Click image for a high-res gallery of the L200 Savana
This week, Mitsubishi's Brazilian operation announced the return of the L200 Savana (the model had been previously available). While it shares its name with the snazzy-looking L200/Triton sold in many other markets (including Brazil), the offroad-flavored Savana variant is based on the last-gen truck. While the ultra-1990s interior is indeed dated, the overall package is pretty bitchin'.
Power comes from an 2.5L SOHC turbodiesel making either 121hp/189 lb-ft or 141 hp/221 lb-ft. An "Easy Select" transfer case lets the driver choose between 4x2, 4x4H and 4x4L modes, and shifts come courtesy of a 5-speed manual. Other standard features include a strengthened chassis, snorkel, roof basket (220 lb capacity), and in-bed storage boxes. The Savana's look is all-business, with charcoal wheel flares, bumpers, taillamp housings and grille trim. Knobby rubber adorns the 16-inch black-painted steelies and the headlight surrounds and hood scoop are finished in the primary body color. The spec sheet also tells us the L200 Savana has 9 inches of ground clearance, a 35-degree approach angle, and 26-degree departure angle.
All of this does not come cheap, mind you. Pricing starts at 86,990 Brazilian reais, or $50,255 USD if you were to do a direct currency conversion (for what it's worth). The price is the only thing we don't really like. The rest makes us wish we had a set of keys and a jungle nearby.
[Source: Mitsubishi Brazil via Autoblog Spanish]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tuna @ Mar 27th 2008 8:10PM
Why isn't this in the states? Hello?? Mitsubishi? Anyone home?
Noah @ Mar 27th 2008 8:12PM
50 grand? Really? No thanks.
Alex Nunez @ Mar 27th 2008 8:20PM
Don't put too much weight into that dollar value. A US retail price wouldn't be anywhere near that (not that it'd happen anyway). It's like you'll find with cars in a lot of other markets, the direct currency conversion amounts to a surprisingly high dollar value.
Mark @ Mar 27th 2008 8:22PM
The price is only that high because of excessive taxes in Brazil, which often total more than the car itself.
Eduardo @ Mar 27th 2008 8:49PM
As previously siad, the price is so high just because every single car here in BR pays from 35 to 50 % in taxes, the automotive tax itself accounts for "only" 10 to 20 % of the price, the rest is the cascade effect of another taxes which incide over the labour, material and production costs (the state of São Paulo, for instance, has the highest service and merchandise tax between the Brazilian states, reaching 12 to 25 %, needless to say that tax evasion here in SP is one of the highest, too)
Then, aside this factor, BR market is passing through a japanese "hype", even with waiting list for some Honda and Toyota cars (Fit and Civic, Hilux and Hilux SW4, respectively) and exploring this, they're raising their prices, for instance Fit, Civic and Corolla had their prices raised almost 50% in the last 4 years, while the average car prices raised less than 20% in the same period
Noah @ Mar 27th 2008 8:49PM
Oh, ok. Probably be closer to $30 grand then? I have no idea, I'm just throwing out numbers.
The US is going to get a vehicle like this next year, right? The Mahindra somethingorother? That truck they have with the small turbodiesel is hotness. I want it.
Punkcrisis @ Mar 27th 2008 8:14PM
I really wish this was available in the great white north it would be pretty sweet to blast along the roads in, thats for sure
Giovane @ Mar 27th 2008 8:40PM
A Honda Civic EXS in Brazil costs about 50000 grand either.. So it's not as expensive as it seems..
Eduardo @ Mar 27th 2008 8:56PM
Sure, and blame it on carmakers' greed, as only the high taxes fail to justify this absurd
In the UK a Type R Civic, much more expensive and techinically refined than the EXS, even being assembled there in UK paying lotas of taxes too, and even with the higher wages earned by the UK workers, costs less than BR Civic, it costs 25000 Pounds, or 75000 Reais, so, less than the EXS here
Of course no one will "Give" cars and the main target of every single enterprise is the profit, for sure, but here in BR the carmakers especially the japs, are digging deep and taking the most of this "hype" for jap cars
TwinTurbo3000GT @ Mar 27th 2008 9:10PM
not bad. But make mine a 2-door with a full bed please!
Franz @ Mar 27th 2008 10:09PM
I used to own an L200. A UK spec, with the Warrior package and power upgrade. It was a very capable off-roader. We used to use it as a support vehicle all the time on our ATV tours, going anywhere without a hitch. It made a comfortable daily driver as well, with good power and decent mileage. It looked great too, IMO.
tark @ Mar 27th 2008 10:27PM
Can't wait for the Indian version. The Indian Rupe has not appreciated nearly as much as the Brazilian Real so should be fairly inexpensive.
Philip @ Mar 27th 2008 11:13PM
The L200 Triton is a much nicer rig, this Brazilain model is the old L200, Come On Mitsubishi America wants the Triton, you guys are missing the boat.
tanooki2003 @ Mar 28th 2008 9:36AM
Please Mitsubishi just kill that damn Dakota copy junk truck you call a Raider already and bring this and the Triton compact pickup truck to the states. It's either this or I will wait until Kia, the Chinese, or Tata/Mahindra to bring one to these shores.
tio @ Mar 28th 2008 10:36AM
thats a sweet truck
Iridium @ Mar 28th 2008 12:47PM
Japan has had trucks that could kill US domestics for ages. They just haven't been allowed to import them. Instead they have to rebadge american trucks or build completely new platforms in the US.
The L200 could crush 500 Ford Rangers without even breaking a sweat. I'm sure the Columbian drug cartels could get a few F-150s into the country but they would fall apart too fast to make them practical.
Guenther @ Mar 28th 2008 1:11PM
Funny you say that, because the current F150 is sold as LOBO south of the border, and regarded as a drug-mobile by the Ford guys I worked with in ol' Mexico. Of course, the rash of Super Duty thefts in Texas is a different story altogether.
Guenther @ Mar 28th 2008 1:08PM
This is an OLD truck. It's the exact pick-up equivalent of what we had in the States as the Motero Sport- no bad but certainly dated.
The new L200 (Triton) Is no smaller than the what we get here from Toyota, Nissan and GM- comes in right at 2t, so its a bit heavier than the others even. If I lived in Europe, I'd certainly shop the Triton against the HiLux.
The biggest trouble with the midsize segment in the US is that you can get an equivalent truck for not much more money: Snag a Tundra rather than a Tacoma for a grand, or a Titan for just $600 more than a Frontier.
Commuter @ Mar 28th 2008 2:03PM
I love that wheel/tire combo. It has a baby HUMV look.