Mitsubishi has given fans of the Delica nameplate a promising sign that the company hasn’t given up on the iconic 4×4 van with the unveiling of the D:X Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show.
The company says that the D:X Concept has been “designed to hint at the Delica of the future,” and comes powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain that slingshots it well into the 21st century.
The boxy styling package features a set of suicide doors for the driver and front passenger, while access into the second and third rows is made easier with a pair of electronic sliding doors.
Its protected wheel arches bulging out from the bodywork top a set of all-terrain tyres, with front and rear skid plates adding to the off-road-ready platform that made the Delica such a hit over five generations.
Inside the futuristic bodywork, there’s a six-seat layout with rotating ‘panoramic’ seats, a ‘see-through’ hood that creates an aerial cockpit to help identify obstacles while off-roading.
The seats come upholstered in leather, with Mitsubishi leaning on Yamaha to create a three-dimensional sound system that utilises speakers in the headrests and roof liner.
Underneath, the D:X Concept features a reinforced, rib-bone frame with a circular structure for the pillars, with traction taken care of by Mitsubishi’s S-AWC system adapted for an electrified powertrain.
