Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In '09

Perian · 01-30-2008, 04:17 PM

Source: Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com

Wall Street Journal:

Isuzu to End Car Sales In North America in 2009 - By Kathy Shwiff

Isuzu Motors Ltd. said it would discontinue distributing new passenger vehicles in North America, effective Jan. 31, 2009.

The move is the result of General Motors Corp. ending production of the Ascender sport utility vehicle and the i-290 and i-370 pickup.

From Automotive News - January 14, 2008

LOS ANGELES — Isuzu may be on the way to extinction in the United States, but its surprise effort to recruit dealers has turned up some enthusiastic takers.

Probably no brand this decade has fallen as far and as fast as Isuzu. Sales have plunged from more than 100,000 in 1999 to just over 7,000 in 2007.

Dealers averaged fewer than three sales per month in 2007. The product lineup is puny, only two rebadged General Motors vehicles, and nothing, apparently, is in the pipeline.

Some retailers say Isuzu is deliberately forcing dealers to quit, by starving them of new product, so it can pull out of the U.S. light-duty market.

Yet, amazingly, Isuzu Motors America last year said it was on the prowl for new stores. Company executives identified 40 markets where the brand is not represented or is underrepresented and said they planned to sign 40 to 50 new dealers.

Isuzu has signed 13 new dealers since it began its push to add retailers in late 2006, according to spokesman Chip Letzgus. Still, the total number of U.S. Isuzu dealers is dropping: from 227 in 2006 to 201 in 2007.

Letzgus declined to discuss the recruiting effort further though he said Isuzu wants about 225 dealers.

The interest is from used-car stores seeking to become new-vehicle dealers, as well as dealerships eager to add Isuzu service business — all without a huge investment. Some dealers also are eager to add Isuzu's pickups and mid-sized SUV to their car offerings.

Perian · 01-30-2008, 04:17 PM

Translation: No money or profit potential to pay for the new badge engineered variations for Isuzu.

I always thought a diesel powered Colorado could have been a winner for them - even if it was just 45 state legal.

ACross32 · 01-30-2008, 04:22 PM

What a huge loss for GM!!!!!

saturnsteve · 01-30-2008, 04:22 PM

About time, I really got sick of going to the car show and messing with the Isuzu guys.

**nadepalma** · 01-30-2008, 04:24 PM

Well -- I guess we knew it was coming. They dont have any kind of passenger care lineup to speak of and nothing in the pipeline. Far better for them to just walk away than drag it on any further.

91 s-10baja · 01-30-2008, 04:26 PM

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/news.../abandons.html

Aromanances · 01-30-2008, 04:30 PM

Sad Sad news.................... OK I'm over it now............

ByTheLake · 01-30-2008, 04:34 PM

casket_demon · 01-30-2008, 04:38 PM

Bout time.

GM-Joe · 01-30-2008, 04:38 PM

I realize that the Ascender was going to be history, but the I-Series could have lived a longer. Does this mean the Colorado and Canyon are in trouble? Does this mean Tyotoa had something to say about sharing products with GM? Or most likely, they just gave up!

doppleganger · 01-30-2008, 04:40 PM

Honestly, I thought this had happened already. Our former Isuzu dealer now sell Hyundais.

tama z71 · 01-30-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByTheLake

zeobandit · 01-30-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casket_demon

Bout time.

My thoughts exactly.

Ultimate1 · 01-30-2008, 04:50 PM

They always had the ugly versions of all the GM products. Their only good look vehicle they ever had was the Rodeo and even then Honda's grill still looked better.

atomicshark · 01-30-2008, 04:56 PM

I thought Isuzu pulled out of the US years ago.

Seriously, who did not see this coming? It should have happened when the Amigo, Rodeo and Trooper went away.

01-30-2008, 04:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Perian News Contributor Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Drives: 2008 Saab 9-5 Sedan Posts: 4,069	Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In '09 Source: Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com Wall Street Journal: Isuzu to End Car Sales In North America in 2009 - By Kathy Shwiff Isuzu Motors Ltd. said it would discontinue distributing new passenger vehicles in North America, effective Jan. 31, 2009. The move is the result of General Motors Corp. ending production of the Ascender sport utility vehicle and the i-290 and i-370 pickup. From Automotive News - January 14, 2008 LOS ANGELES — Isuzu may be on the way to extinction in the United States, but its surprise effort to recruit dealers has turned up some enthusiastic takers. Probably no brand this decade has fallen as far and as fast as Isuzu. Sales have plunged from more than 100,000 in 1999 to just over 7,000 in 2007. Dealers averaged fewer than three sales per month in 2007. The product lineup is puny, only two rebadged General Motors vehicles, and nothing, apparently, is in the pipeline. Some retailers say Isuzu is deliberately forcing dealers to quit, by starving them of new product, so it can pull out of the U.S. light-duty market. Yet, amazingly, Isuzu Motors America last year said it was on the prowl for new stores. Company executives identified 40 markets where the brand is not represented or is underrepresented and said they planned to sign 40 to 50 new dealers. Isuzu has signed 13 new dealers since it began its push to add retailers in late 2006, according to spokesman Chip Letzgus. Still, the total number of U.S. Isuzu dealers is dropping: from 227 in 2006 to 201 in 2007. Letzgus declined to discuss the recruiting effort further though he said Isuzu wants about 225 dealers. The interest is from used-car stores seeking to become new-vehicle dealers, as well as dealerships eager to add Isuzu service business — all without a huge investment. Some dealers also are eager to add Isuzu's pickups and mid-sized SUV to their car offerings.

