วันอังคารที่ 8 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551

>>Isuzu Gemini

Isuzu Gemini

Isuzu Gemini
Manufacturer Isuzu Motors
Production 1974–2000
Predecessor Isuzu Bellett

The Isuzu Gemini was a compact car built, in several generations, by Isuzu and sold from 1974 to 2000. The same basic product was built and/or sold under several other names, sometimes by other General Motors brands, in various markets around the world.

1974

First generation
Also called Isuzu Bellett Gemini
Isuzu I-Mark
Opel-Isuzu
Buick Opel
Production 1974–1984
Class Subcompact
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
4-door sedan
Platform FR T-body
Related Chevrolet Chevette
Pontiac T1000
Holden Gemini
Isuzu Piazza
Opel Kadett
Vauxhall Cavalier
Pontiac Acadian

The first Gemini was the 1974 Bellett Gemini. It was based on the third-generation Opel Kadett on the General Motors T-car platform and came in four-door sedan and two-door coupe body styles.

In addition, Holden in Australia offered the Gemini as a 3 door station wagon and van, which were derived from the Vauxhall Chevette wagon, with Gemini front panels. The Gemini was Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1975.

The 1976 Gemini was equipped with a 1.3-liter engine known as the 1g13c, which was adopted by Opel in Germany for their Opel Kadett.

The coupe was replaced in 1981 by the derivative Isuzu Piazza, which was introduced in the United States in 1983 as the Isuzu Impulse.

Sold as:

1985

Second generation
Also called Isuzu I-Mark
Chevrolet Spectrum
Geo Spectrum
Pontiac Sunburst
Chevrolet Gemini
Holden Gemini
Production 1985–1989
Predecessor Chevrolet Chevette (Spectrum)
Opel Isuzu (I-Mark)
Pontiac Acadian (Sunburst)
Successor Isuzu Stylus (I-Mark)
Pontiac LeMans (Sunburst)
Geo Storm (Spectrum)
Class Subcompact
Body style(s) 3-door hatchback
4-door sedan
Platform FF R-body
Related Holden Gemini
Honda Civic
Isuzu Impulse
Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro

General Motors sought a replacement for their world car T-body Kadett / Gemini, and this time, instead of building one design on several continents, they decided to build a world car in one location and export it to several continents. As T-body manufacturing had been turned over to Isuzu in Japan for economic reasons, so would the manufacturing of the replacement. In 1984, Isuzu again commissioned Giorgetto Giugiaro who was responsible for the 117 Coupe and the Piazza. This time, he was to design an economy car on the new front-wheel drive R-body platform. The R-body featured a MacPherson strut front suspension and beam axle rear suspension, which foreshadowed most of GM's offerings through their current model lineup. Giugiaro's design followed the Piazza design very closely in shape and detail, though the proportions made the Gemini appear shorter and taller in its three door version, and a four door sedan (notch back) was also designed.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Isuzu presented the designs to GM prior to freezing the design, and GM ordered a number of detail changes to the design without ever consulting the designer, Giugiaro, which was taken as an insult, and ended the long relationship between the noted Italian designer and Japan's oldest car builder. The insult was serious enough to Giugiaro that he denied the car was his design until a decade after the vehicle went out of production.

The R-body Gemini was introduced in 1985. In Japan, the vehicle was available with a 1.5 liter SOHC engine, 1.5 liter turbocharged engine, and 1.7 liter diesel engine. A 1.6 liter DOHC engine was introduced in late 1987. Trim levels were widely varied, from basic models to Irmscher and Lotus Tuned versions, and plenty of optional equipment and dealer options were available.

