Isuzu Motors and its background
It was in the year 1878 that Isuzu was founded as a petroleum company. Ever since then, Isuzu has been a leader in the production of commercial vehicles (vehicles used for transporting goods and commuters) and diesel engines. It all started when the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. wanted to merge with Tokyo Gas and Electrical Industrial Co. to create and produce cars. Then in the year 1916 the company Isuzu was established.
The name Isuzu has an English translation, Fifty Bells. It was named after the Isuzu River, which is a known river in Japan that can be found in the City of Ise, Mie Prefecture. As of today, Isuzu provides high-quality diesel-powered buses and trucks not only to the local market but also internationally. The head office of Isuzu is located at 6-26-1 Minami-oi, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. While, the manufacturing plants are located at Fujisawa, Tochigi, and Hokkaido. Today, the President and Director of Isuzu Motors Limited, Japan is Mr. Masanori Katayama.
When Isuzu started its operation, making cars seemed too pricey and expensive for a small car-making company. So, Isuzu started to look for potential commercial partners. As a result, in the year 1966, they collaborated with Fuji Heavy Industries or Subaru. In the year 1968, the partnership with Subaru was ceased and a new partnership was formed with Mitsubishi. The following year, Isuzu entered into a new collaboration with Nissan. Finally, in September of 1971, General Motors became the new partner of Isuzu.
The collaboration with GM or General Motors was proven to be beneficial for both companies. Isuzu was able to market and sell their products to the United States market. While General Motors product is sold to the Japanese market through dealerships. In 1981, a three-way agreement was made between Isuzu, Suzuki and General Motors.
Isuzu logo, its history told
The logo of a company is a symbol of the things it stands for and is the representative of each company. The logo of Isuzu was first developed in 1974 to celebrate the company's collaboration with General Motors. As seen by the naked eye, it consists of two pillars that are placed against a red colored background. The pillars represent the first syllable in the Japanese characters of Isuzu. In addition to this, it is also a representation of the company's dedication to providing excellence in comparison to the common quality made by craftsmen. While the Isuzu badge is letters S and Z that are a mirror image of each other.
Isuzu Philippines
Isuzu Motor Pilipinas is a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan. It first came to the Philippines in the year 1950 when it first introduced the line of trucks. In 1972, Isuzu and General Motors were merged to create GM Philippines. Then, in the year 1995, the Isuzu Philippines Corporation was established. In Laguna Techno Park, the 13 hectares of Industrial land for manufacturing purposes was built producing at least 15,000 units of Isuzu vehicles.
There is an available website for those who are interested to buy an Isuzu car from the Philippine market. It shows the different car models and highlighting the important features. Also, comparing car models is also easier through the use of the website. The different services available include being able to locate a dealer or obtaining a quote for a car. In addition to this, booking for a test drive can also be done through the website. Furthermore, browsing through the product catalog and checking for the parts or services are more convenient.
Isuzu Thailand
In 1957, the Isuzu Motors started to import their truck vehicles to Thailand. After a few years, the production plant was established in Thailand. Thus, they began their own production. In 1974, the manufacture of pick-up trucks was started. In the year 1997, the plant in Thailand was inaugurated and at the same time, the production of pick-up trucks was started as well.
Eventually, in the year 2002, the production of pick-up trucks (Isuzu D-Max) was moved from the plant in Japan to Thailand. To accommodate the demand for more production, the plant was expanded in the year 2006 to produce more Isuzu vehicle. As a subsidiary of the Isuzu Motors Limited, Japan, Isuzu Thailand is not only responsible for manufacturing and logistics but also research and development.
Isuzu D-Max
The Isuzu D-Max is a compact pickup that is manufactured by both Isuzu and General Motors. It is available in different body styles such as 2-door cab chassis, 2-door utility, 4-door cab chassis, and 4-door utility. It was first released in 2002 and is continually produced until today. It has a counterpart model that is the Chevrolet Colorado, which is made by General Motors. Both automobiles are produced in the plants located in Thailand. In Australia, there is another D-Max version sold in Australasia from 2003 to 2008, it was renamed into Holden Colorado.
In 2002, the Isuzu D-Max had made its debut in Thailand and was available in a number of models. Furthermore, the models are the Spark (single cab), SpaceCabs (extended cab), and Cab4s (double cab), and Crew Cabs. In 2004, the DDi iTEQ is the diesel engine family for D-Max. The first engine to be used was 3.0 4JJ1-TC 146 PS that produces a power of 144 hp.
The following year, in 2005, the second engine was introduced, a 2.5 4JK1-TC 116 PS that produces a power of 114 hp. In 2006, the third version of the engine was released, 3.0 4JJI-TCX that provides extra power and enhanced efficiency. From the year 2007 to 2008, the Gold series of the Isuzu D-Max and MU-7 were introduced to the public that features a gold badge at the front side and a more luxurious interior.
In the years 2008 to 2009, the Gold series was replaced with the D-Max platinum models. The new features for the platinum series include a platinum version of the entertainment package. Also, a slight change with the interior. The badge on the front side was also changed from gold to platinum. In the third quarter of 2009, the super platinum models were introduced. It was also in 2009 that the sports version of the D-Max (X series) were released that mainly targets the young consumer market. In 2010, the titanium models were first released to the public that features a frontal camera and luxurious interior.
