Photo: Mazda/Isuzu
Japanese manufacturers Mazda and Isuzu have agreed to join hands for a next-generation pickup truck. This news is not exactly surprising if you consider than the two brands find themselves in a symbiosis for more than 10 years now.
The XOXO relationship between them started in July 2003, when Mazda Motor Corporation and Isuzu Motors came to an agreement to supply Isuzu N-Series light-duty trucks to Mazda on an OEM-basis in Japan. Now, though, Isuzu has agreed to let Mazda affix the BT-50 badge on the next-gen D-Max.
A joint release published today reads that the Japanese outfits “have reached a basic agreement on next-generation pickup truck collaboration, allowing Isuzu to enhance its product competitiveness and Mazda to strengthen its product lineup and maintain own-brand market coverage.”
And yes, Isuzu will make the next-generation workhorse for Mazda based on its truck. This consensus doesn’t just fortify the long-term relationship between the two companies, but also helps with keeping R&D costs down. As a result of this, Mazda can concentrate more of its resources on developing more passenger cars such as the MX-5 and crossovers such as the CX-3.
In terms of sales area, the U.S. will not get the Mazda BT-50 because of the Chicken Tax. Regardless of the 25 percent tariff, the next generation of the BT-50 and D-Max don’t have a winning chance in full-size pickup crazy North America. More specifically, the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max are developed to compete with the Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok, Nissan NP300 Navara, and Renault Alaskan, not the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.
As for sales, the joint release doesn’t mention anything except for “to be determined.” If you take into consideration that the Ford Ranger-based Mazda BT-50 was revised for the 2016 MY in 2015, it’s safe to assume that the next-gen BT-50 (and Isuzu D-Max) will arrive in 2018 or 2019 at the very latest.
A joint release published today reads that the Japanese outfits “have reached a basic agreement on next-generation pickup truck collaboration, allowing Isuzu to enhance its product competitiveness and Mazda to strengthen its product lineup and maintain own-brand market coverage.”
And yes, Isuzu will make the next-generation workhorse for Mazda based on its truck. This consensus doesn’t just fortify the long-term relationship between the two companies, but also helps with keeping R&D costs down. As a result of this, Mazda can concentrate more of its resources on developing more passenger cars such as the MX-5 and crossovers such as the CX-3.
In terms of sales area, the U.S. will not get the Mazda BT-50 because of the Chicken Tax. Regardless of the 25 percent tariff, the next generation of the BT-50 and D-Max don’t have a winning chance in full-size pickup crazy North America. More specifically, the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max are developed to compete with the Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok, Nissan NP300 Navara, and Renault Alaskan, not the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.
As for sales, the joint release doesn’t mention anything except for “to be determined.” If you take into consideration that the Ford Ranger-based Mazda BT-50 was revised for the 2016 MY in 2015, it’s safe to assume that the next-gen BT-50 (and Isuzu D-Max) will arrive in 2018 or 2019 at the very latest.
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