Upgraded Mitsubishi Triton to compete at 2024 AXCR

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will compete with four upgraded Triton pickup trucks for the upcoming 2024 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR). 

According to Mitsubishi, the 2024 AXCR-going Triton trucks get mechanical updates like a new racing transmission with a high torque capacity, a rigid/four-link coil spring setup (previously rigid/leaf springs), and tires with increased tread sizes.

Per the Japanese automaker, these improvements are meant to enhance the Mitsubishi Triton’s durability and maneuverability, as well as its ability to absorb major shocks on rough roads and improve its traction on extremely bumpy road surfaces. 

The aforementioned upgrades allowed the Mitsubishi Triton’s driving performance to be “greatly increased to enable it to compete against vehicles with high-displacement engines in high-speed stages.” 

Below is the spec sheet of the Mitsubishi Triton that will compete in 2024 AXCR: 

Dimensions (length and width)	5,320 x 1,995 millimeters (mm)
Wheelbase	3,130 mm
Tread (front and rear)	1,730 mm
Engine	4N16 (intercooled turbocharger)
Fuel injector	High-pressure common-rail direct injection
Displacement	2,439 cubic centimeters
Turbocharger	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine and Turbocharger
Maximum output	Around 201 horsepower
Maximum torque	around 470 Newton-meters
Exhaust system	HKS AXCR 2024 Competition Model
Transmission	Six-speed sequential transmission with Moty’s gear oil
Four-wheel-drive system	Full-time four-wheel-drive
Differential	CUSCO front and rear limited-slip differential
Front suspension	Independent double-wishbone with coil springs
Rear suspension	Rigid/four-link coil spring
Shock absorbers	CUSCO adjustable front and rear twin dampers
Brakes	Endless ventilated discs with monobloc brake calipers and pads, Fortec racing brake fluid
Wheels	WORK aluminum alloy wheels (17-inch x 7J)
Tires	Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 (245/75R17)
Other features	Carbon fiber front fenders, carbon fiber front and rear door panels, carbon fiber cargo outer panel

“Last year, we tried for a second consecutive victory with the all-new Triton, which had just gone on sale, but we were unable to bring out its full potential, ending in third place,” Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Hiroshi Masuoka said. 

“With this year’s Triton, we have made major improvements primarily to driving performance and rough road handling, further enhancing our four-vehicle team as we aim to reclaim our position as champions,” he explained. 

In June, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart organized an 800-kilometer, seven-day, high-stress endurance test for the Triton rally cars on an off-road course near Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. 

There, it put the reliability and durability of the rally trucks’ bodies, chassis, and engines to the test. 

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart 2024 AXCR driver lineup 

For 2024, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will once again rely on the skills of AXCR 2022 champions Chayapon Yotha and Peerapong Sombutwong. The two will be joined by Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui — AXCR 2023 eight-place finishers. 

Also sharing the cockpit of a Mitsubishi Triton are Sakchai Hantrakul and Jumpol Doungthip as well as Kazuto Koide (Mitsubishi Motors’ test driver) and Eiji Chiba (co-driver). 

“This year’s drivers will also include Kazuto Koide, a test driver who I have worked with in developing Mitsubishi vehicles for over two decades. At Mitsubishi Motors, we leverage our experience in grueling motorsports for vehicle development, so I hope to pass on this tradition to the next generation,” Masuoka noted. 

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart is owned by Tant Sport. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation provides technical support for the team. 

The 2024 AXCR is scheduled from August 11-17, 2024. 

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