Isuzu Elf Truck
The elf model of Isuzu is a medium truck vehicle that is being produced by the company since 1959. It has been sold across different countries under different name series. The first generation came out in August 1959. It was originally made with 1.5 Liters petrol engine that has single headlights and doors that has hinged on the rear.
The second generation that was produced in 1967, added a new light version to the Elf vehicle lineup. Also, the models that belong to the second generation include the Elf 150, Elf 350, and Elf Mi-Pack. In June 1975, the third generation of Elf came out. The Elf 250 super and Elf 150 super version were manufactured with enhanced diesel engine power that is considered to be heavy duty.
In the year 1984, the fourth generation of Elf was introduced to the public. By this year, the Elf vehicles were widely distributed to different parts of the world, including the United States. It was in July of 1993 that the Isuzu Elf was released first. Furthermore, it has a more prominent sculpted headlight exterior as well as a cleaner diesel engine. Then, finally in the year 2006, the sixth and the latest generation of the Elf were released.
Isuzu Truck
The Japanese Company, Isuzu, has been known to be making durable and heavy-duty trucks over the years. They have the N-series or the light duty trucks. Then, the F-series (medium-duty trucks) and C&E series (heavy duty trucks). The models that belong to the F-series include the cab chassis with or without G-cargo wingvan.
The model names include FRR90 M, FSR34 N, FVR34 Q, FVM34 T, and FVM34 W. The weight of the vehicle has a range of 10,600 kg to 26,000 kg. All of the truck vehicles are powered by Blue diesel engine. The fuel tank capacity is up to 200 Liters. The heavy duty trucks were under the C&E series. It has a weight range of 33,000 kg to 40,000 kg. It has a 6-cylinder Blue power diesel engine. The fuel tank capacity can range from 200 Liters to 550 Liters. Under the C&E series, Isuzu also manufactures tractors, mixers, dump trucks, and trailer trucks.
Isuzu Trooper
Isuzu not only produces heavy-duty trucks but also for a short time released mid-sized SUV. The Isuzu Trooper was first produced in 1981 up until 2002. During the time it was produced, it was also exported all across the world and sold under different series names. It started off as a 4-wheel on and off-road vehicle that was used for mild duty driving.
The first generation of the Trooper was produced from the year 1981 to 1991. It was available in both 3-door and 5-door body styles. The engine started at 1.9 Liters and eventually evolved to 2.8 Liters engine power. It was manufactured with both 4-speed manual transmissions (MT) and 4-speed automatic transmissions (AT).
The 3-door wagon has dimensions of length measured at 162.3 inches (4,122 mm), height at 72.6 inches (1,844 mm), and width at 65 inches (1,651 mm). The 5-door wagon is a little bit bigger with the dimensions measured at 176 inches (4,470 mm) for the length, 65 inches (1,651 mm) for the width, and 71.7 inches (1,821 mm) for the height. The Isuzu Trooper was on sale on the United States as Trooper. While it was named as Holden Jackaroo in Australia. Then, Korando Family in South Korea.
The second generation of the Isuzu Trooper was produced from the year 1991 to 2002. The design was enhanced that made the vehicle more efficient, more powerful and more luxurious in terms of exterior and interior. The body styles have two variances, the 3-door chassis, and 5-door chassis. The diesel engine was upgraded to 3 Liters, 3.1 Liters, 3.2 Liters, and 3.5 Liters. It also had available 4-speed automatic transmission (AT) and 5-speed manual transmission (MT). The 3-door wagon has the measurements of length at 166.7 inches (4,234 mm), width at 72.2 inches (1,834 mm), and height at 72.2 inches (1,834 mm).
Isuzu Crosswind
The Sportive X MT is the latest model for the Isuzu Crosswind. This type of vehicle is the most appropriate and best sellers for families. The latest series features 2.5 Liters 4 cylinder diesel engine at 2499 cc and produces 85 hp of power. Since it caters mostly to families, it comes with a 7 seater interior capacity. It is available at a 5-speed manual transmission and power steering. For the safety features, it has both power door locks and anti-theft alarm system. The dimensions are measured at 1,770 mm for the width, 4,735 mm for the length, and 1,900 mm for the height.
Isuzu Giga
The full-size heavy-duty trucks comprise the Isuzu Giga. It was first manufactured in 1994 and is continuously produced until today. The available models for the first generation are Isuzu CYJ460R and Isuzu Giga Max semi-tractor. The second generation first appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2015 and was made available to the public consumers by the year 2016.
The heavy-duty vehicles provide a large capacity for transportation as well as fuel efficiency when traveling on the highway. The cab design lowers the fuel costs despite its large size. In addition to this, the heavy-duty suspensions increase the capabilities of the trucks for carrying heavy loads. The new model of the Isuzu CE series runs on 6WF1-TCC engine diesel packs and is available on 7 speed and 16-speed transmissions. One good thing about the new version is that it has fewer emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Interestingly, it provides comfort to the driver as it can provide an optional bed that can be used for long travel or even a hard day's work.
