The long-standing midsize pickup truck relationship between GM and Isuzu Motor Co., reaching back to the early 2000s, has now been shut down.
According to Automotive News (subscription required), GM and Isuzu will no longer produce or develop products together for Asian markets. Responsible for both a Chevrolet Colorado and Trailblazer sold in Southeast Asia and Australia, Isuzu has already announced a new partnership with Mazda to develop and produce a next-generation midsize global pickup for markets outside North America.
For those who remember, GM, GM Brazil and Isuzu developed the previous-gen Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon with mixed results. In the years during its production run from 2004 to 2012, the U.S. economy struggled and final-year sales totaled less than 40,000 for the Colorado and less than 10,000 for the Canyon. The GMT 355 platform (which was also offered for the Hummer H3T) had a reputation for delivering a harsh ride, limited towing and hauling abilities, and housing inefficient inline four- and five-cylinder engines.
Outside the global midsize truck segment, GM and Isuzu will continue to develop and work together in the commercial segment, where GM has already been offering Chevy-badged cab-forward work trucks. And we expect more offerings to come from this partnership as GM has been vocal about growing its presence in the Class 4, 5 and 6 commercial segments.
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