Isuzu have just signed a Rs.1,500 crore pact with the State Government of Andhra Pradesh for 430,000 sq.metres of land in Sri City, a well-connected, prime location, to begin manufacturing operations.
The State Government made the deal sweeter with some promises which Isuzu just couldn’t ignore. These include considerable sops and tax concessions related to local production. The plant will be up and running in late-2015 or by early-2016. Isuzu have three models in their line-up for now: the MU-7 SUV and the D-Max pickup truck in single cab and double cab versions; for which they have already started taking bookings.
Later in the evening, after the signing of the MoU, we had a chance to speak with Mr. Shigeru Wakabayashi, the Deputy Managing Director of Isuzu Motors India Pvt. Ltd., on the company’s plans for India. He feels that there is a huge potential for their pickups here. While the private registered double cabs may only form a tiny niche, the single cab versions will definitely see good sales owing to their rugged build quality, high reliability and efficiency. He also reiterated that India was going to be the hub of production activity. Annual production of over 100,000 units and export numbers to the tune of 40,000 units are the company’s targets.
The pickup segment has never really managed to pickup in India and that may stem from the fact that until recently, the design and build were rather crude and almost completely utilitarian. The old Tatamobile was probably the first pickup which was somewhat passenger friendly, but even that was a far cry from what private buying enthusiasts expect. The Tata Xenon is a more recent example of a better quality pickup which found quite a few takers in the private space. The other was the Mahindra Scorpio Getaway. Of course, Mahindra’s new Genio is their new workhorse and quite expectedly, it is seen mostly doing work runs while sporting commercial registration plates.
Isuzu’s strength here is simply their origin. They have been making cars since 1916 and are recognised as one of the foremost names in diesel engines worldwide. While their cars may not be seen in significant numbers, their engines do duty in varied applications across the globe under the bonnets of vehicles bearing different badges. Their tie-up with General Motors has resulted in several products with Isuzu engines branded with various badges from under the GM umbrella. In India, the Chevrolet Tavera is in fact the Isuzu Panther. Hindustan Motors even used Isuzu engines in the Ambassador. The models were touted as the premium variants and were designated with the 1800ISZ suffix. Coming back to Isuzu’s operations in India; they will be the first Japanese manufacturer to offer pickup trucks. With the Tata Xenon and Mahindra Genio being their only competition, their build quality and durability becomes a prime area of discussion. Internationally, the Toyota Hilux and even the F-150 may have a massive fan following and user base; but in India, it is Isuzu who could hope to have something similar. There is a market for private owned pickup trucks, however small it may be. People want good quality at a good price and a company like Isuzu can definitely deliver.
The Isuzu D-Max uses a 2.5L 4-cylinder iTEQ turbo-diesel engine making 118 PS and 280 Nm of torque. It sports a five-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels, for now. However, Isuzu also have an automatic version as well as a 4×4 version in their portfolio and it would be interesting to see if they do decide to bring them here. For now, we have a choice of a single cab starting at Rs.6.87 lakh and a double cab from Rs.8.09 lakh. These are being imported as CBUs, but enjoy lower duties on account of being tagged as commercial vehicles. At present, there are just two dealers located in Hyderabad and Delhi, but Isuzu plans to increase that number in the coming year.
Isuzu have also introduced the MU-7 SUV, which at just under 5 metres long, makes for a spacious family vehicle. Launched at Rs.23.75 lakh (ex-showroom Hyderabad), it will go up against other big and capable SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour. However, the premium pricing may just limit its popularity in the initial stages. The MU-7 uses a 3.0L 4-cylinder diesel making a healthy 163 PS and 340 Nm of torque. Once their plant commences operations, we will see a significant price reduction. Based on the current tax clauses for SUVs, it can’t be said for certain how much it will cost in about 3 years time.
Isuzu is finally here though and they will slowly but surely expand their range of offerings. They are researching and developing improved diesel technologies, diesel-electric hybrid drivelines and CNG alternatives as well. But until those come along, their present range doesn’t really leave much to be desired in the price range they are offered at. And for those looking for a heavy-duty pickup, the D-Max checks all the important boxes.
