As it had done with Wolseley before, Isuzu acquired rights to the Hillman Minx compact car and a few other designs through an agreement with Roots Motors Ltd in 1953. In order to keep Japan's industry afloat, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry put forth a policy that required all foreign makers to reach agreements with already-established Japanese automakers. Many of Japan's domestic industries were in turmoil following the War, and with its auto industry in shambles, the Japanese government knew that foreign companies were itching to import their cars. The DL200 debuted in the light-duty ELF in 1959, which was a 2-ton light-duty truck on a forward-control platform. It would be featured on trucks, as Isuzu didn't release Japan's first diesel engines for passenger cars, the DL201, until 1961. A year later, it released the diesel DA80, Japan's first V8 engine. A few years later, the company decided to name itself after the car that initially built its reputation, and became Isuzu Motors Limited in 1949.īy this point, Isuzu had established itself as a leading diesel engine manufacturer. A 5-ton truck, it came with a water-cooled 6-cylinder engine that kicked 85 horsepower. The Real IsuzuĪfter WWII, the Japanese government limited the amount of production vehicles, but the TX80 was lauded for its exceptional fuel economy and power.
Ishikawa further developed its technology and offered a TA92 5-ton tractor equipped with the DA6. Apart from passenger cars, Ishikawa also developed buses like the BX40 bus for public transportation. In 1933 it released the "Isuzu" passenger car, also known as the TX35, named after the Isuzu River. Ishikawa Auto Works is behind the Isuzu name. In fact, Tokyo Automobile Industries became so adept at building diesel engines that it was the lone source of diesel engines for the Japanese military during WWII. One ofits biggest specialties was the DA6-a 5.3L air-cooled diesel engine. in 1937 to form Tokyo Automobile Industries at the behest of the Japanese government under a plan to strengthen Japan's domestic automobile production. The company later merged with Tokyo Gas & Electric Co. in 1933 to create Automobile Industries Co. The company merged with DAT Automobile Manufacturing Inc. Ishikawa soon found other partners to continue developing its technologies. The Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Company then decided to form its automotive division into an independent company in 1929, known as Ishikawa Auto Works. The company went on to convert the Woselely CP into a few different styles, such as an armored and a six-wheeled version. A year later, the "Woselely" moniker was replaced with "Sumida"-taken from the nearby Sumidagawa River-along with two engines-a four-cylinder, the A4 and a six-cylinder, the A6. The companies' agreement with Wolseley ended in 1927, but at that point they had accrued the experience and resources needed to operate independently. The venture resulted in the 5-ton Wolseley CP Truck, which helped further establish a strong domestic automobile industry in Japan.
The company saved itself thanks to subsidies offered by the Japanese government to companies that could meet their vehicle specifications. The A-9 was a success, but production quickly halted following the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which, along with a fire on the same day, damaged the assembly plant at Fukagawa. The A-9 went on to be the first passenger car manufactured in Japan, and the CP Japan's first truck. Tokyo Gas and Electric was able to develop and manufacture the TGE A-Type truck, using motors built by Ishikawajima, but management thought it would be best to team up with British manufacturer Wolseley Motors to give the companies rights to a few of Wolseley's models, including the CP truck and the A-9. Together they could research and develop their own vehicle, and with a plan in mind they set their sights on developing a commercial truck.īuilding an automobile is no simple task, and both companies' engineers soon discovered this after studying the assembly of a few models. Both companies had reached a point of success and growth that created an opportunity for expansion.
partnered with the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Company with plans to build commercial trucks. Its history stretches back to 1916 when the Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd. Isuzu might specialize in building diesel engines and commercial vehicles, but at one point it was a fairly successful manufacturer of passenger cars in the US.
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