Like the sad sad forgotten Isuzu Piazza, it looks old, from the front to the rear in end, it has that 80s Aesthetic looks, if you know what I mean, totally out of current time, like it concluded that this car was not worth the time of discussion? Nuh-uh, wrong, the reason this car is considered as a sports car is why, 'woah what??' yeah what, and also why we haven't seen em again, besides the hipster car guy out there of course.
We all know that Isuzu was probably most known in producing SUV's and Trucks, with the collusion with The General Motors of course, yeah we're talking about the US local, and Yes they once were in US, until they pull it out of the market by 2009. Like they actually made an interesting efforts on creating a passenger vehicles, like the Impulse
So its actually a good idea to put an Italian styling, Lotus tuning suspensions, armed with a potent turbocharged engine, and of course, A Japanese spirit in it (robustness, you know what I mean) into a real car form. Sounds Ok? well come out the Isuzu Piazza, also known as the Isuzu Impulse? I mean come on, I know you've seen at least once, right?
According to Jalopnik (yes, lots of my writing material came from Jalopnik lately, I don't even believe in such thing as coincidence haha, jk) So,
Isuzu needed a replacement for their 117 coupe, which debuted in 1968 and would stick around until 1981. While the sleek, Alfa Romeo-esque 117 is quite attractive, it was looking pretty dated as the 80s approached. So Isuzu approached the man they commissioned to design the 117: Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Italian behind greats like the Lotus Esprit, the Ferrari 250 GT, the original Volkswagen Golf, and many others.
Continuing the article. As could be expected, Giugiaro didn't disappoint. His concept, called the "Ace of Clubs", debuted to overwhelming enthusiasm during the 1979 Tokyo Motor Show, The wedge-shaped design, was angular and sleek at the same time, very sporty, and thoroughly modern, at that time.. The Car Lust actually wrote something that sound like "On street populated with Impala's, Fairmonts, Gran Furys, the Impulse looked like a rocket ship"
Its packed with two 2.0-liter four cylinder mills engine, one SOHC and one DOHC, producing 120 or 135 horsepower respectively. Those were alright in its day, enough to keep up with other competitors, like the Toyota Celica. Then a new Turbo'ed 2.0-liter four was then added 1985 that bumped power to 140 horsepower and 166 lb-ft. of torque, according to Isuzu it self.
GM had a role in here either, they had a large stake in Isuzu since the early 1970s, and the 80s they also owned Lotus for a time, yeah, through this, they received Lotus tuned suspension package with softer springs, stiffer shocks and revised sway bars. To put it, It all had everything, like they probably gonna win the game, it had Italian design, Japanese production, American support (where they put a rear wheel drive T body platform, I suggest you see the full story by the link provided in the end), British tuning. Then it gets around to Australia, sold as the Holden Piazza, later to the Canada as Asüna Sunfire (Asüna was kind of like Geo for the Great White North.)
So it's all good, where's the bitter part? As the Autopolis says it, it kind of lost favor where the sporty coupe market to some of its front-wheel-drive competition, as that was the emerging trend in the late 80s, like it can't be more worse, the Isuzu actually had a small dealer network and a small advertising budget, which was insufficient to fight it contenders, Nissan and Toyota.
In 1990s, where the downfall seems steeper, where the new Impulse was born, but this time it was a front-wheel-drive platform with available AWD option. Its actually wasn't a bad looking car, but it lacked the authenticity of Giugiaro original. Sales weren't terribly strong but its actually look the same as the Geo Storm in the U.S, in essential.. Not long after the sales that like only lasted only a three years, Isuzu then stop making passenger cars to focus on SUV's and trucks.
So its actually was goes around in the time, especially U.S and mentioned country before, but its not possible either if it weren't sold in other country, but its still extremely rare, overall its actually a decent car, its just not enough time and attention that they deserved.
The full story and most of the pics are belongs to Jalopnik!
