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Isuzu Abandons U.S. Market
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:29 am
by WRXWagon2112
Can't say that this is unexpected. Or that it's particularly upsetting to the market, either.
Link
Isuzu has officially announced that it's leaving the U.S. market and discontinuing sales of its i-Series pickup and Ascender SUV. Both vehicles are produced via a joint venture with General Motors, the i-Series being based on the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon pickups and the Ascender being a rebadged version of the Chevy Trailblazer. Reuters reports that it will cost Isuzu some $37 million to bug out, mostly in dealer buyouts and other move-related costs. Though the Japanese automaker will not be selling vehicles in the States, it will continue to provide parts for service. Its reason for leaving is basically that GM has no plans to replace the Colorado/Canyon and Trailblazer with models that Isuzu could rebadge, and the automaker has no plans to develop its own new models for North America.
Isuzu's sales have been extremely weak in the U.S. these past few years. Last year it sold just 7,906 units, down from 15,751 units in 2006. We can't say that we're crushed that Isuzu is leaving, although we do remember a time when Isuzu sold more than just trucks, back when the brand's image was shaped by a guy named Isuzu Joe (see commercial after jump). Remember the Impulse, Lotus-tuned Stylus (the last car sold by Isuzu in the U.S. from 1990 - 1993, and one we wouldn't mind owning ourselves), the wild VehiCROSS and sharply styled Axiom? Yes, we can remember better times for Isuzu in the U.S., but recent bad times have led the automaker to this decision. Farewell, Isuzu!
--Alan
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:32 am
by complacent
Not much of a surprise for sure.
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:33 am
by Phibs
I think I see a tracker or two once a month
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am
by Sabre
Funny thing about the Trackers: Their short wheel base made them VERY good for off-roading... the thing is, in order to do that, people stripped them down to the shell, put diesels in them and 6" lifts
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:50 am
by Phibs
^^^ lol yeah I've seen that too, I could not believe it!
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:53 am
by WRXWagon2112
Phibs wrote:I think I see a tracker or two once a month
IIRC, a Tracker is a re-badged Suzuki, not an Isuzu.
You may still see Isuzu Troopers, Axioms or VehiCROSSes though.
Bonus trivia: The Isuzu Trooper was re-badged as an Acura so that Honda could sell a luxury SUV while they developed their own design.
--Alan
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:26 pm
by sirwilliam
We are losing Isuzu? OH NO!
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:32 pm
by chicken n waffles
i can't remember the last time i met someone who had a new isuzu.
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:37 pm
by thermobox
don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you. peace out. there hasn't ever been a quality isuzu in the us unless it was a rebadged some thing else in my opinion.
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:33 pm
by Libra Monkee
Wow, I didn't even know Isuzu was still in business. Also, I thought the Tracker was a Geo. Isn't it?
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:41 pm
by thermobox
the tracker or sidekick is a suzuki,geo,chevy product. they are pretty bullet proof and the trannies still fetch a few grand with more than 100k on the odo.
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:17 pm
by WRXWagon2112
Libra Monkee wrote:Also, I thought the Tracker was a Geo. Isn't it?
"Geo" was a brand that Chevy/GM came up with to sell small cars without 'sullying' the great image of Chevy. In this manner, GM could sell re-badged Suzuki Swifts, Sidekicks and Toyota Corollas as Geo Metros, Trackers and Prisms (respectively). But after the Prisms starting selling well and getting a reputation for reliability (they were, after all, Toyotas in disguise), Chevy/GM felt that it wouldn't hurt their image to sell those models under the Chevy name.
Hence the emergence of the Chevy Tracker and Chevy Aveo (although I think the Aveo is actually a Dihatsu).
Matt's right - those Trackers/Sidekicks are pretty durable and capable off-road machines.
--Alan
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:01 pm
by drwrx
I guess I should think about selling my '86 Trooper.
It's a 4x4 and it runs. Maybe I can get $500 for it.
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:01 pm
by snaab
I've never met anyone that owns an Isuzu, yet I've met people who own fare rarer cars than them
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:13 am
by Mr Kleen
snaab wrote:I've never met anyone that owns an Isuzu...
you've never met the Darrin
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:25 am
by drwrx
There certainly is nothing rare about and Isuzu Trooper.
A 22 year old one that still runs however, is pretty rare.
Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:17 pm
by snaab
drwrx wrote:There certainly is nothing rare about and Isuzu Trooper.
A 22 year old one that still runs however, is pretty rare.
Zak told me about your Trooper last night. I've never seen it though, so it only counts for half!