Isuzu Ute Australia is confident its model lineup will be boosted by an SUV model to join its all-new D-MAX ute lineup.
Hitoshi Kono, Isuzu Ute Australia’s enigmatic, but departing Managing Director (he’s been re-deployed to head office in Japan) told Car Showroom the all-new D-MAX ute will arrive in the middle of next year.
And he’s hopeful new local MD Yasuhiro Takeuchi (previously in charge of missile production for Isuzu’s diverse parent company, Mitsubishi Corporation) will also launch the new mid-size SUV, a replacement for the current MU7 model produced and sold in Thailand.
“We’ve not got the final green light but we’re making progress and my gut feel is we’ll get it,” Mr Kono told Car Showroom.
You have to admire Mr Kono’s determination. After General Motors offloaded Isuzu to inject some dollars into the then-ailing American company, Mr Kono started Isuzu Ute’s Australian operations in 2008 right when the Global Financial Crisis hit and many dealers could not obtain finance for their floorplans (the industry method by which dealers finance cars in stock until they’re retailed).
But, thanks to handy products, clever strategies and a smart team, Isuzu Ute Australia is currently our 19th largest-selling brand in Australia (ahead of such marquee names as Land Rover, Lexus, Peugeot and Volvo), has landed some excellent major fleet buyers including Queensland Police and the Australian Defence Force and is on-track to top 10,000 annual sales very soon.
“Our brand awareness has grown, so the timing to launch our SUV model is right and we think, given time, the SUV could actually out-sell our ute,” Mr Kono said.
