Mitsubishi Delica

Range of vans and pickup trucks

The Mitsubishi Delica (三菱・デリカ) is a range of vans and pickup trucks designed and built by the Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors since 1968. It was originally based on a cabover van and pickup truck introduced the previous year, also called the Delica, its name a contraction of the English language phrase Delivery car. This pickup truck, and a commercial van derived from it has received many names in export markets, being sold as the L300 (later L400) in Europe, Jamaica (discontinued after the third generation) and New Zealand, Express and Starwagon in Australia, and plain Mitsubishi Van and Wagon in the United States. The passenger car versions were known as Delica Star Wagon from 1979 until the 1994 introduction of the Delica Space Gear, which became simply Space Gear in Europe at least. The most recent version (not available as a commercial vehicle) is called the Delica D:5. With the exception of the first, versions of all generations are still being sold in various international markets. In Japan, the Delica Cargo and Delica D:3 nameplates were used on rebadged Mazda Bongo Brawny (between 1999 and 2010) and Nissan NV200 (between 2011 and 2019) respectively. Since 2011, the Delica D:2 nameplate has been applied to the rebadged Suzuki Solio. Starting 2023, the Delica Mini nameplate is also used as a kei car model based on the eK X Space. TOC

The production of the Delica light commercial cab over pickup began in July 1968. It received the chassis code T100, in line with the recently (January 1968) introduced "T90" Canter. Using a KE44 1,088 cc engine producing , its maximum payload was and had a top end speed of A year later, in line with consumer needs, a cargo van and a passenger van were added to the line up. The passenger van, discontinued in 1976, was called the 'Delica Coach' and could seat nine people in three rows of seats. The engine was upgraded to in 1969. In March 1971, a slightly facelifted version, called the Delica 75, arrived. This (the T120) received a small grille rather than the naked metal front of the earliest Delicas, and a new 1.4 litre Neptune (4G41) engine rated at was added to the line up. The smaller 1.1 litre engine may have remained available in a version of the truck but if so, it soon vanished entirely. After a fall 1974 facelift, the Delica received a new nose with much plastic cladding and double headlights, now mounted beneath the swage line. It was now known only as the "Delica 1400", as this was the only engine with which it was available (mention of a Delica 1200 is most likely apocryphal, perhaps an issue of confusion arising from the "120" chassis code). A longer wheelbase (T121) one ton truck was added in 1976. Record, a Greek manufacturer of agricultural vehicles, plagiarized the Delica T120 design (even using the same windshield) for their fibreglass bodied "GS2000" truck.

The Delica series was replaced in June 1979 by an all new design, bringing overall width up to the maximum dictated by Japanese regulations for "compact" vehicles. Suspended at the front by an independent wishbone construction and a leaf spring at the rear, the Delica also features sliding side doors and one piece gas strut tailgate. The line up was expanded to include ten model variations encompassing a wide variety of passenger (eight seats in a three/two/three configuration), cargo and recreational applications. A four wheel drive option was made available in 1982, a first in the Japanese van market. Engines were all four cylinders well known from MMC's passenger cars and included the 1,439 cc, Saturn (4G33) and 1.6 litre Saturn (4G32) engines. A 1.8 litre Sirius (4G62) version producing appeared in May 1980, and a 2.0 litre Sirius (4G63B) petrol version became optional in 4WD versions from November 1983. A 2.3 litre Astron (4D55) diesel appeared in October 1982 and was replaced by the larger 2.5 litre Astron (4D56) in 1986. The four wheel drive version of the Delica was first introduced to the Japanese market in October 1982. After acquiring control of the Chrysler Australia operations in the same month, Mitsubishi Motors renamed the firm Mitsubishi Motors Australia in October 1980. This resulted in the rebranding of the L300 Express as a Mitsubishi. The utility (pickup) version was not sold in Australia, as the L200 Express covered that segment of the market. Mitsubishi extended the availability of the 1.8 litre engine to the lower specification variants, albeit in automatic guise only. The 1.8 was also available in the long wheelbase, high roof, panel van version. From May 1983, the L300 Express received rectangular headlights in chrome surrounds as part of the SC iteration. The four wheel drive version, badged "4WD", came in October 1983 as a 1.8 litre model with floor mounted five speed manual only, therefore becoming a seven passenger model by losing the front row center seat. After another facelift in October 1984, the car became the SD series, introducing better equipment and black headlight surrounds along with a black trim piece between the headlights on "Starwagon" and "4WD" trims. The SD revision also upgraded the "4WD" to a 2.0 litre engine, with the 1.8 litre standard issue in a new long wheelbase commercial (van) model.

