Isuzu to GM: 'It's Been Grand, But I'm Dating Someone Else Now' [UPDATE]

Mark Stevenson
by Mark Stevenson

Update: Automotive News is reporting General Motors is now focusing “on the higher end of the market while the Japanese firm sticks to selling vehicles for everyday commercial purposes,” strongly hinting that GM is the one that broke off the collaboration. We’ve added detail below.

After announcing a new bromance with Mazda just over a week ago, Isuzu is calling it quits with its old beau General Motors.

(Or maybe GM caught Isuzu cheating behind its back. Who knows? The relationship dynamics at play between automakers are difficult to flesh out.)

Regardless, midsize trucks — badged as both Isuzus and Chevrolets — will be no more in the Land of Smiles. The duo, which has a truck plant each in Thailand, will decouple their R&D efforts as they move toward engineering new global midsize pickups.

As part of the previous announcement, Mazda ended one of its last ties with former parent Ford. The Japanese company will instead work with Isuzu on its next BT pickup, which will become a rebadged version of the Isuzu D-Max. Since Isuzu now has a new willing partner in Mazda, the automaker that once gave GM all its LUV is parting ways with Detroit in the global pickup segment after more than a decade working together. The current Isuzu D-Max provides the basis for the global Chevrolet Colorado, which is structurally different from the one Chevrolet sells in North America.

“After detailed discussions with GM, we have agreed that we will continue pickup truck development on our own,” Isuzu said in statement, reported by Automotive News.

“Both GM and Isuzu agree that due to unique requirements for each company, joint development of the next-generation midsize pickup truck for GMI markets is no longer the optimal model for this project,” GM said in today’s statement.

From AN:

One GM executive said the “unique requirements” for GM are about the strategic shift it began making last year in Southeast Asia where it is now trying to focus more on competing in the higher end of the region’s truck and SUV markets.

Despite the obvious benefits of collaborating on development such as sharing costs, the executive, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to discuss the move, said that GM had decided not to try to copy its Japanese rivals in Southeast Asia where brands like Isuzu, Toyota Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. dominate.

“It doesn’t make sense for us trying to copy the business strategy of the Japanese rivals in Southeast Asia,” the executive said.

Domestically, Isuzu and GM announced they’d be working together to launch GM back into the medium-duty market with a new line of cabover trucks. Six new models will be available in the U.S. – Chevrolet 3500, 3500HD, 4500, 4500HD, 5500 and 5500 HD – all based on the Isuzu N-Series.

The change in Japan’s pickup strategy leaves GM and Ford to fend on their own outside of North America — unless they can figure out a way to work together.

[Image: Isuzu]

Mark Stevenson
Mark Stevenson

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  • Jeff S Jeff S on Jul 24, 2016

    I would say that the Isuzu and Mitsubishi COE trucks must work for many businesses or they would not buy them. I do not think having a long hood would work as well for delivery trucks in urban areas with tighter parking. If these trucks did not serve a purpose then no one would buy them. As for midsize versus compact trucks Government standards have basically made a true compact truck a harder sell for the manufacturers. A smaller truck would be subject to the same efficiency standards as a compact car which while not being fair it is what it is. The current midsize trucks are not subject to as strict a standards. At the present time a compromise to a midsize truck is more doable than a full size half ton truck for those wanting a smaller truck. If in the future a full size half ton is reduced slightly in size then a midsize truck will no longer be viable. It is possible to reduce the length of full size pickups if these trucks are made of lighter materials and if most have smaller engines.

  • Guitar man Guitar man on Jul 29, 2016

    "Regardless, midsize trucks — badged as both Isuzus and Chevrolets — will be no more in the Land of Smiles. The duo, which has a truck plant each in Thailand, will decouple their R&D efforts as they move toward engineering new global midsize pickups." ? Nope. Both GM and Isuzu will continue to build and sell pick ups in Thailand. "The current Isuzu D-Max provides the basis for the global Chevrolet Colorado" Wrong again. The bodyshell of the D-Max was designed by GM at their Buena Vista studios, and it is in fact the _previous_ model Colorado.

  • Wolfwagen Is it me or have auto shows just turned to meh? To me, there isn't much excitement anymore. it's like we have hit a second malaise era. Every new vehicle is some cookie-cutter CUV. No cutting-edge designs. No talk of any great powertrains, or technological achievements. It's sort of expected with the push to EVs but there is no news on that front either. No new battery tech, no new charging tech. Nothing.
  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
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