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UP WITH THE PACK

20th April 2006, Page 46
20th April 2006
Page 46
Page 47
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Page 46, 20th April 2006 — UP WITH THE PACK
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Back with a radical res-yle and some serious

development under the skin, the L200 from V itsubishi has a lot to prove.

Function or fashion. When it comes to this decision some people throw logic out the window and go with what they find the most appealing. It might not be the right choice when all the facts are in, but it's their choice. and that's enough. For example, for those of us over 21 it's debatable if girl/boy bands could he described as musicians, but to some their aesthetic qualities are enough to validate their existence —and it could be said that the same applies to the Mitsubishi L200.

We at CM were never enthused by the old model. It felt sluggish, lacked power and handled with the all the panache of a trouser press. But despite this lack of dynamism it sold in bucket loads, accounting for 35% of the entire market and staying firmly at the top of the sales charts for the past five years.

Furthermore it was the top-end models that attracted most operators, making up 80"k of all L200 sales. Names like Warrior and Animal coupled with loud graphics and pumped up bodywork gave the Mitsubishi an edge. and along with it the kind of street kudos that rival manufacturers were slow to react to.

But now the competition has cottoned on to the sales potential of this market, and new models from Nissan and Toyota have been refocused to grab a piece of the pie.With so much at stake Mitsubishi knew its revised model wouldn't be able to solely rely on a pretty face: but what a face. Instead of playing it safe the L200's design is radical, to say the least. From the front its squinting features and sinister headlights give it a bold look, but the biggest change goes on at the side, where the slanted rear of the cab section contrasts sharply with the load area, giving the impression that the two are separate entities bolted together. In the top-spec version this works well, as the extra kit gives it proportion. But in the lowly 4Work version that we drove it looks a little bare, particularly around the wheels where the standard offerings fail to fill the arches to any great effect.

Moving onto the technical side L200 operators can still pick from three configurations: single-cab, crew-cab and double-cab. But there's a brand-new engine, complete with common-rail technology. Producing 134hp with an optional power upgrade to 160hp (standard on the Animal ), this turbo-diesel delivers 314Nm of torque at a lowly 2,000rpm. Choices now extend to shifts: you can have a five-speed manual or a four-speed auto.

Improvements have been made to the chassis too,with a claimed 50% improvement in torsional rigidity and a 70% increase in bending rigidity compared with the outgoing model Front suspension is now a fully independent double-wishbone set-up; the rear gets a tweaking to improve stability.

The four-wheel-drive transmission comes in two versions.The commercially geared4Work and the 4Life get Easy Select which allows the driver to shift from 2WD to 4WD at up to 62mph with a torque split of 50/50.The Warrior,Animal and Elegance get Super Select which allows 4WD high ratio to be used at any speed, while the viscous-coupling centre-differential will distribute more torque to the axle with most traction.

The higher end models also sport stability control called M-ASTC to keep them in check in difficult road conditions; Mitsubishi claims this is a first in its class. M-ASTC combines the sensors used for the ABS system with measurements of the vehicle's steering angle, 0-force and yaw rates to assess available grip.

Standard equipment includes CD player, ABS and immobiliser on the basic 4Work model. Next up is the 4Life with a few more goodies, then the Warrior and Animal and finally the Elegance, all adding that bit more kit. Prices range fromf.12,249 for the 4Work with single-cab to £19,999 for the rangetopping Elegance double-cab auto.

Productivity

Where would we be without common-rail technology? The new L200 achieved 31.5mpg on its laden fuel run. compared with 27.0mpg for the old direct-injection model (CM 24 June 2004)..this puts the Mitsubishi in joint first withToyota's H.ilux when comparing the new generation of pickups Running unladen improved its consumption to a creditable 38.1mpg, far ahead of the rest. Its nearest rival is Nissan's Navara with 33.9mpg.

On the payload front the 4Work handles 1,045kg with a 0VW of 2,890kg. Loading up is simple enough; just drop the rear gate using the central handle. It can be dropped to 180" using the two catches on either side of the support cables. However, the load area's design does not make the most of the available space due to the slight curving of the side of the load box.

It didn't lose out dramatically but we felt there was a hint of fashion over function in this aspect of the design.

Servicing intervals have been extended from the previous model's 9,000 miles to 12,500 miles.This is some way off the Navara's class-leading 18,000 miles, but its still a worthwhile improvement.

On the road Compared with its predecessor the new L200 is a significant step forward in the driving stakes. It feels more connected, giving drivers increased confidence.All the elements that make up the driveline now work in sync—the gearshift is far more defined and direct in action, and there's minimal chassis jerk when accelerating or braking. In fact it's this area that has undergone the biggest transformation.

On the straights it feels secure and comfortable, with minimal disturbance from undulations and crosswinds. It'a also capable in the corners.Turn-in is admittedly sharp for this type of machine due Loa best-in-class turning circle so it shouldn't be rushed, but once committed it holds tight.

Unfortunately that highly geared steering could he too quick for the chassis on occasions when entering a sharp corner, ruffling the L200 and making it feel a tad unbalanced.

The engine may only have 20hp more than the previous model but it sounds far more purposeful on start-up and that promise is justified when you put your foot down There's torque aplenty from low down and it continues to deliver up to the red line, though there's also a degree of gruffness when accelerating that marks it down a notch.

Shift to four-wheel drive, head off road and the Mitsubishi is definitely in its element — tenacious grip and a compliant chassis allow you to tackle some seriously daunting terrain. There's plenty of grunt from the engine when taking on step inclines and it doesn't jig around unnecessarily like the previous model.

Cab comfort

While it echoes the L200's radical exterior, the interior is also a practical affair that frees up plenty of space for the occupants.The dash feels further forward than you'd expect on this type of vehicle thanks to the sloping design and bold two-tone curve that dominates from right to left. Recessed dials are housed in a central binnacle and svvitchgear is close to hand, though storage may be lacking for some needs.

There's also been some serious repackaging in the rear of the cabin. Headroom, legroom and overall length have all increased to turn the L200 into a viable passenger carrying machine, The rear seat is no longer a place where people should fear to travel over long distances. In fact. the L200 has the longest cabin and the most rear legroom in the sector.

Noise levels have been attended to with a decent level of insulation keeping out any road roar, making the Mitsubishi a calm place to work at cruising speeds. Engine noise does finds a way through when accelerating through to the top end but it's not overly troubling. •

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