Enormously cool.
Isuzu-backed Team D-Max have revealed a couple of massive concepts based on the D-Max ute and MU-X SUV, though so many changes have been made that they only bear a passing resemblance.
Not the cars run a 7-inch lift kit, beneath which sit huge 38/15.5R20 Mud Terrain Toyo tyres. The boss of Isuzu’s Team D-Max stunt crew, Wayne Boatright, credited those Toyo tyres as the inspiration for the model.
“We didn’t set out to build a racer or a pre-runner or a rock crawler, or yet another version of the ‘ultimate 4WD tourer.’ It would have been easy to bolt on many accessories but we wanted to go our own way, so most of the build; The guards, bull bars, bonnet, brakes, suspension, and chassis modifications are all in-house custom work. The result is two vehicles of epic proportions, which could almost look at home in the next ‘Transformer’ movie… the kind of car that every child dreams about.” — Wayne Boatright, Team Isuzu D-Max
Both the D-Max and MU-X’s seven-inch lift kit have imbued the cars with a 50º approach angle and a 38º departure angle. There are 60mm remote-reservoir shocks at each corner, while “ultimate stopping power” is provided with 390mm brake disc rotors found up front, and 355mm rotors at the rear. Serious stuff.
The D-Max’s received some swollen wheel guards and a new bonnet (replete with enormous air intakes), along with a side step and seriously-aggro decals all round. There are also winches on either end in case the going gets too rough, though we doubt those tyres will leave it stranded anytime soon.
The big ute’s custom pieces continue, like a unique rear tray with spare tyre holders, and no less than 4 jerry cans of diesel. Its MU-X sibling has also been given a similar ‘anaphylactic shock’ treatment, replete with matching decals & red-tinted headlights. We dare you to call them ‘rose tinted.’
Both these cars are strictly concepts at this point, but they go quite a way in demonstrating the sheer number of customisation options available for utes and ute-based SUVs, and it highlights the capabilities of the two Isuzus that Team D-Max have tricked out. That’s what we like about the D-Max and MU-X, that they’re massively able machines both on-road and off-road.
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