As it just so happens, I had the pleasure of sitting behind the wheel of TWO brand-new G-wagons earlier this weekà a æplain oldÆ regular one ($77,000), and a supercharged 5.5 AMG version ($105,000).



If Isuzu could find it in their heart (and budget!) to produce a vehicle with an equally vault-like quality of construction, like that which I observed on Tuesdayà and then somehow actually followed through, and slickly marketed it in such a way that it was not only appealing to the masses, but a bona-fide down-right æI MUST HAVE ONE!Æ sort of vehicle (particularly in the eyes of the upper-most demographic)à Then YES, I sincerely believe that a lot of people really would pay $40,000+ for the privilege of owning one.



If Isuzu were to fully capitalize upon the almost unlimited power of advertising, and do so in conjunction with a vehicle that truly looked the part (and more importantly; one that was built as tough as nails), they could very easily put themselves in direct competition with the top end of the marketà And moreover, by using the existing D-Max as the platform base, they could spank the competitionÆs asking prices by a notably comfortable margin (if they so desired).


Is THIS that vehicle?



In my opinionà Not even after a whole month of Photoshopping! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" />



Isuzu pulled-off a major coup when they created the original Trooper, and then introduced it to the American public via those revolutionary Joe Isuzu ads. --- The buying public as a whole was instantly both intrigued and entertained, simultaneouslyà and it worked like a charm! - People poured into the nationÆs showrooms in droves to see one for themselves.



After the terms of their contractual obligation to sell re-badged GMs has been met, if Isuzu intends to offer a product line in the United States of any real significance à (as I see it) their only hope will be to stop banging the ævalueÆ drum, with all of the ôwe are meek and mildö connotations that it conveys - and instead start beating their chest, saying the 21st century equivalent of ôCANÆT TOUCH THIS!ö û with a vehicle or three that actually have the rock-solid cohunes to back it up.

àOtherwise, my good and dear friends, as sad as it might be for me to say ità We are all going to be driving around in the modern-day-equivalent of Studebakers. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />


(A not-very-cheerful)
Cheers! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Smiley

Egg-zactly. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />
I couldn't have said it longer myself. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

it is not that bad, Smiley... I envision myself on a photo in our local "Contra Costa Times" with a long beard and with my open-hooded Rodeo, titled as "Dude with his antique Isuzu in the show-room condition ! All hoses are painted in silver, and the engine block is painted in gold !"

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Didnt studebaker just come out with a ripoff (if you can call it that) of the H2 SUT? I think so, and then Hummer sued them for making it so like the H2. I read about it in Four Wheeler. sorry, back on track now...
-J <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />


Nice.


Cheers! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Smiley

Are you sure your not refering to jeep suing (and losing <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />) cause of the front grill?

nope, that was a different lawsuit.

This is a market for crazy people, and the vendors are obliged to behave in the crazy ways to attract the target buyers...

OK, I'll play...




Actually, YES, they did.

But what I think is funny is the fact that [b]Lamborghini used to make a 4x4[/b] that looked a whole lot like a HUMVEE (only it came along WAY before!)à The similarity between the two is undeniably more than merely coincidental. --- And then of course GM simply copied the H1 to make the H2

Who the heck are they to get their legal briefs in a twist over a shape that they didnÆt even invent? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />


Cheers! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Smiley

Actually, I was thinking something along the lines of the Edsel..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But, ok, we'll just go with the Studie <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

New info and pics have been posted at:

www.isuzu-tis.com
www.isuzmotor.com (this site has alot of cool pics and video of D-MAX too!! I reccomend the 10 MB South African commercial in "d-max video" section!!!)

Also, it has been confirmed a D-MAX derivative will hit the US, as said in Isuzu mid-term business plan:
www.isuzu.co.jp/world

Probably this will be it, most likely bearing Trooper or Rodeo name. It will probably also be more refined, but really the only thing I think it needs is a better dash, the rest is pretty nice, even the third row has nice accomodations.

Also, Bush is supporting the end of all tariffs imposed to help stop foreign competition, and the Republican majority is voting to repeal the "chicken tax" on imported pickups, which means that the D-MAX is aslo a possibility in the US market....

There are many good signs that are not very apparent. One of these is the financial forecast which allocates over $1 billion USD to R&D as well as ore thn $1 billion USD in facility investments. Sounds to me like new factories and new models too.