Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) once again bolstered its position as the authority in diesel-powered vehicles as it posted steady sales for its model lineup in 2011, with the Isuzu N-Series light-duty truck topping its segment.

Figures released by the Truck Manufacturers Association and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines showed that the N-Series took a commanding 69.4% share of Category III, the light-duty commercial truck segment, as the model recorded 1,196 units sold from January to December 2011. This marks a successful streak for the N-Series as it enjoyed an equally dominating 67.1% share in 2010 with 1,030 units sold. Impressively, the N-Series has overwhelmingly led Category III for 13 straight years since 1999.

“The N-Series trucks’ achievement of being the bestseller in a competitive class for 13 straight years is concrete proof of its superiority over its rivals,” said IPC President Ryoji Yamazaki. “It means the market has full confidence in the model, which can only be the result of a very satisfying ownership experience.”

Credit to the N-Series’ popularity goes in part to its versatility as the vehicle can be configured as a passenger van, aluminum cargo van, refrigerated van, fire truck, drop-side truck, aerial platform truck, refuse collector, dump truck, cargo truck or tanker. The N-Series’ durability and dependability have also made them the light commercial truck of choice among entrepreneurs and business partners.

Isuzu’s medium- and heavy-duty trucks were also as dominant in their Category IV and V segments. In 2011 IPC sold 240 units of these trucks, including the popular Forward model, with the vehicles accounting for 24.8% share of the segments. This is a marked growth from IPC’s 2010 figures, which showed that 165 medium- and heavy-duty trucks were sold, resulting in a 14.3% share.

In 2011, commercial vehicles continued to dominate the Philippine automotive industry with a 68.3% advantage over passenger cars, and cementing Isuzu’s hold on the commercial vehicle segment are the company’s Alterra, D-MAX and highly popular Crosswind models. From January to December last year, IPC sold 855 of the luxuriously equipped Alterra SUV; 2,500 units of the tough and hardworking D-MAX, with the pickup accounting for 16.3% of its class; and 5,029 units of the Crosswind, or a 16.7% share of its class. That led to IPC posting a tally of 9,820 units sold.

Besides continuously offering upgraded models that address customers’ desires and requirements, IPC’s steady market performance in 2011 can also be attributed to the various events that the company held, and the biggest of these was a show staged in April called “On the Right Truck to a Better Future.” An exclusive display of Isuzu’s commercial-vehicle lineup, the event showcased Isuzu’s ability to meet any transportation requirement of business entities and private individuals. The event also highlighted the clear advantages that brand-new trucks have over second-hand units, with the new Isuzu trucks helping the Philippine economy not only by providing reliable workhorses for entrepreneurs but also by creating manpower for the local manufacturing industry.

Manila Bulletin Online

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Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, SUV, Crossover, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Volvo, Tesla

As we prepare to flip our calendars from 2011 to 2012, it’s time to say goodbye to a handful of vehicles that are being sent to the Great Parking Lot In The Sky before the 2012 model year completely takes hold. And while we’re not exactly upset about having to bid farewell to things like the Mitsubishi Endeavor, Mazda Tribute or Chevrolet HHR, there are a few vehicles that we’re truly going to miss.

The Mazda RX-8, for example, has grown to be one of our favorite sports cars since its introduction in 2003. We love its lightweight construction, high-revving rotary engine and surprisingly functional suicide door design. It’s kind of like a Miata with a roof and rear seats. Speaking of the Miata, Tesla’s two-seat Roadster – the automaker’s first production vehicle – proved to us that open-top motoring can be thrilling even with a stack of batteries driving the wheels.

We’ll miss the Honda Element and its rugged, utilitarian nature. We’ll miss the Volvo V50 and its capacious cargo area made for Ikea runs. And we’ll really miss those large lords of luxury, the Cadillac DTS and Ford Crown Victoria. We’ve already said goodbye to the faithful but overripe Ford Ranger, and as ridiculous as the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid was, it was a shockingly good-to-drive electrified crossover.

There are plenty more models that won’t be making the journey to the 2012 model year, so have a look at the full list in our attached image gallery, then let us know which ones you’ll miss (if any) in the Comments.

