Review
Mitsubishi’s new L200 Walkinshaw may lack the macho name of rivals such as the Ford Ranger Thunder and Mitsubishi L200 Raging Bull, but it certainly makes up for that shortcoming in the looks department.
Take a look at the picture here and you’ll see a truck that appears to have been injected with a large dose of testosterone.
During our test week we got more stares per mile than with all the other commercial vehicles we’ve ever tested, apart from the outrageous 8.0-litre V10-engined Dodge Ram we blagged a couple of years back.
The Walkinshaw moniker comes from performance enhancement specialist firm Tom Walkinshaw Racing and this truck offers as extra over the ordinary model 20-inch alloy wheels and tyres, leather seats and stickers,
a 168bhp Rallitronic power upgrade, DVD satellite navigation system with seven-inch screen, cruise control, an uprated sound system, Bluetooth connectivity and a stainless steel fuel filler cap, tailgate cover and door handle covers.
If that is not enough, our test model also had sports suspension and a snazzy twin exhaust system, which adds up to a price of £22,534 ex-VAT.
Behind the wheel
The cab of the L200 is as stylish as its exterior – leather seats emblazoned with the Walkinshaw logo and the dash and doors are a mass of silvers and blacks.
The seats look good and have plenty of side support but I didn’t find them particularly comfortable .
The old L200 was well known for shaking fillings loose.
The new one is better on smooth main roads, but on bumpier highways things can still get a little unpleasant. Sports suspension is all well and good for younger people, but I’d rather have a bit more comfort at my age!
On the plus side, the gearstick gives smooth, sure changes and I’m glad Mitsubishi retained the second gearlever for swapping into high and low ratio four-wheel drive.
And there’s no shortage of power from the 2.5-litre turbodiesel unit.
There’s bags of torque on offer right down at 2,000rpm and it transforms itself into some very lively road manners that will please the most sporting driver.
Verdict
What a paradox – a 4x4 built to withstand extremes but with shiny coat and trimmings that no-one would dare take off-road.
For a company’s logos – and for pleasing its drivers – the L200 reigns supreme.
