Mitsubishi Special Vehicle Projects Debuts With Rugged L200

Mitsubishi is attending the 2017 Commercial Vehicle Show these days in Birmingham, U.K. with a tricked-out version of its reputable L200 or Triton, depending on where you live. Codenamed "Project Swarm," it's a one-off created in collaboration with Top Gear magazine to unlock the pickup truck's full potential and at the same time signal the debut of the company's new Special Vehicle Projects (SVP) program.

The list of upgrades is quite extensive and includes everything from an external roll cage and extended wheel arches to larger alloys wrapped in self-inflating tires. The suspension has been "heavily modified" as well to make the L200 more competent on difficult terrains, while extra LED lights, a winch, and a pair of tailor-made racing seats nicely round off the package.

Sadly, this fully specced L200 is not for sale. On the flip side, you can buy a watered-down version called the "Barbarian SVP" also currently being shown in Birmingham. Only 250 units will ever be made, with half painted in Electric Blue and the other half finished off in Cosmos Black. It rides on bespoke 17-inch alloy wheels paired with BF Goodrich all-terrain tires housed within beefier wheel arches.

To make it stand out from the regular L200 Barbarian Double Cab upon which it's based, Mitsubishi has modified the front grille and has also applied a bunch of black accents. The SVP variant has additional niceties, such as load bed illumination, custom side steps, a soft-opening tailgate damper, and puddle lamps. Naturally, an "SVP" emblem is included as well.

Both blue and black versions of the L200 Barbarian SVP are already available in U.K. from £28,479 (excluding VAT). All 250 cars will share the familiar turbodiesel 2.4-liter engine rated at 180 horsepower (134 kilowatts) and 317 pound-feet (430 Newton-meters) of torque channeled to the wheels through a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic fitted with paddle shifters.

Much like premium automakers have special divisions to create fancy models, Mitsubishi's SVP will be responsible for coming out with limited-run editions adopting a number of upgrades both inside and out.