In the US, the vehicle was available from Chevrolet (and later Geo) as the Spectrum, or from Isuzu themselves, as the I-Mark. GM's Pontiac division sold the I-Mark as the Pontiac Sunburst in Canada from 1985 to 1988. Pontiac discontinued the Sunburst because it felt that the engine was a little weak and did not have much performance. GM Canada announced that the Sunburst's replacement would be the Passport Optima in 1989. For GM, this was an entry level vehicle to attract young buyers and to compete with the flood of Japanese compact cars flooding the US market. The Spectrum lacked many of the options and equipment of the I-Mark, though both were available with the 1.5 liter SOHC non-turbo and turbo engines, but no diesel engines were offered in the US. The turbo model I-Mark was called the RS model in 1988 and then changed to the LS model in 1989. The I-Mark was available with the 1.6 liter DOHC engine in 1989 only, as the RS model. In 1988 and 1989, the LS and RS models were offered with Lotus Tuned Suspension, the sportier suspension featuring more rigid dampers, alternate spring rates, and bigger sway bars.

Sold as:

1990

Third generation
Also called Isuzu Stylus
Production 1990–1992
Class Compact
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
4-door sedan
Platform FF R-body
Related Geo Storm
Isuzu Impulse
Asüna Sunfire

The Gemini was redesigned for 1990, and the coupe version was now renamed the Gemini Coupe. The last models were produced in 1993.

The Isuzu Gemini Coupe was the basis for the Isuzu Impulse and Geo Storm in theUnited States and Canada, and for the Asüna Sunfire which was sold in theCanadian market for the 1993 model year only.

A 4-door sedan with similar mechanical components was sold as the Isuzu Stylus in the United States and Canada. The Geo versions lacked some of the more expensive and advanced features of the Isuzu (and Asüna) versions.

According to Volume 80 of Car Styling Magazine The design of 4-door sedan was based directly on a design study for GM's Saturn S-Series. GM rejected the design (which had evolved from a prototype known as the "Little Red Car") in 1985 and gave it over to Isuzu.

The 1993 Isuzu Gemini Coupe GT/r was also called the Stylus GT/r it was the last of the Gemini clan. It was replaced by several Honda Civic models.

However Opel made a new Kadett engine, also based on the 1g13c, known as the Kadett MkII 1g13de (1300 DOHC EFI), 1g13du (1300 DOHC twin side), 1g13te (1300 SOHC turbo) and 1g13dte (1300 DOHC turbo). All these variations were used on the last of the Geminis -- Isuzu Impulse, Isuzu Piazza, Isuzu Gemini MkII, Isuzu Stylus, Holden Gemini MkII, Holden Sunfire, Opel Kadett, Opel/Vauxhall Tigra and Asüna Sunfire.

1993/4

Fourth generation
Production 1993–1996
Class Compact
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
Related Honda Civic
Honda Domani
Honda Integra
Rover 400

Isuzu halted production of the Gemini and replaced it with a rebadged version of the Honda Domani.

1997

Fifth generation
Production 1997–2000
Class Compact
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
Related Acura EL
Honda Civic
Honda Integra
Rover 400

The 1997 Gemini generation was a rebadged Honda Civic sedan. Production of this model ended in 2000.

Safety

In Australia, the 1982–1984 Holden Gemini was assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing "significantly worse than average" protection for its occupants in the event of a crash.

Related Information

Isuzu Geminis and I-Marks were the most popular taxicab models in the Philippines in the 80s, and are still in use today, though they are gradually being phased out due to emission problems and their age.

เขียนโดย Unknown ที่ 08:48 0 ความคิดเห็น

>>Isuzu 117 Coupe

Isuzu 117 Coupe

Isuzu 117 Coupe
Isuzu 117 Coupe of the handmade series
Manufacturer Isuzu
Production 1968-1981
Successor Isuzu Piazza
Class Mid-size GT-type sports car
Body style(s) 2-door coupe
Engine(s) 1.6 L SOHC I4
1.6 L DOHC I4
1.8 L SOHC I4
1.8 L DOHC I4
2.0 L DOHC I4
2.2 L diesel I4
Transmission(s) 4-speed manual
5-speed manual
3-speed automatic
Related Isuzu Florian
Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro

The Isuzu 117 Coupe was a mid-sized Gran Turismo type 2-door fastback coupe manufactured by Isuzu Motors Ltd. in Japan from 1968 to 1981. The 117 was a codename for a common development program of Isuzu mid-size cars, involving a coupe, sedan and station wagon. The latter two eventually became the Isuzu Florian, but the coupe kept the original name, and both models shared mechanicals, including the complete FR layout chassis with recirculating ball steering.

