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Watch your back Ranger Raptor, legendary badge could return to Australia: Mitsubishi to bring back the Ralliart with a potential Triton, Pajero Sport or Pajero hardcore 4WD

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Mitsubishi Triton Ralliart render. (Image: Thanos Pappas)
Dom Tripolone
News Editor
18 Jan 2025
3 min read

Mitsubishi could have a genuine rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor in coming years.

The carmaker has been toying with the idea of bringing back the Ralliart brand in Australia, and if it does it wouldn’t just be a sticker pack according to Mitsubishi Australia's GM of product strategy and PR, Bruce Hampel.

When asked if a proper Ralliart vehicle can happen, Hampel’s answer was simple: “Yes”.

“We are working closely with MMC (Mitsubishi Motors Corporation) on opportunities to utilise the brand in the Australian market,” he said.

“We want to do it right, if we are going to do it.”

“It is a very valuable brand for MMC, and they are very cautious around utilising the brand on the right products with the right execution.

“We are in ongoing discussions with them at this point in terms of the potential opportunities in the future to create a product that would be suitable, and earn the right, to the Ralliart branding,” said Hampel.

The Ralliart brand has a rich history in the World Rally Championship with Lancer but also in the Dakar Rally with Pajero.

Neither of those vehicles exist anymore. There have been rumours of a Pajero return but Mitsubishi has been silent on if that would happen.

Next-gen Mitsubishi Pajero Ralliart render. (Image: Thanos Pappas)
Next-gen Mitsubishi Pajero Ralliart render. (Image: Thanos Pappas)

There are several models that would suit the Ralliart brand such as Triton or the Pajero Sport replacement, but Hampel said the local arm is still in discussion with head office about what would work best.

“So what fits best for the Australian market and Australian customers we are still working through exactly the right vehicle line to apply it, if we were able to convince ourselves that it’s the right thing to do.”

“It could well be a transition path over time, as well. Rather than just coming out with a Raptor beater for example. A Raptor [Ranger] didn’t happen overnight. That was a dedicated effort based on the foundation of the F-150 Raptors, for example, in the US.

“Triton is the obvious one at this stage, right, but in the Australian market it’s very easy to fall into a me too type product everyone’s done.

“So whether the right thing is to follow or to try and shake up the industry a little bit by bringing something new to market is the conjecture at this point in time,” he said.

Mitsubishi has a Ralliart Triton that competes in the Asia Cross Country Rally, so the pedigree and engineering know-how is already there to create a genuine alternative to the Ranger Raptor.

Hampel also said the Eclipse Cross and Pajero Sport models would be replaced in coming years and the new products give the brand the opportunity to use the Ralliart brand as a hero product within those vehicle lines, too.

Dom Tripolone
News Editor
Dom is Sydney born and raised and one of his earliest memories of cars is sitting in the back seat of his dad's BMW coupe that smelled like sawdust. He aspired to be a newspaper journalist from a young age and started his career at the Sydney Morning Herald working in the Drive section before moving over to News Corp to report on all things motoring across the company's newspapers and digital websites. Dom has embraced the digital revolution and joined CarsGuide as News Editor, where he finds joy in searching out the most interesting and fast-paced news stories on the brands you love. In his spare time Dom can be found driving his young son from park to park.
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