

On the Club Cab, the engine delivers a combined fuel economy figure of 8.1 litres per 100km.

No automatic gearbox option is available with this variant, leaving a five-speed manual as the sole transmission, but the Club Cab is available in both pick-up and cab-chassis form.

Both have electronic stability and traction control, and a rear differential lock, as an option. Dual front airbags and ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution are standard, along with the ‘Easy Select’ four-wheel drive system.

In addition to the rear seats, the Club Cub has a number of features over the single-cab version, including a lever-type park brake, bucket seats (with driver’s seat height adjustment) and a floor console with lid and cup holder.

Other standard equipment on the Club Cab includes 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, remote central locking, electric front windows, steering-mounted stereo controls and a two-speaker MP3/CD audio system with USB input, iPod control and Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone operation.

Payload ranges from 1057kg for the pick-up and 1192kg for the cab-chassis, the GVM comes in at 2930kg and the maximum (braked) towing capacity is 2700kg. The maximum front axle mass is 1260kg, while the rear can manage 1800kg. Gross combination mass is 5400kg.

The standard pick-up tray measures 1805mm in length, 1470mm in width and 460mm in height. The width between the wheelarches is 1085mm, while the loading height from ground to tray bed is 845mm.

Resting on a 3000m wheelbase, the vehicle itself is 5210mm long, 1750mm wide and 1775mm high, with front/rear wheel tracks at 1505/1500mm and unladen ground clearance at 200mm.

As with other Triton models, it uses a front double wishbone and rear leaf spring suspension, a front disc and rear drum brake combination and power-assisted rack and pinion steering. The turning circle is 11.8m.

As with all Mitsubishi models, the Triton comes with a five-year/130,000km warranty (with roadside assist) and a 10-year/160,000km powertrain warranty.