From 1987 until 1990, Mitsubishi sold this model in small numbers in the United States as the "Wagon" for passenger versions and "Van" for windowless cargo versions. The US versions all received a version of the 2.4 litre 4G64 engine. For model years 1990 and 1991 an LS version of the Wagon was added. Taiwanese produced CMC Delica vans are sold in Mexico as the Dodge 1000 as of July 2007. The Mitsubishi Expo LRV replaced the Van/Wagon in 1992. Once the fifteen year minimum age threshold was reached, enthusiasts began importing Japanese domestic market Delicas to Canada. The 4WD turbo diesel van is also a common choice for Canadian postal workers who require a right hand drive vehicle. The United States has a 25 year threshold for importing cars, and recently Japanese domestic market Delicas have begun to gain a following there as well. Since 2007, the Cargo versions built by the China Motor Corporation in Taiwan are being exported to Mexico wearing Dodge badges. From 2021, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) began actively de registering Delicas imported into the United States that were previously registered in Maine under the 25 year federal import rule, by classifying it as an off road all terrain vehicle.

Introduced for 1987, the British market received the L300 with either the 1.6 petrol or 2.5 litre diesel engine. Both wheelbases were available. In continental Europe the car was also sold as the L300, with engine options depending on local taxation and market conditions.

Released on 12 May 1994, the newest Delica received considerably more aerodynamic bodywork. No truck model was available of this generation, and passenger models were now called Delica Space Gear in the Japanese domestic market. Body specifications of the Space Gear in Japan ranged from XR, XG, Exceed, Super Exceed and Royal Exceed, and both long and short wheelbase versions were available. The fourth generation Delica shares its engine and transmission with the Mitsubishi Pajero, but unlike the Pajero of its time it is of monocoque construction and lacks a separate chassis. The Delica 4WD still offers ample off road capabilities, with four wheel drive, high and low ratio gears and differential locking. It has engine variations from 2.5 litre through to a 2.8 litre intercooled turbo diesel. 2.4 litre and 3.0 litre V6 petrol engines with 12 or 24 valves are also offered. Apart from the 2.8 litre diesel model all are available as two or four wheel drive version. In many export markets, the cargo versions of the fourth generation were called the Mitsubishi L400 while the passenger versions were called Mitsubishi Space Gear – without using the Delica nameplate at all. In South Korea, Hyundai used the Mitsubishi Delica as the base vehicle for the Hyundai Starex (A1) manufactured between 1997 and 2007. In Australia, this generation, known as the WA series was available in both cargo (Mitsubishi Express) and passenger (Mitsubishi Starwagon) versions. The Starwagon was available between September 1994 and 2003. The Express launched at the same time, but continued on until 2005. To differentiate the semi bonneted WA Express from the cheaper, previous generation SJ series that sold alongside it, the WA models were disambiguated with the "Walk Thru" designation. The Australian Starwagons were made available in four levels of specification: GL, GLX, GLS and 4WD. Mitsubishi fitted the GL with a 2.0 litre carburetored inline four, with the GLX gaining a fuel injected 2.4 litre inline four, and the GLS a 3.0 litre V6. Both four cyliner engines were fitted standard with a five speed manual transmission with optional four speed column shift automatic. The 3.0 litre GLS offered a four speed floor mounted automatic as its sole transmission option. The facelift model, released in 1996 saw the range rationalised with only the base GL and mid range GLX models retained.

In 1997, the Delica was upgraded with a facelift model. The upgrade is mostly cosmetic with changes to the lighting clusters and front body panel, with the integration of a moulded bumper in place of the original three section bullbar. The engine was upgraded with an electronic control type distribution type jet pump and an electronic sidestep was made standard on the higher specification versions. A final facelift was released in Japan in August 2002.

In Taiwan, the third generation Delica continued to be produced and sold while the fourth generation Delica was simply named the Mitsubishi Space Gear, and was positioned above the third generation model. Initial versions of the Space Gear produced and sold in Taiwan was identical to the Series 2 Japanese facelift. However, in 2005 a final facelift was conducted exclusively in Taiwan with minor changes done to the grilles, front and rear bumpers, and front and rear light units.

The Dongfeng Fengxing Lingzhi is a range of MPVs produced by Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor under the Dongfeng Fengxing sub brand. At launch, the Fengxing Lingzhi was essentially a rebadged third generation Mitsubishi Delica or the Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear. The Delica platform was acquired from Taiwan's China Motor Corporation, a partner of Mitsubishi Motors. Therefore, the initial facelifts from Dongfeng Liuzhou were identical to the Taiwanese China Motor Corporation built Mitsubishi Space Gear. After the China Motor Corporation built Mitsubishi Space Gears were discontinued in Taiwan, Dongfeng Liuzhou continued the production in China and conducted their own facelifts and development of the model. Three trim levels were developed after the facelift by Dongfeng Liuzhou was conducted, including the Lingzhi M5, M3, and V3, which targets different groups of consumers and were priced differently. The M5 is the premium version, featuring a restyled front DRG and restyled tail lamps with prices ranging from 77,900 yuan to 98,900 yuan. The M3 being the basic passenger version sharing the same front DRG design and same tail lamps with the V3 but with clear DLO with prices ranging from 55,900 yuan to 71,900 yuan. The V3 is the utility cargo version with a sealed cargo area and being the most affordable of the three trim levels with prices ranging from 55,900 yuan to 66,900 yuan. Each trim is available with a long wheelbase version called the Lingzhi M5L, M3L, and V3L respectively all sharing the same tail lamp design.

