Isuzu

Isuzu Motors is the world’s largest manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty trucks, and have been at the forefront of the Australian truck market for 20 years. In 2003 alone, Isuzu produced 16 million diesel engines, which were exported in vehicles all around the world. The origins of Isuzu date back to a 1916 collaboration between Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. and Tokyo Gas & Electric Industrial Co. In 1922, this partnership produced Japan’s first domestically manufactured truck, the Wolseley model A-9. The Isuzu name was chosen in 1934, after the Isuzu River in the Ise Grand Shrine area. Isuzu trucks played a major role in the post-war reconstruction of Japan, enabling the distribution of food and supplies across difficult terrains. Since that time, Isuzu has produced an enormous variety of trucks in all sizes, including the highly successful Isuzu Pickup and Isuzu Rodeo. The Isuzu 1959 N Series truck, introduced in 1959, was the first light-duty truck to be fitted with a diesel engine. The oil crises of the 1970s brought a new need for energy-efficient vehicles, which was answered by Isuzu with the low-emission, high output V Series PA model. The Isuzu Trooper was introduced in 1983 and sold well, boosting the general popularity of the SUV vehicle category in the 1990s. The company has also manufactured for the passenger vehicle market, producing the first diesel engine for passenger cars in the 1961 DL201 model. Isuzu won further credibility in this sector with the Bellet GT in 1963 and the Gemini, a best-seller for Isuzu and partner General Motors, which first appeared in 1971. Today, Isuzu has retained its reputation for quality, clean diesel vehicles with its range of new generation N Series, F Series, FX Series and Giga model trucks.