Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter: the medium truck that replaced the FK

The Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter is a line of medium- and heavy-duty trucks from Mitsubishi Fuso. The first generation appeared in February 1984 to replace the FK, although the letters FK survive in the names of lighter Fighter models. Designed alongside the smaller Canter and the larger The Great, the Fighter shared parts with the heavy truck, including its headlights, doors and rear window glass.

Fuso Fighter at a glance

This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.

History of the Fuso Fighter

First generation (1984–1992)

The Fighter went on sale in February 1984 as a successor to the FK series, sharing its headlights, doors and rear glass with The Great and its design language with the Canter. Most export markets received four round headlights instead of the square lamps used in Japan. In December 1987 the front gained a panel above the grille and a 230 PS (170 kW) intercooled turbo-diesel joined the range. The FM series was updated in February 1988 together with the four-wheel-drive FL models. February 1990 brought compliance with the first Heisei emissions rules and another change to the grille.

The 1991 facelift added new corner lamps and made ABS standard on the FK, along with a 210 PS (154 kW) naturally aspirated engine. This generation was also built in Indonesia from 1985 to April 2022 as the Maru-P, with either a 190 PS 6D16 and a five-speed gearbox or a 220 PS 6D16T turbo with an Eaton FS-8209 nine-speed. It ended when Euro 4 rules came in, replaced by the second generation with its 2011 facelift.

Second generation (1992–2026)

The second generation, called the Full-Com Fighter, was introduced in July 1992 with projector headlights, later also used on the facelifted The Great; export versions kept twin rectangular lamps. The 1994 emissions rules took effect in April 1995, when the nickname became Powerful-Com Fighter and the lightweight SL model arrived. In December 1996 came the FK-Z with a 7.5-tonne load capacity and the FL-X with a low floor and full-time all-wheel drive. February 1997 brought a rear-axle parking brake as standard above 11 tonnes GVWR, side door beams, impact-absorbing steering, the EZGO hill-start assist on engines over 200 PS and the removal of the fender trim. The short-cab Fighter NX of 1998 added 305 mm of cargo length.

Facelifts and the Indonesian line

The New Fighter of 14 April 1999 adopted the styling of the Super Great, with headlights interchangeable with earlier Fighters, and moved to the 6M60 and 6M61 engines with airbags. The INOMAT mechanical automatic gearbox followed in June 1999, a five-speed automatic in February 2002, and INOMAT-II and a CNG engine later that year. The Best One Fighter of October 2005 moved the headlights into the front bumper, a first for a Fuso truck, and made wedge air brakes standard above 11 tonnes. All-wheel air suspension arrived in September 2008. After Daimler took over Fuso, Fighters under 20 tonnes received BlueTEC engines in June 2010, and 8-tonne models gained 240 and 270 PS six-cylinders in July 2011. Indonesia kept its own line: the 2013 model used the 250 PS 6D16-T7, the 2018 model the Euro 4 6M60 with 240–270 PS and an Eaton ES-11109. The third generation was announced on 26 August 2026 as Fuso moved under Hino Motors.

Design and features

• Shared with The Great: the first Fighter used the heavy truck’s headlights, doors and rear window glass.
• Short-cab NX: 305 mm more cargo length for local and suburban work.
• Automatic options: INOMAT, INOMAT-II and a five-speed automatic through the 2000s.
• Safety equipment: ABS on the FK from 1991, airbags from 1999, wedge air brakes on heavy models from 2005.
• Long Indonesian life: the first generation was built as the Maru-P until April 2022.

Fuso Fighter versions

• FK: lighter-duty Fighter models; the name survived from the predecessor range.
• FM: updated in February 1988; the FM 10.0 tipper is a common export version.
• FL: four-wheel-drive models introduced alongside the 1988 FM update.
• FK-Z and FL-X (1996): 7.5-tonne payload and a low-floor full-time four-wheel-drive model.
• Fighter NX (1998): short cab for extra cargo length.
• Maru-P: Indonesian-built first generation, 1985–2022.

The Fighter sits between the Fuso Canter and the heavy Fuso Super Great; the Fuso Rosa minibus uses Canter underpinnings. More trucks are in the Fuso collection.

Video: Mitsubishi “Fuso” Fighter FM 10.0 Tipper

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, Indonesian production