Isuzu goes for growth with D-max

Date: Friday, November 16, 2012

Isuzu is confident it will sell 2800 pick-ups in the UK this year, despite only launching the D-max in double cab guise in June.

This would represent a significant hike on the 2400 units of the Rodeo, the D-max’s predecessor, that the brand shifted in 2011.

Isuzu has now opened the order books for its single and extended cab versions of the D-max and expects to increase volumes to 3500 in 2013.

The brand has also divided its pick-up line-up into two categories: Utilitarian, which covers the base models – single cab, which is available as both 4x2 and 4x4, extended cab and D-max double cab and Premium, which covers the Eiger, Yukon and Utah specifications, all of which are double cabs.

The single and extended cab iterations come with six-speed manual transmission but the double-cabs are also up for grabs with a five speed automatic gearbox.

Isuzu UK’s general manager William Brown claimed the D-max has already established a 14% share of the pick-up sector – putting it behind the market leader the Toyota Hilux and hot on the heels of the Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200 and Ford Ranger. However, he added the D-max was already leading the pack for retail sales, with a 30% share of sales to private buyers.

Brown said Isuzu was strong in the agricultural sector but admitted: “We haven’t got great penetration in the construction industry so this is the target for 2013.”

He said the brand also aimed to increase its presence in large fleets and had recently taken an order for 70 double cab models.

But he added: “Some fleet business we have to walk away from, we haven’t got the margins like Toyota and Nissan. We can’t compete with the front end discounts.”

But he claimed the D-max “makes it up at the back end” with class-leading residual values of 39.9% for the entry-level double cab.

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