Breaking: Volkswagen Pursuing Isuzu?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The German Manager Magazin will write in its print edition that Volkswagen is considering buying all or part of Isuzu, the diesel-centric Japanese truck and commercial vehicle manufacturer. Volkswagen even has a codename for the deal: “Irene.” Another possibility: the truck firm MAN, which VW owns 30% of, could buy up an Isuzu stake, allowing VW to craft a three-part truck alliance between MAN, Scania and Isuzu. VW’s board member in charge of commercial trucks, Jochem Heizmann, is reportedly in Tokyo pursuing the acquisition and has inspected Isuzu. Toyota’s six percent stake in Isuzu (not to mention VW’s distractions integrating its Porsche and Suzuki alliances) could be serious obstacles. As VW and Toyota battle for the position of world’s largest automaker, Isuzu could become a symbolic battleground for the outsized ambitions of these two industry titans.

UPDATE: VW tells Automotive News [sub] that an Isuzu takeover is “not on the agenda.” Does that mean they’re not looking into the possibility? At this point, it’s not clear.


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • MikeAR MikeAR on Apr 13, 2011

    I'm not going to say much here other than I always liked the Vehicross and it's a shame it didn't sell better. It was kind of the the Rally Fighter of its day, at least in its looks.

    • Psarhjinian Psarhjinian on Apr 13, 2011

      @MikeAR: I don't agree with you on much, but I will agree with you on the Vehicross.

  • Zackman Zackman on Apr 13, 2011

    The Isuzu-with-the-fat-lip pictured above kind of sums up that company in recent years. My mind tells me in this era of globalization, much more consolidation must take place for the fringe players to survive, if not the major OEMs. Brazil on the verge of greatness? By what standard? The west? Brazil seems to be the anchor of South America, both economically and culturally. It always impressed me, when as a young boy, I saw on TV (1960?) that they were building a new capitol city, Brasilia, out in the middle of nowhere. They succeeded!

    • See 4 previous
    • Steve65 Steve65 on Apr 13, 2011

      @MikeAR It's been a lot of years since I sat in a Vehicross, but my most enduring impression is that outward visibility is poor. Not the hot ticket for an off-roader toy.

  • Athos Nobile Athos Nobile on Apr 13, 2011

    First Suzuki and now Isuzu... seems like VW want to mate with previous GM wifes. Is Subaru next? In any case, my question is... are they going to let them make cars again? In the SUV department they tried different, with both the VehiCross and the Axiom. The later one lives with some facelifting in GreatWall's SUV range. Cars were also different.

  • Blowfish Blowfish on Apr 13, 2011

    So had Guangdong Motors competely severed ties with Izusu? Or GM owns some of its shares?

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