The car was styled by the famous Giorgetto Giugiaro, being one of the first Japanese cars designed by an Italian stylist. It was also the first Japanese car with a DOHC engine, and the first with electronic fuel injection. It can also be regarded as the world's first sports car with a diesel engine.

The 117 Coupe was quite an exclusive vehicle during its lifetime, and is a rare collectible now, but thanks to its unusually long lifecycle, Isuzu manufactured as many as 86,192 units. The 117 Coupe was replaced by the Isuzu Piazza in the Isuzu lineup.

Early years

The 117 Coupe was debuted as a prototype at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, and was later shown at the Tokyo Motor Show the same year. In 1968, Isuzu started preliminary small-scale production of 117 Coupes, which were effectively handmade in amounts not exceeding 50 a month. The first engine available was a 1.6 L DOHC I4, and in 1970, an electronic fuel injection unit from Bosch debuted. The model fitted with fuel injection was named the EC (for "electronic control").

The car came with a long list of standard equipment (including leather seats, dashboard trim made of Taiwanese camphor laurel wood, and headrests) and was very expensive for Japanese standards. This concerned also the less luxurious 1800N version added in 1971, powered by a simpler 1.8 L SOHC carbureted engine.

G161W 1.6 L DOHC I4 engine
G161W 1.6 L DOHC I4 engine
Interior of the handmade product period
Interior of the handmade product period

Mass production

With the 117 Coupe becoming a very popular and desired model, and the advent of the cooperation with General Motors, Isuzu decided to shift the model to mass production. The 1.8 L engine became standard, with several versions available, with or without fuel injection, DOHC or SOHC.

Facelift

In 1977, Isuzu decided to afford the 117 Coupe a facelift, which resulted in replacing the previous front fascia with four round headlights with more modern one with rectangular lights (keeping their number). In an effort to further decrease manufacturing costs, plastic moldings were used in the interior. In 1978, the 2.0 L engine debuted, and in 1979 the XD diesel-powered version was added.

Starting in 1979, a special version called the Giugiaro Edition was available. Production of the 117 Coupe lasted until 1981, when it was replaced by the Piazza, also styled by Giugiaro.


เขียนโดย Unknown ที่ 08:47 0 ความคิดเห็น

>>Isuzu Florian

Isuzu Florian

Isuzu Florian
Early Isuzu Florian promotional brochure
Manufacturer Isuzu
Production 1967-1983
Predecessor Isuzu Bellel
Successor Isuzu Aska
Class Intermediate
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
Engine(s) 1.6 L PA20 I4
1.8 L PA30 I4
1.8 L PAD20 diesel I4
2.0 L C190 diesel I4
Transmission(s) 3-speed manual
4-speed manual
3-speed automatic
Related Isuzu 117 Coupe
Isuzu KB

The Isuzu Florian was a intermediate car manufactured by Isuzu Motors Ltd. in Japan from 1967 to 1983. The Florian's body remained essentially the same through its unusually long life cycle, being afforded only two moderate facelifts. Isuzu Florian is closely related to the Isuzu 117 Coupe, with which it shares the complete chassis.

The Florian was originally available as a 4-door sedan and a 4-door station wagon (the latter was later dropped). The Florian replaced the Isuzu Bellel and was in turn replaced by Isuzu Aska in the Isuzu lineup. There were only 145,836 Florians produced during the 15 years of the model's existence. However, the pickup derivative, the Isuzu KB, was widely exported through Isuzu's relationship with General Motors, sold in North America as the Chevrolet Luv and in Europe and Australia as the Bedford KB.

Origins of the name

The Florian was not named after Saint Florian, but rather after the fictional Lipizzan white horse belonging to the Emperor of Austria, which is the focal character of Felix Salten's (the author of Bambi) 1934 novel, "Florian - the Emperor's Stallion". In 1940, a movie based on the book was released, entitled simply Florian.


