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The Chrysler/Mitsubishi pairing that brought us the turbocharged DSM twins and the Colt cars is being resurrected in a roundabout way. A new mid-size truck for Fiat’s commercial vehicle lineup will be sourced from Mitsubishi, which will lend FCA the use of its upcoming L200 truck.
Automotive News is reporting that the new truck will, of course, not be sold in North America, and will be built in Thailand for the European and Latin American markets. Mitsubishi and Chrysler have already agreed to sell a rebadged version of the Mirage sedan in Mexico, for sale as a Chrysler product.
32 Comments on “Diamond Star Redux: FCA’s Getting A New Mid-Size Truck...”
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Sad Mitsu truck looks sad.
It looks like it got rurint by a storm and then someone bolted it back together anyway.
That accentuated gap between the cab and bed sort of highlights the uselessness of a 4-door truck, particularly a smaller one.
I could have someone else drive and haul more on my lap.
You know, I think Ssangyongs are better looking than this. And that’s saying something!
Kyron Sports FTW!
It’s like Elton John sings: SSangyongs say so much.
Chinese Karaoke version
The upswept line in the rear door never looks right on a pickup. The Tacoma and new Colorado / Canyon have it too, and it’s just as awkward on those models.
Agree. It just makes the bed look like an afterthought. Makes caps look especially awkward as well.
How big are these things?
Would be about the same as that Dodge Raider, which was a Mitsu.
Actually, the Mitsubishi Raider was a rebadged Dodge Dakota.
Yes, that! Odd since the Dodge looked foreign-y as well.
God, never, ever, ever buy a Raider, no matter how cheap it is, unless you never intend on fixing anything cosmetic. Any Raider-specific parts are IMPOSSIBLE to come by.
Speaking of obscure rebadges, RMX-4!
If the Raider was a Dakota, what would keep it from accepting Dakota panels, seats, trim pieces, etc?
Yeah, this new Fiatsler addition will be a Dakota by any other name…..
28_Cars:
Gauge binnacle, A/C vents, cosmetic front-clip parts, headlamps. 85% of the thing is identical, but its always the 15% that’s missing when the truck rolls off the car carrier…
More than I would have suspected. What a Mitsu fail, they can’t even do a rebadge 100% correct, just 85%.
The Raider name was used twice – in the late 80’s, the Dodge Raider was a rebadged Mitsubishi Pajero (mini SUV),, and in the mod 00’s, the Mitsubishi Raider was a rebadged Dakota.
Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?
They are roughly the size of a Nissan D20/22 Navara/Frontier.
The model shown in the photo is, I believe, several years old by now.
I think you’re right. But I also believe it will sell. Maybe not as much as a Tacoma, but it will sell. I know several old guys who still motor around in antique Dakotas from the decades past, and they’ll be flocking to this new offering like maggots to a corpse.
If it makes it to the US, that is.
Correct. This (4th gen) L200 was introduced in 2006. Same class as a Toyota HiLux for example.
@Johannes Dutch,
That Triton is pretty old, it has to be upgraded soon so does the Hilux
In the ’80’s, Chrysler partnered with Mitsu because the more attractive partners were taken or unavailable. In 2014, this is still the case. Sharing mediocre products between marginal brands is a recipe for market irrelevance.
Market irrelevance, that’s where Mitsubishi is king!
I don’t personally like the looks of the Mitsubishi Tritons. But the example shown here on TTAC is actually quite poor.
They are the 3rd or 4th best selling ute here in Australia. That’s because of the aggressive pricing.
The Mitsubishi Tritons are built on the same line as the Nissan D40 Navara’s in Thailand.
Here are more images of the Triton. They are ugly and ungainly looking.
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/image37749_b.jpg
http://www.sjs4x4.com/images/canopies/mitsubishitriton/main01.jpg
We see these now and then with Mexican plates. First time I saw one I was really taken aback by the styling.
The “Cartoon Pickup” as. I call it
While looking at this marshmallow of a pickup truck, it occurs to me that although the front end is soft in order to reduce injuries to pedestrians, the license plate is still metal. Wouldn’t it be logical for the insurance company lobbyists(strikethrough) beneficial government policymakers to require soft vinyl front license plates? Maybe soft and spongy like the plastic “bumper cover” that usually just covers a chunk of styrofoam.
It sort of reminds me (a lot) of that Ford Explorer sporttruck that they sold a few years back. Probably as functional as anything else with a 6′ (or less) bed.
I saw a lot of pickup trucks in this format in Costa Rica.