Mitsubishi was once a cool automaker who built awesome sports cars. The advent of SUVs slowly faded this cool Jap, and now with the advent of EVs, the “coolness” is no more. The financially crippled automaker is slowly but steadily making a comeback, and cars like the Mitsubishi Airtrek EV tells us of its strong plans. And the Outlander PHEV was Britain’s best-selling Plug-In last year.
The point here is that Mitsubishi is no longer the hooliganistic and rally-hearted automaker that we idolized in the 90s and early 20s. But at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Saloon, Mitsubishi gave us a few shimmers of hope that its long-forgotten sporty appeal still prevails.
The showstopper was Mi Mitsubishi Vision Ralliart Concept, which rekindles the “Ralliart” name on an SUV canvas. But we would like to get your attention on the off-road-ready Delica D:5 Tough x Tough Concept, which does justice to Delica’s iconic off-roading appeal. This cool MPV embodies Mitsubishi’s core off-roading values in a bold package. Nevertheless, it looks rad and even gets extensive chassis and suspension modifications to take more beating down the road less traveled.
This Delica Off-Roading Concept Van is the “fun” Mitsubishi we deserve.
One Of Two Modified Mitsubishi Vans At The 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon
There are two cool-looking vans at the Tokyo Auto Salon this year. This cool-looking Delica is joined by a boxy Minicab MiEV B-Leisure Style. This is a cute Kei car that has been given the outdoor conversion. The highlight here is a MiEV power box that can juice up appliances and gadgets for you in the deep unknown of jungles. But the Delica off-roading concept is our favorite, as it flaunts both style and purpose in a sinister package.
Off-Road-Ready Exterior With Rugged Mods And Ralliart Accessories
The Mitsubishi Delica D:5 in its stock form is an already sharp-looking van with a knack for off-roading. And the Delica D:5 Tough x Tough gets some serious mod-jobs with Ralliart accessories. The exterior gets a matte black paint job with contrasting red accents. The front fascia is garlanded with a chunky grille loaded with heavy-duty searchlights.
The mod-list continues with bumper guards, fender flares, 16-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and mud-flaps all around. Things get “brighter” as we go up the van with a floodlight setup. Making it self-sufficient and ready for the greater unknown is a roof carrier that packs a rooftop tent.
The Off-Roading Appeal Goes Skin-Deep Too
The modifications are not just aesthetic as Mitsubishi has gone the distance and made structural changes to make the Delica off-road-ready. The chassis has been reinforced to take a lot more beating. And the suspension system gets a major overhaul with replacement springs that have stronger damping and rebound. This is not just a show car!
This practical MPV retains most of the interior layout. The dashboard and all its elements are unchanged, with all its drive modes still present. However, the second- and third-row seating are now modified to fold flat into a sleeping pad on your expeditions.
We Hope Mitsubishi Makes A Production Version Of This Off-Road-Ready Delica
On the performance front, there are no changes. And the off-road-ready Delica packs the same 170 HP 2.2-Liter Turbo diesel engine from the standard model. It is coupled to an 8-Speed Automatic transmission and comes with a 4WD system.
And because most of the updates are sensible and approachable, we hope Mitsubishi makes this cool Delica concept a reality. But even then we won’t be getting these cool MPVs in the US. We will have to make peace with videos and pictures to get an idea of how cool thing MPV looks unless someone imports it stateside.
Sources: Mitsubishi-motors.com, Auto.ifeng.com, Visor.ph, Thedrive.com, Hiconsumption.com
The Mitsubishi Montero Is The Most Overlanding Fun You Will Have For Under $5,000
This 4×4 Mitsubishi has everything you want in an overlander.
Read Next
About The Author
Tijo Tenson (456 Articles Published)
Tijo is an engineer, mechanic, gamer, and an avid content creator. He is a grease-monkey who loves tinkering with automobiles every now and then, when not busy penning down his passion for them. He has always had a soft spot for JDM and is keen on diving deep in for anything that involves wheels and engines.
