Mitsubishi returns to the Borneo Safari with new Triton

After surviving its maiden outing at the Borneo Safari last year, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) will be heading back to the jungles of Sabah for this year’s event, and on a bigger scale.

The company will be fielding four units of the Triton, which is three more than the sole unit last year. Two of the pick-up trucks will be the latest Triton powered by the 2.4L MIVEC VGT engine. The Borneo Safari is renowned as one of the world’s toughest 4×4 expeditions and this year’s edition starts on October 30 and will end on November 6 in Kota Kinabalu.

“Last year, we were very delighted that the all-new Triton VGT MT had successfully completed the Borneo Safari! The event is known to be the world’s toughest 4X4 expeditions, hence we decided to rise up to the challenge and to conquer the trails of Borneo Safari once again, but with two additional new Tritons with the MIVEC turbodiesel engine (VGT AT and VGT MT),” said MMM’s new CEO Tomoyuki Shinnishi.

The new Triton will participate as a corporate vehicle, driven by MMM ambassador Leona Chin. “As a Triton owner, I am excited to take on the Borneo Safari in the new Triton. Being a first timer in the Borneo Safari, I am really looking forward to this gruelling event and I am confident that the Triton will be able to conquer the Borneo Safari once again this year!” she said.

MMM also has a couple of slots for the media to sample the extreme off-roading and jungle life, and some of my lucky colleagues will be driving alongside Chin and five Triton owners joining the convoy. In total, there will be nine Tritons in the woods for 1,000 km spanning eight days and seven nights.

MMM’s approach is “as stock as possible”, which means that the Tritons will only sport compulsory equipment such as a winch, protection bars, recovery points, extreme tyres, suspension and snorkel.

The upgraded Mitsubishi Triton VGT was launched last month. It’s powered by a 2.4 litre MIVEC VGT turbodiesel with 181 PS and 430 Nm. That’s an extra 3 PS and 30 Nm of torque for less road tax compared to the outgoing 2.5L engine. The new aluminium alloy block engine (first in class) also delivers 15% better fuel efficiency and is 30 kg lighter than the old cast iron unit. It uses a timing chain instead of a belt.

GALLERY: Mitsubishi Triton VGT Adventure X

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