New Mitsubishi Triton V6 diesel a chance for showrooms

Mitsubishi has left the door open to adding turbo-diesel V6 power to the new 2024 Mitsubishi Triton ute later in its life.

But the Japanese car maker faces a number of roadblocks – including finding a suitable engine that meets current emissions laws – before it can build a rival to popular six-cylinder versions of the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok.

The new Mitsubishi Triton will launch solely with a trio of 2.4-litre four-cylinder diesel engine variants, developing up to 150kW and 470Nm in flagship twin-turbocharged guise.

Mitsubishi Triton chief product specialist Yoshiki Masuda told Australian media at the ute's unveiling a larger engine is not currently in the plan, but six cylinders could fit between the widened frame rails of the new model.

"At the end of the day we chose the 2.4 diesel engine, and some gasoline engines for some countries ... At this moment we start with this one, the 2.4," Masuda-san told media.

When asked by Drive if there is interest in a larger engine, the executive said: "Yeah, of course. The pick-up truck is bigger and more powerful."

However he cautioned: "But we also have to think about efficiency, CAFE [fuel economy regulations], those kind of things … We haven’t decided."

When asked the new Triton has been designed – or 'package protected' – to accomodate a V6 engine at a later date, Masuda-san said:

"It depends on the V6. We increased the track including the distance of the ladder frame [width of the engine bay], and also the axle mass capacity is significant, so it should be compatible with a bigger engine, a V6 if possible."

The executive said Mitsubishi has not tested a new Triton with a V6 – and it is not currently in its short-term plans.

The biggest roadblock facing a diesel V6 Triton would be finding a suitable engine within the alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi that meets current passenger-vehicle emissions laws.

Mitsubishi has never sold a diesel V6-powered vehicle in Australia, and Nissan's last diesel V6 – the 3.0-litre turbo 'V9X' in the previous-generation Nissan Navara – went out of production in 2017.

The defunct Mercedes-Benz X-Class ute – based on the current Nissan Navara – used a Mercedes-designed 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, however it too is out of production for passenger vehicles, and is not believed to meet the latest European emissions rules.

It would likely be off-limits regardless as ties between Mercedes-Benz and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance – which has also spawned twinned compact delivery vans and city cars – have been loosened in recent years, and the companies are looking to go separate ways.

"We are really not sure about the powertrain conversion [within] the Alliance," Masuda-san said when asked if there is a suitable V6 engine available within the alliance for the Triton.

Development of the Mitsubishi Triton began in 2017, just as the original Volkswagen Amarok V6 was unveiled – and multiple years before plans for a V6 diesel Ford Ranger were known.

Masuda-san said the Ford Ranger was one of the primary benchmarks for the new Triton – though it is unclear if it was the old or new model – alongside the Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.