WATCH: Titano it is as Fiat starts teasing Hilux and Ranger rival

On the back of spy shots last week showing the facelift but badgeless Peugeot Landtrek undergoing testing in South America, Stellantis sister brand Fiat has finally broken its silence on the replacement for the Mitsubishi Triton underpinned Fullback that bowed-out three years ago.

Watch teaser video below

In a teaser video released over the weekend, Stellantis Brazil confirms the newcomer, first uncovered in December last year, will be called the Titano, the Italian word for “titan”, which itself not only comes from Greek mythology, but according to Fiat, can also be linked to the metal “titanium” it says emphasis the new bakkie’s “high strength and durability”.

ALSO READ: Fiat returning to bakkie segment with rebadged Peugeot Landtrek

Despite the provided images revealing the Titano name on the tailgate, the FIAT badge on the grille and a blacked-out side profile, what is well known is that the newcomer will be a rebadged version of the Landtrek and as mentioned, the long overdue successor to the Fullback.

Peugeot foundations

Set to be the second model after the Landtrek to be derived from the F70 made by the Kaicene division of Chinese brand Changan, the official information by Fiat doesn’t disclose anything else apart from stating the Titano bolstering the marque’s dominance of the bakkie segment in South America headed by the Strada and Toro.

Like the Landtrek, the Titano will have a conventional ladder-frame chassis capable of hauling more than the 1 010 kg the unibody Toro is able to transport.

At the same time, the Peugeot’s 3 500 kg towing rating will also apply along with the choice of rear-wheel-drive or selectable four-wheel-drive.

Powertrain

In terms of power, reports have alleged that while the Landtrek now appears set to retain the 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine, the Titano will receive the 2.2-litre Multijet oil-burner that once produced as much as 147kW/440Nm in the European-specification KL Jeep Cherokee.

Already used in the Fiat Ducato van in Brazil where it develops 103 kW, the eventual tuning of the new unit will see it produce more twist than the bigger Mitsubishi-sourced 2.4 DI-D that developed 133kW/430Nm in the Fullback.

Transmissions are likely to consist of a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic, the latter being standard fare on the diesel Toro that uses a smaller 125kW/350Nm 2.0-litre Multijet engine.

When?

For now, it remains unknown as to when the Titano will make its official reveal as Fiat didn’t provide any launch details.

However, if speculation is to be believed, and based on the images, expect the covers to come off somewhere in the second quarter of this year.

NOW READ: Peugeot bakkie too slow to threaten Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger