Mitsubishi Fuso Canter trucks record 30 years of success in Europe

30 years ago, the first Mitsubishi Fuso Canter rolled off the production line in Tramagal. Located 150 kilometers northeast of Lisbon, the plant in Tramagal was opened in 1964 by a Portuguese-French joint venture for the production of vehicles for the Portuguese army. In 1990, the Portuguese importing firm Mitsubishi Motors Portugal (MMP) acquired the plant, and in 1996 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation decided to concentrate the production of the Canter truck for Europein Tramagal. Since 2003, the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter is part of the Daimler Trucks product portfolio.

In 2004 the production facilities in Tramagal were renamed Mitsubishi Fuso Truck Europa, S.A. From here the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter is delivered every day to over 30 countries in Europe.

First produced in 1963 in Japanand since 1980 in Europe, the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter is now in its seventh generation. It is the best-selling Mitsubishi Fuso truck to date. “We’re proud that the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter has been successful inEuropefor the past 30 years,” says Alexander Müller, Head of Sales and Marketing Fuso Europe. “When we began manufacturing the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter in 1980, a total of 1,500 trucks were built in Tramagal. In 2007 this figure had risen to far more than 10,000 trucks.” The Mitsubishi Fuso Canter supplements Daimler Trucks’ product range in the light truck segment in Europe.

Starting in spring 2010, the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter will be available with engines that meet the stringent Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle (EEV) emissions standard. The voluntary EEV standard guarantees a further reduction of particle emissions by around one third in comparison to the already stringent Euro 5 limits. The Mitsubishi Fuso Canter will thus be all set to meet tighter environmental regulations. “We are doing this in order to further expand the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter’s presence in the market, and we will offer the Euro 5-compliant engine upgraded to EEV as standard and in all variants,” adds Müller.

Based in Kawasaki, Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) is one of Asia’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. Daimler owns 85 percent of MFTBC..  The Mitsubishi Fuso Canter model range is sold and supported in the UK by the Mercedes-Benz dealer network.