เขียนโดย Unknown ที่ 08:46 0 ความคิดเห็น

>>Isuzu Bellett sedan (PR20) and 2 door GT (PR90 & PR91)

Isuzu Bellett

Isuzu Bellett
Manufacturer Isuzu
Production 1963-1973
Predecessor Hillman Minx
Successor Isuzu Gemini
Class Subcompact
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
2-door sedan
2-door coupe
2-door station wagon
2-door pickup truck
Engine(s) 1.3 L OHV I4
1.5 L OHV I4
1.6 L OHV I4
1.6 L SOHC I4
1.6 L DOHC I4
1.8 L SOHC I4
1.8 L diesel I4
2.0 L diesel I4
Transmission(s) 4-speed manual
3-speed automatic
Wheelbase 2350 mm (92.5 in)
Length 4032 mm (158.7 in)
Width 1499 mm (59 in)
Height 1391 mm (54.8 in)
Curb weight 921 kg (2030 lb)


The Isuzu Bellett was a subcompact car manufactured by Isuzu Motors Ltd. in Japan from 1963 to 1973. It was an in-house designed replacement for the Hillman Minx, assembled previously by Isuzu under a license agreement. The name "Bellett" was supposedly to represent "a smaller Bellel".

The car was available as a 4-door or 2-door sedan, a rare 2-door station wagon, called the Bellett Express, and an even more rare 2-door pickup truck known as the Isuzu Wasp. After General Motors acquired a stake in Isuzu, the Bellett was replaced by GM's "global" T-car, initially called Isuzu Bellett Gemini and later simply Isuzu Gemini, which technically had little to do with its precedecessor. A total of 170,737 of original Belletts were manufactured.

Sedan

Launched in June 1963, the sedan began life with a 1.5 L OHV gasoline I4 engine and a 1.8 L diesel engine. In April 1964, they were joined by a 1.3 L OHC I4 engine. In 1966, the front fascia was facelifted, and in 1967, a 1.6 L SOHC engine was added. It was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine after the 1971 facelift, which also marked the end of diesel-powered Belletts.

GT

The Isuzu Bellett GT', launched in April 1964, was a 2-door coupe with a 40 mm (1.6 in) lower height than the sedan, fitted with a twin-carbureted 1.6 L OHV gasoline engine. It was the first Japanese car to be billed "GT" (Gran Turismo). September 1964 saw the arrival of a 1.5 L version of the GT, front disc brakes and some slight modifications to the front fascia. In September 1967, the base engine's power was increased, along with the addition of a fastback body style. Two years later, the 1.6 L engine was upgraded to a SOHC design, and in 1970 it was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine.

GT-R

The GT-R, more specifically GT Type-R (for "racing"), was a racing version of the GT, also available to individual customers. First presented in September 1969, the GT-R featured a 1.6 L DOHC engine from the 117 Coupe, power brakes and numerous other modifications. It was visually different from other Belletts primarily by a specific paint scheme, which included a completely black hood. The GT-R achieved many successes in racing, and has gained its own fan community. Only about 1,400 GT-Rs were manufactured.

Though the GT-R was one of the first cars to be called "GT-R", the Nissan Skyline GT-R was in fact earlier, with the PGC10 GT-R being released six months beforehand, in March 1969. The Holden Torana GTR was released in October 1969. However, there was a Bridgestone GTR motorbike which predates all of these. It is also worth noting that Isuzu used the Type-R designation long before Honda adopted it.

In 2006, readers of Japanese collector car magazine "Nostalgic Hero" ranked the Bellett GT-R 10th in a list of the 50 greatest Japanese cars. Results were published in issue 116 (August 2006) as well as a Nostalgic Hero Extra Edition (Geibun Mooks No. 555) published 4/20/2007.

MX1600

At the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show, Isuzu presented a concept car called Isuzu Bellett MX1600, designed by Tom Tjaarda. It was a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive 2-seater super sports car. Apart from sharing the 1.6 L engine with the GT-R, the MX1600 had little to do with any production Bellett, and it never materialized into a production vehicle, but it is said to have inspired the De Tomaso Pantera by the same stylist.

