Japanese SUV manufacturer Isuzu Motors launched the D-Max range of pickup trucks in India today. Comprising of two cabin options and two deck options, the D-Max pickup truck is available in three variants namely the D-Max Single Cab with a flat deck and the D-Max Space Cab with a flat deck and an arched deck on offer. The day also marked the inauguration of the company’s brand new showroom in Mumbai; it’s first in Maharashtra, while the company also announced its plans to open two new showrooms in Delhi and Vishakhapatnam by the end of this month.
The D-Max pickup truck is based on a heavy duty chassis with a flat deck to haul large loads. The body has been constructed using high-tensile-strength steel. The Single Cab model features a single two-seater cabin, the Space Cab model on the other hand features a bigger cabin with 1.5-feet of extra space at the back of the seats that can store additional luggage and is targeted at the owner driven pickup truck segment. While the D-Max Single Cab comes with black bumpers and grille, the Space Cab version gets a premium look with metallic paint job, and a chrome grille to boast of. Both the models get a bold and aggressive front fascia.
All the D-Max range models use a 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, inter-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine that produces 134 HP of power at 3600 RPM and 294 Nm of torque at 1800-3200 RPM range. The D-Max can carry a payload of 1.2 tons. The more premium Space Cab variant also gets air-con and power windows offered as standard and comes with three colour options on the palette which include Alpine White, Sterling Metallic Silver and Nautilus Blue. Isuzu is also in the process of setting up its manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh with an investment of Rs. 3000 crores.
The plant will be operationally by 2016 with a production capacity of 50,000 units per annum that can be expanded to 1.20 lakh units as per the demand and will also make export models to meet the company’s demand overseas. Expanding its base in the country, Isuzu also plans to expand its dealership in other parts of the country and aims to open 60 outlets in India by the end of 2015-16. Currently, Isuzu has dealerships in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Madurai, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Cochin. The Isuzu D-Max competes against the Mahindra Genio and Maxximo and Tata Xenon in the segment.
2014 Isuzu D-Max Prices (ex-showroom, Mumbai) –
* Isuzu D-Max Single Cab – Rs. 5,99,000/-
* Isuzu D-Max Space Cab Flat Deck – Rs. 6,19,000/-
* Isuzu D-Max Space Cab Arched Deck – Rs. 7,09,000/-
