According to reports, it will be twinned together with the next Nissan Navara.
We are often taken by surprise when a new batch of Mitsubishis arrives. Spy shots are rare so we rarely get to see them. The L200 / Triton/ Strada/ Ram 1200/ Fiat Fullback is a midsize truck that has been sold under many different names. It is currently in its fifth generation. In 2014, it was first unveiled. It received a radical midcycle facelift for 2018. The pickup was spotted in Sweden at the end of January 2021 as it prepares for the next generation.
Since it is a test mule, there aren’t many details to be made about its design. It carries the same body as the current ute. Our spies told us that it had a slightly longer wheelbase which may indicate a different platform. That would make sense since the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance is likely searching for new cost-cutting measures to potentially bring the Navara and L200 onto the same architecture.
For those who don’t know, the current Navara was the birthplace of a Renault Alaskan as well as the infamous Mercedes X-Class. The Navara is no longer being made in Europe by Nissan. It was manufactured at the Barcelona plant. The plant was shut down in December 2021. A company representative stated that sales would continue for some time in 2022, until all remaining stock is cleared.
If the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi aims to sell its new trucks on the Old Continent, chances are a hybrid and/or plug-in hybrid powertrain could be planned to meet tougher emissions regulations. The L200 is not expected to be mechanically similar to the most recent Frontier sold in America. This is because the truck’s old bones are still present underneath.
Although the L200 and Navara share many of their underpinnings, Mitsubishi & Nissan will make significant styling differences between the two models. The L200, the next-generation L200, should be leading the way by 2023 or the end of the year. The Navara is expected to follow at a later time.
The revamped Ranger will be a strong competitor. In February, a high performance Raptor version will be born. We wouldn’t be surprised if there is a next Alaskan.