By : http://en.wikipedia.org
เขียนโดย Unknown ที่ 08:45 0 ความคิดเห็น

>>Isuzu

Isuzu Motors Ltd. or Isuzu Jidōsha Kabushiki-gaisha
Type Public TYO: 7202
Founded April, 1937
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Products Commercial vehicles, Diesel engines
Website www.isuzu.co.jp

Isuzu Motors Ltd. (いすゞ自動車株式会社 Isuzu Jidōsha Kabushiki-kaisha?), (TYO: 7202) is a Japanese commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturer company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu was the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures Tochigi and Hokkaidō. Isuzu is famous for producing commercial vehicles and diesel engines - it produced 16 million diesel engines in 2003 alone, which can be found in vehicles all over the world.

In most of Asia, Africa, and Europe, Isuzu is mostly known for trucks of all sizes, after Isuzu small automobile sales drastically plummeted and Isuzu had to drop all sales of sedans and compact cars in the late 1990's. In the United States, Isuzu is mostly known for manufacturing rebadged models of Chevrolet's Colorado as the Isuzu i-290 and the Quad Cab i-370, and also GMC's Envoy has been rebadged as the Isuzu Ascender. These are currently the only passenger vehicles Isuzu markets in the United States. Isuzu as a corporation has always been primarily a manufacturer of small to medium compact automobiles and commercial trucks of sizes medium duty and larger, but markets around the world show different needs. Isuzu has a contract with Budget Truck Rental to manufacture their rental trucks. This contract is also shared with Ford, GMC, and Navistar International.


