Mitsubishi Delica
The Mitsubishi Delica 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 in Europe, Jamaica 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 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 and Nissan NV200 respectively. Since 2011, the Delica D:2 nameplate has been applied to the rebadged Suzuki Solio. Starting in 2023, the Delica Mini nameplate is also used as a kei car model based on the eK X Space.
First generation (1968)
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 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 received a small grille rather than the naked metal front of the earliest Delicas, and a new 1.4-litre Neptune 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. A longer wheelbase one-ton truck was added in 1976.
In export markets, this car was usually called the Colt T100/T120/1400. It became a massive success in Indonesia, where "Colt" became synonymous with minibus. Mitsubishi dominated the market and the T120 remained in production until 1982. The nametag was revived in February 1991 with a rebadged version of the Suzuki Carry Futura. Record, a Greek manufacturer of agricultural vehicles, plagiarized the Delica T120 design for their fibreglass-bodied "GS2000" truck.
Second generation (1979)
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, 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 and 1.6-litre Saturn engines. A 1.8-litre Sirius version producing appeared in May 1980, and a 2.0-litre Sirius petrol version became optional in 4WD versions from November 1983. A 2.3-litre Astron diesel appeared in October 1982 and was replaced by the larger 2.5-litre Astron in 1986.The four-wheel drive version of the Delica was first introduced to the Japanese market in October 1982. This vehicle utilized a modified version of the Mitsubishi Pajero's chassis, albeit usually with smaller engines. After the introduction of the third generation Delica, the truck version of the second generation continued to be built until 1994. Japanese consumers were liable for higher amounts of annual road tax due to the larger engines installed in higher trim level packages.
Markets
Australia
introduced the SA series Delica to the Australian market on 14 April 1980 under the name "Chrysler L300 Express" after debuting at the Adelaide Motor Show on 12 April. 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. Fitted with a 1.6-litre engine and four-speed manual, both van and wagon variants were offered, with the commercial version available with or without side rear windows. The utility version was not sold in Australia, as the L200 Express covered that segment of the market. In November 1981 the SB series was introduced, now fitted with radial ply tires on larger diameter wheels, thus increasing the payload capacity from. The following month, Mitsubishi introduced the high-roofed luxury "Deluxe" trim, fitted with electric sunroof and cloth upholstery. The next update to the SB series arrived in October 1982, resulting in the "Deluxe" trim being renamed "Starwagon" and gaining a larger 1.8-litre engine—offered with a five-speed overdrive manual or optional three-speed automatic. The "Star Wagon" moniker was also used on examples assembled by Todd Motors in New Zealand, albeit with the 1.6-litre engine. 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 SC also featured newly designed black resin bumpers and adjustments to the front suspension spring rate to improve ride and handling. 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 model. A final minor update, the SE series appeared in 1986.
Asia
;PhilippinesThis generation has been produced in the Philippines since 1987 as the "Mitsubishi L300 Versa Van" as well as the Cab/Chassis variant where local coach builders assemble rear bodies for passenger and cargo hauling purposes. Variations such as the FB, PET, WT and DS have been made to cater to those needs. In 2010, an extended rear body variant for the FB variant called the Exceed was added. In 2014, local truck body manufacturer Centro Manufacturing launched a minibus version of the L300 called the XV Mikrobus. It is built on the FB Exceed platform and is meant to be used as a public utility vehicle, a school bus, or an ambulance. It is also meant to revive the Versa Van and to be an alternative to the FB variant. In 2017, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines announced that the L300's diesel engine will be updated to comply with the Euro 4 standardization project of the DENR and the LTFRB. In April 2019, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines announced that the L300 would be fitted with the 4N14 CRDi engine complied with Euro 4 Emission standards. From 1987 to 2009, the design of the front fascia has changed very little. The L300 received a facelift in 2010 and was sold until 2017. Mitsubishi updated the styling of the L300 for the 2019 model year, now featuring a new horizontal chrome grille similar to the "Dynamic Shield" design language found on other Mitsubishi models like the Mitsubishi Xpander and Mitsubishi Montero Sport to distinguish it from older L300s.
In 2020, the local production of the L300 reached 200,000 units. Exports began in April 2022 for Southeast Asian markets, particularly in Indonesia.
;Indonesia
This generation is marketed in Indonesia as the Colt L300. The production started in November 1981 with a 1.4-litre 4G33 petrol engine. Minor facelift occurred in 1984, the round shape headlights were replaced with square unit. The engine was also replaced with a more powerful 1.6-litre 4G32 petrol engine and also a 2.3-litre 4D55 diesel engine option. The second facelift occurred in 1987, it received garnish grille with big "MITSUBISHI" badge. The short lived 2.3-litre diesel engine was replaced in 1988 with the larger 2.5-litre 4D56 unit. Due to lack of demand, the petrol engine was discontinued around October 1995. The third facelift occurred in 2007 with new grille model and power steering.
Since 2010, Isuzu Indonesia sold this second generation Delica as the Isuzu Bison with an Isuzu Panther-sourced 4JA1L 2.5-litre diesel engine with. The Bison costs higher than a corresponding L300 due to an agreement between the two countries. The production of the L300 was moved from the former PT Krama Yudha Ratu Motor plant in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta to the new Mitsubishi Motors Cikarang plant in Bekasi, West Java beginning in April 2018. In April 2018, the Isuzu Bison was discontinued due to lack of demand and later replaced by Isuzu's fully developed Traga.
Local production of the Colt L300 has been stopped temporarily since April 2022 due to the implementation of the Euro 4 emission standards. In the meantime, the vehicle is imported from the Philippines as the newer 4N14 engine from the Philippine-spec L300 met the standards and received its fourth facelift on 28 June 2022. In May 2023, the Indonesian-spec L300 resumed its local production in its Bekasi plant.
;South Korea
In South Korea, Hyundai built the second generation Delica as the "Hyundai Porter", replacing an earlier model with the same name. South Korean production of this Porter continued alongside the third generation Delica, which was marketed by Hyundai as the "Grace". This Porter was replaced by an indigenously developed third generation Porter in March 1996.
;India
From 1997 to 2000, the car was sold by Mahindra & Mahindra in India as the "Mahindra Voyager", but priced too high it was taken out of production after only a little over two years. The Voyager did meet with some success as an ambulance and as a cargo van, but this association only further prevented prospective private purchasers. Unique to the Mahindra Voyager is the fitment of PSA's 2.5-litre XD3P diesel engine, producing DIN at 4000 rpm.