6th Generation Isuzu Pick-up suitable for Africa terrain

General Motors (GM) says its new Isuzu Pick-up is suitable for the African terrain, and is manufactured specifically for the continent.

Engineered and built for both the domestic and export markets, the Isuzu Pick-up followed extensive testing and engineering which covered some 1.3 million kilometres of strenuous driving in extreme conditions.

The new 6th Generation Isuzu presents itself as a stylish, efficient, latest technology vehicle solution for the commercial or recreational user.

“With the 6^th generation Isuzu Pick-up, we took an unprecedented approach to its development with specific focus points directly related to the African markets in which it is designed to serve,” said Quality Manager at General Motors South Africa (GMSA), Andy Alexander.

“Along with our highly qualified and experienced engineering team, and involving the various departments who are jointly responsible for the design, development and production of this world-class pick-up, we left no stone unturned in the development process.

“The Isuzu heritage of innovation, toughness, durability, reliability and functionality was put to the ultimate test,”he said.

Quality in production

With the harsh environment tin dictating vehicle specifications and design -- including fuel-quality, road conditions, consumer demands and vehicle versatility -- Isuzu engineers not only had to design and develop specific elements of the Isuzu Pick-up to cope on a long-term basis, but also ensure the quality of each and every aspect that goes into the production of an internationally renowned pick-up to ensure complete peace of mind and trouble-free motoring for the customer.

Built-in quality (BIQ) at the Struandale plant in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, is the most important element in this regard. At every stage of the production process -- from the body shop and paint shop to assembly and final inspection -- each element is verified to ensure maximum quality in all respects.

Subscribing to a Global Manufacturing System (GMS), which enforces global regulations and requirements on the GMSA plant, key focus areas are monitored to ensure ultimate production quality.

Exercises involved include continuous improvement principles, standardisation of tasks and processes, people involvement, short lead-times and built-in quality.

The latter in particular expresses the overall goal of creating a quality product in every aspect and is measured on a tier basis.

Benefitting directly from GMSA’s high engineering involvement with the new Isuzu Pick-up, the vehicle was fine-tuned and toughened to operate without problems in the harsh African environment.

“The Isuzu Pick-up has always performed consistently in the IPSOS quality surveys, and in designing the all-new, 6^th-generation model we strived to improve on our already high levels of quality,” said Alexander.

“Engineering and testing, which began as far back as 2010, included important factors that are particularly significant for the region -- such as high altitudes, a large operating temperature range, high proportions of very dusty roads, particularly corrosive environments, varying fuel quality, bad road conditions, and specific towing and load requirements.”

As a result, the new Isuzu Pick-up features a number of uniquely African solutions to the problems and challenges that were identified. For example, a larger radiator is fitted to assist in improved cooling, and the radiator fan is indeed placed behind the radiator to remove the risk of fan blade damage when entering water at speed.

The high-ride suspension design -- which allows for ground clearance of up to 224 mm, linked to high profile tyres -- enables enhanced peace of mind when driving on particularly bad roads.

Furthermore, specific attention was paid to underbody components like fuel lines and side skirts, where special protective plates were added to prevent damage from stones when on the move. On the engine front, all engines are capable of running on even the lowest quality fuels.

Safety is also naturally an Isuzu hallmark, and the new Pick-up has been engineered with key safety principles in mind which hold particular importance in the African context -- to maximise stopping power, assist with steering input under hard braking and reduce stopping distances.

Further safety-critical factors were also considered, like impact-absorbing materials in the front end which not only reduce frontal damage in an impact but also provide enhanced protection for pedestrians, as a first line of defence.

Adding further strength to the equation is Isuzu’s legendary reputation for off-road driving capability. With certain derivatives available with four-wheel drive, traversing even the toughest of environments becomes an easy and enjoyable task thanks to great ground clearance, all-terrain tyres and an advanced 4x4 system with an electronic configuration switch that allows for easy transition between 2-Hi, 4-Hi and 4-Lo driving modes.

Furthermore, an experienced after-sales division in South Africa is on hand for technical product support to assist in identifying and correcting any problems in the shortest possible time, regardless of where the customer may be situated.

A dedicated Service Operations Manager for sub-Saharan Africa is also available, situated in Kenya, to ensure efficient communication and relationship management between the customer and GMSA.

The result of customised design, development, engineering and production done in Africa, for Africa, is thus a vehicle that has been specifically designed to be used in its various African markets with absolute confidence.

In this regard, all new Isuzu Pick-up pick-ups are available as standard with a comprehensive 3-year/100 000 km warranty in place for consumers’ extended peace of mind.