Due to a severe decline in US sales, Isuzu are to cease all Japanese production of Trooper and 4x4 stationwagons in mid-February 2003. They have already dissolved their US manufacturing joint venture with Fuji Heavy Industry (makers of Subaru). The Indiana plant, now under 100% ownership of FHI, will continue to manufacture Isuzu Rodeo, Rodeo Sports, Axiom on behalf of Isuzu on a consignment basis with a 2003 forecast of 30,000 units.
The Trooper replacement for the US, the flagship Ascender, is a 7-seater SUV based on Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy platform.
Isuzu will concentrate on their Heavy Truck and Light Truck divisions and on supply of diesel engines in a joint-venture with General Motors, particularly the 1.7 litre direct injection for the Opel Astra and Corsa, the 3.0 litre V6 for the Saab 9-5 and the 6.6 litre V8 for the Chevrolet Silverado.
This leaves Isuzu UK in an awkward position as none of the US built vehicles are currently offered for sale. Their only official UK product will be the rather dowdy TF pick-up. A company named Doublecabs 'R' us (www.Cab4.com) is moving in to fill the gap left in the UK by the demise of the Trooper by supplying what they call the Evolution - a smart looking pick-up on the outside and an SUV on the inside with leather and auto as options.
CMark
copyright 2003
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I'm sorry to hear that. I have known the Trooper for the best part of 20 years in a variety of demanding locations and despite it's somewhat anodyne appearance and performance it was one vehicle that never let you down whatever.
I thought their pickup was marketed in UK as a Chevrolet, however it was the least of the bunch (Mits, Toyota, Nissan) here because of its noisy and sluggish engine and cheap appurtenances. A friend of mine in Lincs had one and it was awful.
In the Philippines Isuzu is very successful with its Crosswind SUV made for the local market and it has just come out with a neat 4 X 4 truck which is definitely a viable opponent to the Nissan Frontera or the Toyota Hi-Lux. Still nothing beats the Mitsubishi L200 for looks and performance and I think that will stay the case for a while yet.
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Looks like we're stuck with the Vauxhall Frontera (ex Isuzu Mu), then !
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Looks like we're stuck with the Vauxhall Frontera (ex Isuzu Mu), then !
It was the Vauxhall Monterey that was the Isuzu cloan.
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The Vauxhall Frontera is very closely based on the Isuzu Mu but built at Luton, the Vauxhall Monterey is an Isuzu Trooper clone built by Isuzu.
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I saw what looked like a Frontera in New York. It was badged as a Honda Passport. Weird.
Shame about the Trooper. I've just bought one, and at 8 years old and 115,000 miles it looks and feels nicely run in. Farmers around here love them, and with good reason. It's hard to think of anything else which will fill the gap - about half way between a LR Defender and a Discovery, but with a bigger engine than either, and Japanese reliability.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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