History

  • 1916 - Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd. and Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Co. cooperatively plan to build automobiles.
  • 1918 - A technical cooperation with Wolseley Motor Company (UK) is initiated. In 1922 the first Wolseley model A-9 car is domestically produced. The CP truck follows two years later.
  • 1933 - Ishikawajima Automotive Works merges with DAT Automobile Manufacturing and changes its name to Automobile Industries Co., Ltd.
  • 1934 - A meeting with the Ministry of Trade and Industry results in the renaming of the truck to Isuzu, after the Isuzu River.
  • 1949 - Isuzu is adopted as company name.
  • 1953 - With technical assistance of Rootes (UK) the Hillman Minx passenger car is produced.
  • 1971 - A capital agreement with General Motors is signed.
  • 1972 - The Chevrolet LUV becomes the first Isuzu-built vehicle to be sold in the United States. A decade later, it is replaced by a domestic vehicle, the Chevrolet S-10.
  • 1973 - Isuzu introduces the Gemini, which is co-produced with General Motors.
  • 1981 - Isuzu-branded consumer and commercial vehicles are successfully exported to the United States. The Isuzu Pup is the first model sold to consumers.
  • 1987 - The joint venture Subaru Isuzu Automotive Inc. (SIA) is established together with Fuji Heavy Industries, owner of Subaru.
  • 1993 - Isuzu stops exporting the Stylus, its last car in America, after ending the Impulse the year before.
  • 1996 - Isuzu's sales peak in the United States. Joe Isuzu is popular pitchman with implausible claims, was also hired for the Axiom.
  • 1998 - General Motors and Isuzu form DMAX, a joint venture to produce diesel engines.
  • 1999 - GM raises its stake in Isuzu to 49%, effectively gaining control of the company.
  • 2001 - Isuzu sales begin to slide as the Rodeo and Trooper age. Movie Spy kids features Isuzu Axiom and Trooper.
  • 2002 - Subaru buys Isuzu's share of US plant. Subaru Isuzu Automotive becomes Subaru of Indiana Automotive.
  • August 14, 2002 - General Motors reduces its 49% share in Isuzu to 12% as part of a comprehensive recapitalization of Isuzu. GM also takes full control of DMAX and Isuzu Motors Polska, with Isuzu losing not just the factories but also ownership of all engine designs. The Trooper is dropped from the North American lineup.
  • 2003 - Isuzu sales were eliminated from the Canadian market. Canadian dealers mostly selling Saturn and Saab cars drop Isuzu cars from the lineup.
  • July 2004 - Production of the Rodeo and Axiom stopped. Isuzu sales in North America slow, with just 27,188 vehicles sold in all of 2004, with the cancelled Rodeo and Axiom making up 71% of that total.
  • 2005 - Isuzu dealers in the United States have only one model, the Ascender SUV, with the 2006 i-Series bringing that to two. At this point, Isuzu in the United States is primarily a distributor of medium duty trucks such as the NPR series. These vehicles are sourced both from Japan and U.S. plants in Janesville, WI and Flint, MI. The Ascender is a rebadged GM vehicle with mostly cosmetic differences from the GMC Envoy/Chevrolet TrailBlazer/Buick Rainier/and final version of the Oldsmobile Bravada. The i-series trucks are rebadged versions of the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon pickup trucks. Those trucks were jointly designed by GM's North American operations, GM do Brasil, and Isuzu; with Isuzu providing the chassis and GM providing the drivetrain. Isuzu has 290 dealers in the U.S. as of August 2006, and sells an average of just two Ascenders per dealer per month. Plans to introduce a new Thai-built SUV, expected to be added for 2007, are shelved; American Isuzu explains that a new SUV would be too risky and proceeds with the launch of the i-series trucks. Rumors of Isuzu's withdrawal from the U.S. market are rampant. Despite extremely low sales figures of 12,177 passenger vehicles for 2005 (with leftover Axiom and Rodeos making up 30% of this), Isuzu North America announces its first profit-making in years, mainly due to restructuring cuts and continuing robust sales of commercial trucks.
  • 2006 - Production of the 7-passenger Ascender ends in February with the closure of GM's Oklahoma City Assembly plant, leaving Isuzu with the 5-passenger Ascender, built in Moraine, Ohio, and the low-selling i-Series as its only retail products. The company sold just 1,504 vehicles in North America in the first two months of 2006. GM sells its remaining shares in Isuzu, but claims the companies will continue their current relationship. There is no word as of April 12, 2006 on the effect this will have on DMAX USA operations.
  • June 2006 - Isuzu and GM Agree to establish Joint Venture called "LCV Platform Engineering Corporation (LPEC)" to develop a new pickup. Isuzu says it will use it's engineering expertise to develop the pickup and GM will develop derivatives based on the integrated platform.
  • November 2006 - Toyota purchases 5.9% of Isuzu and the two companies agree to study possible business collaboration focusing on the areas of R&D and production of diesel engines, related emissions-control, and other environmental technologies.
  • January 2007 - Isuzu, along with General Motors Companies, release an update to the LCV range, with a 3.0 litre common rail diesel motor, with far more torque and power to its predessessor
  • August 2007 - Isuzu and Toyota agree to develop a 1.6-liter diesel engine for use in Toyota vehicles sold in European markets. Details of development, production and supply of the diesel engine, are still under discussion, but in principle, Isuzu will play the leading role. Production is scheduled to begin around 2012.

Important car, bus and light truck models

Isuzu LT132L at a Hong Kong motorway
Isuzu LT132L at a Hong Kong motorway
Isuzu Gemini with European (Maltese) registration plates
Isuzu Gemini with European (Maltese) registration plates
Isuzu NHR (Elf) light truck
Isuzu NHR (Elf) light truck
Isuzu CXZ (Giga) heavy truck
Isuzu CXZ (Giga) heavy truck
Isuzu Journey operated by Citibus (New Zealand)
Isuzu Journey operated by Citibus (New Zealand)
2005 Isuzu D-max Spacecab Hi-lander found at Phetchaburi, Thailand
2005 Isuzu D-max Spacecab Hi-lander found at Phetchaburi, Thailand

Passenger vehicle & SUVs

Commercial vehicles

Concept cars

By : http://en.wikipedia.org
เขียนโดย Unknown ที่ 08:44 0 ความคิดเห็น
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