Fixed price for Isuzu van duo
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by Toby Clark • Isuzu Truck (UK) finally launched its range at the IRTE show last week, as the firm released details and pricing of its 3.5 and 6.2-tonne trucks.
The vehicles may be unfamiliar to UK buyers, but they are hardly revolutionary the Is= N-Series is already the best-selling truck in the world and has headed the Japanese sales figures for 26 years, The sales and servicing set-up is more innovative: Isuzu sells vehicles directly from its Enfield HQ, at fixed "no-haggle" prices.
Transfleet and Multipart provide service and spares backup—their parent company Lex has an 80% holding in Isuzu Truck (UK), with 15% owned by lsuzu itself and 5% by Japanese import giant hochu.
Initial supplies of the chassiscabs will come directly from Japan—UK assembly will begin at Leyland Trucks in August, with full-scale production expected by October. The Lancashire plant will also produce complete, ready-to-use vehicles: dropside versions are available, and box bodies supplied by Peter G Reeves: these will share the chassis' two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. The IRTE display also featured a 6.2-tormer with a streamlined Volumaker body. Lantern Recovery Group is to supply offthe-shelf recovery vehicles (see IRTE show report, page 26).
Both models are mechanically quite conservative, with indirect-injection engines and five-speed synchromesh gearboxes. Standard features include an engine brake. power steering, electric windows and an adjustable steering column. Tilt cabs are standard too, but bring a small weight penalty. Pricing is competitive: the list prices are low (although non-negotiable), and include delivery and number plates— only road tax and hitch() calibration is extra.
Isuzu Truck (UK) managing director Nikki King aims to sell 350 vehicles this year and 1,000 in 1997: she is well on the way. having taken 62 orders already.
Not all of these are retail buyers: around 60% of sales have gone to fleets with most orders for the 6.2-tonne NPR variant.
Speculation that isuzu would introduce heavier models has not been quashed, but King points out that the NPR already offers a payload which is com petitive with some 7.5-tonners.