Archive for Isuzu

Pick-up trucks are becoming increasingly popular as family vehicles these days. They love the utility provided by the storage bed, the frugality and hardiness of the turbodiesel engine, and the off-road capability to tackle our flood-cursed city centrals. Many small families do not mind the cramped interior that you get most of the time. While pick-ups are available with safety features like airbags and ABS, how safe are they in reality?

For the first time ever, Euro NCAP has tested pick-up trucks in the light of the vehicles becoming more and more popular for family usage, and it reveals to us some shocking facts. Three trucks were crashed - the Nissan Navara (second generation Frontier - ours is the first gen), the Isuzu D-MAX and the Mitsubishi L200 (known as the Triton in Malaysia). The following are the results:

Please read the following full crash test reports for full details:
Isuzu D-MAX, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara

The Nissan Navara scored the worst in adult occupant protection - not even one proper star but only a struck-through star. According to the report, the chassis rail collapsed and the accelerator pedal moved as much as 20cm into the footwell - that would definitely cause really serious injury to your legs. The airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners also activated too late into the crash, which EuroNCAP says poses “a high risk of life threatening injury”.

Nissan has developed new airbag software for the Nissan Navara and all new Nissan Navaras now have the updated software. All existing Nissan Navaras on the road will also receive a free airbag software update at their service centers.

The Mitsubishi L200/Triton scored 4 stars for adult occupant protection, and if you view the full crash report, you will see that the driver’s body and leg protection ranged from weak to marginal, but at least the head received good protection.

Very shocking - please do read the full crash test reports linked above. It’s a pity EuroNCAP did not test the Toyota Hilux. The Toyota Hilux is one of the most popular pick-up trucks used as a family car here in Malaysia, plus a full-bodied 7-seater version of it is sold as the Fortuner.

Isuzu has decided to leave the US market, and will officially stop selling new vehicles in the country on the 31st of January 2009, a year from now. The decision to leave the American market was fueled by the inability to produce replacement models for its Isuzu Ascender and Isuzu i-series, the only two trucks it sells in the US market.

The Isuzu Ascender is essentially a reskinned Chevrolet Trailblazer, and the Isuzu i-series (shown above) is based on the GM small-pickup platform. Isuzu says GM may discontinue these two vehicles, thus leaving Isuzu with nothing to base their next generation US models on. Of course, the other reason could be that Isuzu sales in the US had slid from 103,937 in 1999 down to only 7,098 units last year.

“It has always been our intention to remain in the U.S. market. However, we were unable to secure any commercially viable replacements for these vehicles. Although Isuzu will cease supplying passenger vehicles in North America, it will continue to stand behind its customers and dealers here for years to come. Specifically, Isuzu will continue to honor all product warranties and roadside-assistance programs and will maintain its owner relations call center. Isuzu will be offering all current U.S. dealers the opportunity to continue on as service dealerships for Isuzu,” said Terry Maloney, CEO.

Source

Isuzu Malaysia has revealed the latest facelift of it’s Isuzu D-MAX double cab pick-up truck, which has a few improvements in terms of the 3.0 liter engine which now has more power and 19% more fuel efficiency than the pre-facelift version.

Read more details after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Facelifted 2007 Isuzu D-MAX launched in Malaysia

Isuzu Motors Limited has increased it’s stake in DRB-HICOM majority owned Malaysian Truck & Bus Sdn Bhd from 20% to 51%, making it MTB’s new majority shareholder. MTB Sdn Bhd’s management will be replaced by Isuzu personnel who will hold CEO and COO positions, and the company will become a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors Limited. A name change to Isuzu Hicom Malaysia Sdn Bhd is also underway, and Malaysia will become one of Isuzu’s foreign manufacturing bases.

Increasing demand for diesel-burning Toyota cars in the European market has prompted isuzu to build a new plant in Japan to increase supply to keep up with demand. The new US$110.5 million plant in Hokkaido is set to be completed by 2012, and will make up to 200,000 units of a new 1.6 liter turbodiesel engine a year.

Japanese newspaper Nikkei reports that this new 1.6 liter turbodiesel engine will be jointly developed by Toyota and diesel-experts Isuzu, and will be used in C-segment cars like the Toyota Corolla for the European market.

Source

Even though first introduced ten years ago back in 1997, the Isuzu VehiCROSS still looks space today. The Isuzu VehiCROSS was never intended to be a mass production model, produced only as a halo car. In concept form, it was showcased with both 4-door and a roadster body, but only the 2-door version made it’s way into production. Underneath it lay mostly mechanicals from the Isuzu Trooper, and engine options were also the same 3.2 liter and 3.5 liter V6 petrol engines that make over 200 horsepower.

Despite it’s looks, it had real offroad capabilities, including a low ratio transfer case. It’s 4-wheel-drive system was also advanced for it’s time, using a Torque On Demand system from BorgWarner, using 12 independent sensors to detect wheel spin and redirecting power to the wheels with the most traction.

Now, why am I blogging about this? Well, there’s a 1999 model Isuzu VehiCROSS on sale on Ebay Malaysia, and the bid is standing at about MYR 108,000.00 right now. There are only 4309 units in the whole world.

Much like the Toyota Fortuner was conceived through the IMV ladder frame of the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu has created an SUV based on the Isuzu D-MAX. Like it’s pick-up brother, the 7-seater Isuzu MU-7 is powered by a 3.0-liter DOHC 16-valve 4JJ1-TC common rail turbodiesel engine. It’s made in Thailand, but there’s no news of whether it will be coming to Malaysia anytime soon.

We have a new addition to the recent launch of new pick-up trucks this year - The Isuzu D-MAX. Isuzu in Malaysia has always been focused on heavy trucks and pickups mostly with diesel engine. Their presence is represented here with their Trooper and Citation trucks and Rodeo pickups. Their diesel expertise is acknowledge, with Honda asking them to give input into the award winning i-CTDi engine. Earlier diesel Hondas also used Isuzu oil burners.

Click here to read the rest of Isuzu D-MAX