Speaking to drive.com.au at the recent National 4x4 Outdoors Show in Melbourne, Kevin Griffiths stated that a more upmarket version of the D-Max (KB) would not only come with lavish equipment levels, but also with more and torque.
“To get there you’ve got to make sure you don’t forget the customers you’ve already got and that’s the challenge we have. We might say yep, we need to be in that market to get some extra sales and that’s particularly important now because we want to get that 10 per cent growth and we’ve only got two models [the D-Max and MU-X],” Griffiths said.
He however added that such a model is only expected to appear when the next generation D-Max debuts next year before going on sale in 2020, reiterating that features such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Adaptive Cruise Control and Autonomous Emergency would all make it into the newcomer.
“I think it’s a bigger challenge with the end of life of the current generation and something we’d look at with next generation. There are some features we currently don’t have that you would need to have to move into that premium category. We’re talking about adaptive cruise control and stuff which are features you’d get on those sorts of brands,” Griffiths continued.
Taking a swipe at the X-class, Griffiths stated at the three-pointed star had “set themselves up for failure” when it opted to introduce its take on the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan without a number of safety system before trying to “sell at a premium where it is expected”.
“[As a customer] we need to ask, 'if I buy the premium model do I get a normal engine? If I buy the Mercedes, I get a V6. But with the [Ford Ranger] Raptor they’ve gone backwards which has a 2.0-litre engine [but] it’s still a different engine. So would we tweak what we’ve got so you get a super-duper one of ours or do we need a new engine?” he said when asked whether the next D-Max could get an all-new, or powerful version of the current 130kW/430Nm 3.0-litre D-TEQ turbodiesel.
Griffiths’ comment comes after the brand’s Australian Director of Product Planning, Yugo Kiyofuji, lashed out at the supposed “battle of the figures” involving the X350d, 200kW Amarok V6 TDI and the Ranger Raptor back in April.
“For the next-gen, I don’t have anything to comment on, but from my perspective, we will remain Isuzu brand. I’m not going to ask the factory to introduce V6 or 300 kW and 600 Nm. That’s not something we should set. Some boast about V6 and some about figures but we are not trying to go into the battle of the figures. What we are focusing on is how the customers can use the vehicles, which is the reason we have high flat torque so the high torque from the start, low revs, that’s something the customer wants at the end of the day," Kiyofuji said.
Aside from the D-Max, Isuzu is also expected to unveil the new MU-X next year followed by the next generation Mazda BT-50 as part of an agreement signed last year that will the Hiroshima automaker’s pick-up adopt Isuzu underpinnings and engines in place of the current T6 platform and motors used by the Ford Ranger.
