Mitsubishi Delica History

Mitsubishi Delica

The production of the Delica, a light commercial cab-over pickup began in 1968. The Delica pickup with a payload of 0.6-ton had a top end speed of 115km/h adopting the 1,088cc, KE44 engine with a power output of 58ps. A year later, in-line with consumer needs, a cargo van and a passenger van were added to to the lineup. The passenger van adopted the name Star Wagon and could seat 9 passengers in total comfort.
 
The Delica proved so popular that in 1979 the pickup and van lineup was expanded to include 10 model variations to encompass a wide variety of passenger, cargo as well as recreational applications. To add versatility to the Delica lineup, Japan's first 4WD van was introduced in 1982. Marketed as the L300 outside of Japan, the Delica, like so many of the other Mitsubishi Motors vehicles soon acquired an international reputation for reliability, durability and outstanding performance. Mitsubishi Motors was named the official Car Supplier to the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Among the many Galants, Pajero (Monteros) and Chariots (Space Wagon) supplied to transport athletes, officials and VIPs were 34 4WD Delica Star Wagons.

In 1986 the Delica underwent its third full model change. The new aerodynamic form was an attractive and stylish statement by itself, but it went deeper than that. The durable monocoque body as well as a host of other built in safety features provided the go-anywhere Delica with greater appeal for the fast growing recreational crowd in Japan.

The Delica Space Gear was added to the lineup in 1994. Sometimes refered to as the fourth generation in the Delica lineup, the Space Gear represents Mitsubishi's cutting edge people transporter. Known as the Mitsubishi Space Gear and the L400 van outside of the Japanese market, it includes a host of safety oriented features and the go-anywhere performance which has made the Delica so popular for nearly 20 years.