01-30-2008, 04:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Perian News Contributor Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Drives: 2008 Saab 9-5 Sedan Posts: 4,069	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM SUV Products Translation: No money or profit potential to pay for the new badge engineered variations for Isuzu. I always thought a diesel powered Colorado could have been a winner for them - even if it was just 45 state legal.

01-30-2008, 04:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
ACross32 2.2 Liter ECOTEC Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 65	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In What a huge loss for GM!!!!!

01-30-2008, 04:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
saturnsteve 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Oklahoma City Drives: 2006 Ford Fusion 2005 GMC Envoy XL Posts: 2,088	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In About time, I really got sick of going to the car show and messing with the Isuzu guys. __________________ Cars.com Field Sales Manager

01-30-2008, 04:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
nadepalma GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 5,646	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In Well -- I guess we knew it was coming. They dont have any kind of passenger care lineup to speak of and nothing in the pipeline. Far better for them to just walk away than drag it on any further. __________________ Email: nadepalma@gminsidenews.com "La vita è come un albero di Natale..c'è sempre qualcuno che ti rompe le palle!" "You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves" -Abraham Lincoln "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried" -Winston Churchill "In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a Congress" -John Adams

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01-30-2008, 04:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
Aromanances 3.8 Liter V6 Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 341	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In Sad Sad news.................... OK I'm over it now............

01-30-2008, 04:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
ByTheLake 6.2 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Traverse City, MI Drives: '04 Corvette, '08 CTS Posts: 2,701	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In

01-30-2008, 04:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
casket_demon 6.0 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: @ home in my room Posts: 1,938	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In Bout time. __________________ Current line up: 1987 Buick Regal S/W 1987 Pontiac Trans AM 1991 Pontiac Firebird Formula 1998 Ford Windstar 1998 Subaru Impreza Wagon 1998 Chevy Camaro Z-28 2004 Chevorlet Trailblazer And further down the road: 2k4 Cadillac CTS V. Those gone but not forgotten: 1991 Ford Taurus 1993 Chevy Lumina --ME--

01-30-2008, 04:38 PM	#10 (permalink)
GM-Joe 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio Drives: 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix 1997 Saab 900 2.0 Turbo Posts: 1,429	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In I realize that the Ascender was going to be history, but the I-Series could have lived a longer. Does this mean the Colorado and Canyon are in trouble? Does this mean Tyotoa had something to say about sharing products with GM? Or most likely, they just gave up! __________________ Current: 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix 1997 Saab 900 2.0 Turbo(148,500 Sobbing Saab on blocks) 1987 Chevrolet Silverado 10 (retired 11/12/2007; 219,986 mi.) Dead: 1983 Datsun 280 ZX by Nissan (146,857 mi.) 1986 Lincoln Mercury Lynx (64K mi.) 1979 Chrysler Cordoba w/ Corinthian Leather seats (130K mi.) 1976 Dodge Charger (130K mi.)

01-30-2008, 04:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
doppleganger 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 297	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In Honestly, I thought this had happened already. Our former Isuzu dealer now sell Hyundais.

01-30-2008, 04:50 PM	#14 (permalink)
Ultimate1 3.9 Liter V6 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 948	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In They always had the ugly versions of all the GM products. Their only good look vehicle they ever had was the Rodeo and even then Honda's grill still looked better. __________________ Ultimate1's Saturn Aura

01-30-2008, 04:56 PM	#15 (permalink)
atomicshark 6.0 Liter LS2 V8 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 4,429	Re: BREAKING NEWS: Isuzu To Stop Selling GM Products - Will Pull Out Of N/A Market In I thought Isuzu pulled out of the US years ago. Seriously, who did not see this coming? It should have happened when the Amigo, Rodeo and Trooper went away. __________________ 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt - 9,800 miles 2008 Saturn Vue - 6,300 miles 2004 Pontiac GTO - 71,864 miles atomicshark's flickr gallery

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