By Otsile Kadiege

In a bid to spruce up the appeal of the Triton bakkie, Mitsubishi South Africa unveiled a new limited-edition variant for the Triton range called the Triton Athlete. This limited-edition derivative adds several bespoke exterior and interior cosmetic updates. According to Mitsubishi SA, this ‘Athlete’ theme is inspired by the Café Racer concept that originated among British motorcycle lovers in London in the 1960s who took inspiration from motorsport to personalize their motorcycles.

What you get with the Athlete limited-edition

On the exterior, the Triton Athlete is immediately noticeable thanks to red touches to the front bumper lower garnish, side-step and rear bumper step. A comprehensive decal kit inspired by the world of motorsport includes a hood decal, tailgate strip and side stripes featuring the number 01. Adding to the visual appeal of exterior specification upgrades are LED headlamps with black accents and matching daylight running lamps. The Triton Athlete rides on unique gloss black 18-inch alloys.

Inside, the motorsport inspired theme is continued where the leather steering wheel, parking brake and floor console feature black and red stitching. Unique leather seats and door trim have also been treated to red leather stitching.

Unchanged performance

Under the bonnet of the Triton Athlete is the same 2.4L DOHC MIVEC Diesel engine boasting 133kW at 3 500 r/min and 430Nm at 2 500r/min. It is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that features Intelligent Shift Control.

Pricing and warranty

Mitsubishi Triton  2.4L DI-DC A/T 4×4 Athlete – R749,900

As with all Triton models the Triton Athlete is covered by Mitsubishi’s manufacturer’s warranty of three years or 100 000km, a five-year/90 000km service plan and five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance. Service intervals are every 10 000km.