Isuzu is closing the doors....

[azskyrider]

"Continually plagued by reports that the company is not long for this world, Isuzu further aggravated such rumors by stating it would not expand its product lineup — no pickups, sport wagons or additional SUVs — until 2007. With production of the Axiom and the Rodeo scheduled to stop in July of this year, dealers will be left to peddle just the Ascender for the next three years......."

You can read the rest at Edmunds

[MrCrowley]

The reason for all of this- Isuzu has announced they are cutting all ties with GM and will be completely severed by 2007. I think they are tired of being a red headed stepchild to GM, and the take take take (Duramax, Canyon, etc, etc) and getting nothing but limited release from them. The all new Trooper will be out then, since the A$$ender bellyflopped. They finally learned their lesson. I think this is the first good news from Isuzu since the VX!!!

[Joe_Black]

MrCrowley, if what you say is true, and man I hope it is, that is just the most absolutely wonderful thing! Now I'm gonna be all giddy today thinking about how GM is going to deal with losing the only quality thing they had. Woohoo!

GMAC = Grossly Mis-engineered American Cars

[MrCrowley]

I was just as excited as you when I read the article. I cant remember where- it was a news topic thingy on some Isuzu related Automotive webiste. Ill try to find it again. 4 Isuzus and I thought I was done. Maybe Ill look into a 2007 Trooper to replace my '98 Trooper. We all know nothing will replace the 99 VX. .

[Daver]

Yeah, wonderful. Too bad there won't be any Isuzu dealers left to help out existing owners by 2007.

-Daver

[t2p]

....... the Ascender ....... savior ??? (Edmunds article)
.
The TrailBlazer ........ er, um Ascender ....... ???
.
I think my family had a 72 Firebird that had more ground clearance and off-road capability .........

[Ron Pfeiffer]

I got curious and did some searching - found some very interesting info on this page, apparently dedicated to Isuzu cars:

http://www.isuzuperformance.com/isupage/

Scroll down and check out the timeline - some developments at the end (last is Feb of this year) that do point to hopeful signs for Isuzu. Also hopeful stuff about Isuzu in America specifically; seems as though their relationship with GM has hamstrung them over here.

A lot can happen between now and then, but it looks like they have a plan . . .

Ron

[MZ-N10]

http://www.isuzuperformance.com/isupage/


isuzu is making a sports car now???
________
Live Sex

[Joe_Black]

seems as though their relationship with GM has hamstrung them over here.

That's an understatement! LOL!

isuzu is making a sports car now???

More like "again". My '84 Impulse is what got me hooked on Isuzu to begin with, and it was an incredible handling coupe with a style that set the bar in design for virtually everything the competition could produce afterward. Example of 1st Gen Impulse:

When the news of the 4200R came out in the late eighties as a potential replacement for the Impulse I started saving money for a deposit right then and there. If they had produced that car I'd probably still be driving it! The 4200R:

[xdfarrx]

great news- I was under the impression that Isuzu was done. I've had two and my vx is like probably to many of you important. I told a friend that (I thought) Isuzu was done and he told me to get rid of my vx.... that noise you heard was me making a sigh of relief-

[BaM*BaM]

Today, in USA Today

As a result of such skepticism, Isuzu expects to lose a significant minority of its 415 dealers, winding up with perhaps no more than 250 to sell the '07 model.

Isuzu insists it is not leaving the U.S. market.

"On the face, with the reduced sales, the picture looks bleak," acknowledges Chip Letzgus, a spokesman for Isuzu. "But honestly, it doesn't look bleak to us when we are poised to make money. The company has no intention of leaving the market."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...20-isuzu_x.htm

[t2p]

.... and the 'door' may be closed for good - except for the commerical vehicles ...........
.
2007 ? - for the next new model - with only one re-badged GM vehicle to sell for the next few years .......
.
???
.
I will be surprised if there are 50 dealers around by that time .......
.
I'm not a GM fan - early-to-late-60's GM muscle cars the exception - but I find it difficult to lay the majority of the blame on GM.
.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I sent the following letter to the editor of USA Today as an editorial:

"In regards to the story in USA TODAY on ISUZU's apparent stifling in the US market; it should be pointed out that ISUZU has had major contributions and success pertaining to the automotive world only to have GM steal the thunder due to its part-ownership of ISUZU. For example, ISUZU has developed the successful GM Duramax Diesel; yet gets no recognition. ISUZU developed the chassis for the new Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, which is a knockoff of the ISUZU pickup sold overseas in Thailand. ISUZU is responsible for bringing Direct Injection to the marketplace in the form of its 2004 AXIOM SUV, which is a technology found only in two gasoline automobiles sold in the US — the BMW 760Li and the Rolls Royce Phantom.
I for one am a proud owner of a 2000 ISUZU VehiCROSS SUV which to this day cannot be matched in the automotive world for its unique crossover tendencies between off-road capability and sports car like on-road capabilities. The only SUV today that comes close is the Infinity FX 35/45, which has excellent on-road manners but no real off-road abilities."

I doubt any of this will actually make the paper....but I felt compelled!

[xdfarrx]

Nice one Jolly. Solid lyrics. I already sent an email to corporate to throw in my 2 cents.

[Dallas4u]

Please keep us updated as to any future response!