The toughest Triton ever! Walkinshaw-engineered Mitsubishi Triton Xtreme to put the Ranger Raptor, Navara Warrior and HiLux Rugged X on notice

Mitsubishi and Walkinshaw will combine to deliver the toughest Triton ever, with CarsGuide understanding the new model will be named the Triton Xtreme and will have its sights set on off-road focused models like the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Engineered in Australia for local conditions, the Xtreme would form the latest Walkinshaw project in their capacity as a second-stage manufacturer, and will join a growing group of locally developed utes, tapping into a new (albeit smaller) local-manufacturing movement sweeping across the dual-cab field.

CarsGuide understands the new model would be on the road as soon as early 2023, with the brands surely keen to tap into a growing ute market before the current-generation Triton is replaced.

It will be the latest in a growing line of locally developed dual-cab products, with Walkinshaw already working with Volkswagen on the W Series Amarok, and fellow Victorian engineering house Premcar partnering with Nissan on the Warrior program.

The Xtreme might use a Triton as its donor vehicle, but you can expect major changes, with Walkinshaw sure to fit new off-road focused suspension, new wheel and tyre combinations, and All Terrain rubber.

You can also expect new body enhancements like bash plates, lightbars, and a general toughening up of the exterior design.

What's unlikely to change, though, is the Triton's engine, with the Xtreme expected to continue packing the brand's 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine.

Mitsubishi previewed a more hardcore Triton in 2019 with the Absolute concept, which wore upgraded suspension, a 50mm height increase, and front and rear skid plates.

But it seems the brand's long-held Hardcore Triton ambitions are about to become an off-road reality. So watch this space.