Introduction
When Volvo sold its share in Japanese truck manufacturer Mitsubishi to DaimlerChrysler last year, it threw up some major questions. Would the Germans revive the Volvo/Mitsubishi medium-truck venture? How would this three-pointed star market the Canter in Europe? What finer points of cab comfort and engine technology would be traded across the east-west divide?
The immediate response from the German camp is that DaimlerChrysler will operate independently.
But there is one crucial difference compared with the previous Volvo regime: Mercedes-Benz is more than happy to offer its CV dealer network to support Mitsubishi products in Europe. Volvo has no light CV range, so its move is likely to give Mitsubishi a boost as its UK dealers team up with more than 70 Mercedes-Benz dealerships nationwide.
Their first job is to let operators know what changes have been made to the Canter – and how those changes will make it more productive.
Product Profile
Mitsubishi’s step up to Euro-3 entailed adding electronic control to its direct-injection DOHC diesel engine, although so far the company has resisted the common-rail injection technology favoured by many of its competitors. The all-new 3.0-litre 4M42 engine is exclusive to the 3.5-tonner – the 3D34 lump has been revamped for Euro-3 operations at 6.3 and 7.5 tonnes.
In its latest guise the four-pot 4M42 turns out 125hp at 3,200rpm with 294Nm of torque at 1,800rpm, driving through a Mitsubishi MO25S5 five-speed synchromesh box with fifth acting as an overdrive. The transmission allows for a side-mounted PTO.
Surprisingly, ABS is not fitted as standard (although it is on the bigger 63 and 75 Mitsubishi vans). The driver has to make do with dual-circuit hydraulics, vacuum servo assistance, front discs and rear drums with load sensing. The biggest surprise is the column-mounted exhaust brake.
This certainly isn’t common at this weight, or even at 7.5-tonnes, but van drivers will soon get the hang of it.
Mitsubishi has revamped the cab; obvious benefits include a fully adjustable steering wheel, improved storage and more headroom. In terms of options Mitsubishi has taken a leaf out of the Hino book: what you see is what you get. For the Canter 35, buyers can opt for central locking (standard on the crew-cab) and air-con; you also get a choice of cab colours but that’s about it.
Productivity
It was nice to be driving through Indian summer weather but just to stop us enjoying ourselves too much the drive was marred by a series of hold-ups. If it wasn’t a brace of foreign trucks with drivers map reading and looking for a place to do a U-turn it was a car and caravan trying the same trick, or a farm-yard tractor and trailer with hay bales blithely ignoring lay-bys at a steady 18mph. This meant momentum was frequently broken, giving the Canter some excuse for a slower average journey than its competitors.
In the event the laden run was completed at an average speed of 41.7mph with a fuel return of 25.7mpg. Running empty improved our consumption to 32.5mpg at 42.4mph. Our test vehicle only had 2,000 miles on the clock; CM is confident that the driveline will settle down to give a better return.
To put the fuel figures into perspective, the Nissan Cabstar E90 3.2-tonner produced 22.8mpg fully laden (CM21 Dec 2000-3 Jan 2001); since then the £90 has been superseded by the E95 (watch this space for a roadtest). Further up the weight scale, the 3.5-tonne Ford Transit 350LWB went around the Kent test route at 25.4mpg (CM 15-21 Feb 2001) while a fully laden three-tonne Toyota Dyna 300 managed 31.4mpg.
Payload on the Canter 35 with the Tipmaster body is 1,140kg, which is less than the standard dropside bodies CM has tested, but the 1,670kg body/payload allowance is very competitive. For example, the Toyota Dyna’s figure is 1,340kg with the factory-built body included into the kerbweight. Nissan’s E90 takes exactly the same payload for an extra 200kg GVW. The Western contingent is less competitive – the 3 .5 –tonne LWB Ford Transit offers 1,405kg and the 3.5-tonne Vauxhall Movano 2.8 DTi can haul 1,510kg.
Warranty on the Canter runs for three years/100,000km with three-year cab corrosion cover. Service intervals include a lube service at 22,500km with a major service at 45,000km.
The Canter 35 chassis-cab as tested here has a list price of £13,805 (ex-VAT); the Tipmaster body will set you back another £2,295. To save you reaching for your price guide, a short-wheelbase Nissan Cabstar E95L with a 2.7-litre turbo-diesel, five-speed manual box and dropside body will cost you £12,727; the Ford Transit 350 LWB is a hefty £19,350.
