Isuzu D-Max Space Cab launches in India on the 13th of May

Japanese utility vehicle major Isuzu will launch the D-Max Space Cab pick up truck variant in India on the 13th of May, 2014. This variant was unveiled earlier this year, at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The D-Max Space Cab features a larger cabin that is extended lengthwise to liberate additional stowage space behind the front seats. The Space Cab variant is aimed at personal pick up truck buyers, who value utility with a few creature comforts thrown in.

The pick up truck variant will be assembled at Hindustan Motors’ factory in Tiruvallur, off Chennai. Hindustan Motors is now a contract manufacturer for Isuzu and the automaker assembles the MU-7 SUV and D-Max pick up truck range at its Chennai factory. The Space Cab variant of the D-Max will be powered by a 2.5 liter turbo diesel engine that outputs 134 Bhp of peak power and 294 Nm of peak torque.

A five speed manual gearbox will drive the rear wheels of the pick up truck. The D-Max pick up truck will be pitted against the likes of the Tata 207 and the Mahindra Genio pick up trucks. Isuzu is expected to pitch the D-Max series as a more refined and rounded range of pick up trucks, at competitive price points. Class leading performance figures and features are expected to be the major highlights of the Isuzu pick up trucks.

Currently, Isuzu offers a single product in India, in the form of the MU-7 SUV, which is also assembled at the Hindustan Motors factory through the CKD kit route. In that light, the D-Max Space Cab will be the second product that Isuzu will launch in India. The D-Max’s single cab pick up truck version is also expected to be launched soon. The single cab version will share its mechanicals with the Space Cab variant.

Isuzu has been steadily expanding its dealership and after sales reach in India. The Japanese automaker currently has 8 dealerships across four Southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. A dealership in Delhi will open soon. In the coming months, a big dealership push is on the cards as Izusu’s competition in the pick up truck, Tata Motors and Mahindra, are very formidable in terms of their nationwide reaches.

The utility vehicle major is setting up a greenfield manufacturing facility at Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The new factory will begin producing pick up trucks by 2016, and Isuzu is aiming at making India a global export hub for pick up trucks. Expect high levels of localization once Isuzu begins manufacturing pick up trucks from ground up.