On the day of 30 October 2006, had the brand claimed the 2007 Delica would be internally designated D:5, the brand had announced 31 January 2007 that the Delica would make its official launch in the Japanese market. Bodily configured as a 5 door monobox minivan, Available in front or all wheel drive configurations, all wheel drive models which use the Mitsubishi's AWC system, the Delica is available in both seven or eight seating layouts. The basis of the D:5 is the Mitsubishi GS platform which it shares with the Xpander as well as the second and third generation of the Outlander. It made its debut to the public at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon and was released in Japan on 15 February 2019.

On 30 October 2006, Mitsubishi Motors announced that the next generation of its monobox (one box) minivan would be called the Delica D:5, based on the Concept D 5 prototype first exhibited at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. It is an eight seater, that features Mitsubishi's AWC four wheel drive system and an INVECS III continuously variable transmission, coupled to a 4B12 2.4 L MIVEC inline four engine. Based on a new global GS platform, the new Delica features Mitsubishi's next generation RISE safety body. A 2.0 litre version of this engine is also available. It was released in Japan on 31 January 2007. Available for January 2013 is the clean diesel variant of the D:5, which comes with Mitsubishi's brand new 2.2 L 4 cylinder turbo diesel engine (4N14) that produces 148 PS of power and 360 Nm of torque. Mitsubishi claims that this new 4N14 diesel engine is reliable at low revs and smooth acceleration until high revs. With reduced pressure and temperature in the cylinder, it achieves a low compression ratio of 14.9. The Mitsubishi Delica D:5 with Clean Diesel engine has a fuel consumption of 13.6 km/L based on JC08 Mode cycle. The Delica D:5 was officially sold in Indonesia between 2014 and 2019, where it was imported from Japan. It was launched on 18 September 2014 at the 22nd Indonesia International Motor Show, marketed as the "Delica". It is only available in FWD petrol engine variant based on 2.0 G Power Package 2WD trim with seven seater seating configuration. The variant called Royal was added later and it was based on G Premium package with same engine. It was also introduced in Thailand in March 2015 as the "Delica Space Wagon".

The exterior features a large bar grille which connects the headlights, as well as the rear which incorporates a tailgate garnish, which runs the full width of the rear side. The D:5 features front and rear bumpers that include skid plate styling and use a functional sectional design that facilitates repair work for a small amount of damage. the D:5's overall height has decreased by about , while its interior height has increased also by about It also has higher ground clearance. which is relatively high in comparison to its competitors such as the Toyota Alphard AH30 at only 0.33. The Delica also features the "rib bone frame" design uses closed section joins to link the pillars, roof bows and underfloor cross members in rings positioned at the pillars and the tailgate opening, which improves body rigidity and durability as well as to help prevent crashworthiness. The vehicle uses more rust resistant steel on the floor structure than the Delica Space Gear, which was a fourth generation model. The D:5 also utilizes body corrosion resistance, which has been improved significantly due to extensive use of underfloor sealing and with the application of more undercoat. Fender panels, which are made of plastic resin are used on the D:5, and are able to bend and recover shape easily. This switch of material reduces weight by
Power sliding rear doors and an electric tailgate are now standard. An available exterior feature is a "Triple Panorama Sunroof", which offers a trio of sunroofs, where two tilt and one power slides. Standard on G Premium and G Navi package, is a 30 gigabyte hard disk drive on board navigation system as well as 7 inch liquid crystal display. A 9 inch wide display with a built in DVD/CD player and infrared headphones are mounted on the rear cabin ceiling as an optional luxury on the G Premium and G Navi models.

Between November 1999 and October 2011 (the Delica Cargo was discontinued in August 2010), Mitsubishi Motors retailed a badge engineered version of the Mazda Bongo as the Delica Truck/Van (short wheelbase) and the Delica Cargo (extended wheelbase) in Japan, replacing the cargo versions of the fourth generation Delica in that market.

In October 2011, Mitsubishi Motors replaced the Mazda Bongo based models with a badge engineered version of the Nissan NV200, sold as the Delica D:3 (wagon models) and Delica Van (van models). The Delica D:3 and Delica Van were discontinued in April 2019.

To complement the larger Delica D:5 minivan, a smaller Delica D:2 mini MPV appeared in March 2011. Equipped with a four cylinder Suzuki K12B engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), it is a rebadged Suzuki Solio provided under an original equipment manufacturer deal.

The Delica Mini is a kei variation of the Delica series. Replacing the eK X Space while still being based on it, it went on sale in May 2023. It will be offered in G, G Premium, T and T Premium grade levels.

Mitsubishi Delica Mini Won Design Car of the year award at 2023 2024 Japan car of the year. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s Delica Mini super height wagon kei car has been awarded the Design Car of the Year at the 2023 2024 Japan Car of the Year awards. This prestigious award recognizes cars with exceptional exterior and interior design. This is a significant achievement for Mitsubishi Motors as it is the first time they have won this award.