The factory built air-conditioned variant is available on the Isuzu D-Max Single Cab Flat Deck version while the cab chassis variant allows the owner to build his own local body as per the need.
Isuzu made its foray into the Indian market back in 2012 and retails a premium SUV the MU-7 as well as the D-Max commercial pickup truck that is available in Single Cab and Space Cab variants. Expanding the lineup for the D-Max pickup, the Japanese automaker has now introduced the D-Max Air-Conditioned and the Cab Chassis variants in the country. The new variants are brought in via the CKD route like the existing models and are assembled at the Hindustan Motors plant near Chennai.
Starting with the new air-conditioned variant, the necessary feature is available on the Isuzu D-Max Single Cab Flat Deck version and will help reduce driver fatigue, especially in a tropical environment like ours. Air-conditioning is a basic feature which most passenger cars provide and is also available across other pickups including the Tata Xenon, Mahindra Genio as well as the Bolero in the segment. The second version introduced is the Cab-Chassis variant that allows the customer to build the load body as per the needed configuration in a bid to maximize value.
The Isuzu D-Max is a proven product overseas and also has several accolades to its name. The pickup is built on a heavy-duty chassis with high-tensile strength steel and gets independent coil springs and rigid leaf springs for the front and rear suspension. Power on all variants comes from the 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder, inter-cooled, turbo diesel engine tuned to produce 134 HP at 3600 RPM and 294 Nm of torque between 1800-3200 RPM, paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The D-Max single-cab variant has a payload capacity of 1.2 tons.
As part of its long-term goals, Isuzu India plans to achieve 100 percent localization within three years once its new plant commences operations in 2016. The manufacturer’s upcoming facility is located at SriCity, Andhra Pradesh and is spread across 107 acres of land. Built with an investment of Rs. 3000 crores, the new plant will have an initial production capacity of 50,000 units per annum, which will be scaled up to 1,20,000 units per year, generating 2000-3000 jobs. Expanding its footprint, the SUV maker plans to open 60 dealerships by the end of the 2015-2016 fiscal while the long-term goal is to have 160 dealerships by 2020 pan-India. Isuzu currently operates through 20 dealerships in the country.