Say ‘goodbye’ to these cars and trucks for the new year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Ford, Toyota

Is the Prius V not big enough for you? Then you’ll probably be interested to learn that Ford and Toyota announced a partnership today to develop a new hybrid system for SUVs and light trucks. The “equal partners” deal should result in a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that will be ready “later this decade” – in other words, in time for the higher CAFE standards that the U.S. government just announced.

The exact models that will use the new powertrain are, unsurprisingly, not being revealed. Instead, all we know is that Toyota and Ford will develop a rear-wheel-drive hybrid system that will improve the efficiency of trucks and SUVs while still allowing them to be driven in the way customers expect them to. The powertrain’s architecture will most likely not be the same as what is used in the dominant Hybrid Synergy Drive that Toyota has refined over the past 14 years in the Prius.

The reason no one knows for sure? All that Ford and Toyota have as this moment is a Memorandum of Understanding. The next step will be a feasibility study to figure out what the exact implementation path will be, with the general outline being that the companies will work together on a powerplant that will be used independently in models that are specific to each company (i.e., this is not about sharing a platform or models, just a RWD hybrid powerplant). The two automakers will also work together on in-vehicle telematics.

Today’s announcement could further confuse some people’s understanding of the history of hybrid technology, since it has long been an urban legend that Ford licensed its earlier hybrid tech from Toyota. This did not happen, as we explained back in 2009.

Continue reading Ford, Toyota will partner on RWD hybrid system for trucks and SUVs

Ford, Toyota will partner on RWD hybrid system for trucks and SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: SUV, Truck, Recalls, Toyota

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced the recall of 22,000 Toyota trucks and SUVs over improperly calibrated tire pressure monitoring systems. According to NHTSA, certain 2008-2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra models may have been equipped with TPMS units that weren’t properly calibrated. As a result, the dash warning light may fail to illuminate in the event of a deflated tire. NHTSA is concerned that this defect may potentially lead to an accident.

Toyota will recalibrate the tire pressure warning systems free of charge, though at this point, the company has yet to disclose its owner notification schedule.

The defect puts the Toyota vehicles in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, which specifically deals with tire-pressure monitoring systems. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading Toyota recalling 22,000 trucks over tire pressure monitors

Toyota recalling 22,000 trucks over tire pressure monitors originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Chrysler, Dodge

Have you been waiting for Chrysler’s long-promised Ram hybrid pickup truck? Bad news: Speaking to PluginCars.com, Ram Trucks CEO Fred Diaz firmly put that notion on ice when he bluntly said, “Truckers don’t want to buy hybrids.”

We’re not sure truck buyers are so much anti-hybrid as they are unwilling to cough up the necessary bucks to bring meaningful hybrid technology to their pickups. Either way, General Motors‘ full-size hybrid trucks have failed to set the market on fire, and there’s little indication Chrysler’s would either, unless the automaker were to offer them at an extremely favorable price point. That seems unlikely.

For now, it seems that the only hybrid pickup trucks Ram will offer are the recently announced plug-in models that were developed using federal stimulus funds via a $48 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant and a separate $5 million grant from the Canadian government. A total of 140 PHEV Ram trucks will be offered to fleet customers within the next several months.

The good news for mileage-conscious pickup truck buyers is that Diaz suggested other technologies from Fiat are likely to make their way to the Ram Trucks division at some point. Multiair and light-duty diesels sound like a good starting point…

[Source: PluginCars.com]

Report: Ram Trucks will not offer hybrid pickup to consumers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Truck, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler is apparently still trying to iron out some of the kinks in its new pickup naming structure. The company recently decided to separate its popular line of pickups from the rest of the Dodge fleet by putting them under the Ram banner. The only problem is not every vehicle in the Pentastar pickup family has a history of boasting a billy goat on the hood. Example? Look no further than the successor to the Dakota throne. According to PickupTrucks.com, Chrysler is currently struggling to find a suitable nomenclature for the mid-size pickup.

So far, an early front runner is the Ram 100, though going with that system may mean that the Ram trucks will undergo yet another name change. Chrysler may shift its pickups from the 1500, 2500 and 3500 system it now uses to a 100, 150, 250 and 350 structure. There is some precedent for this tack, as Dodge employed the triple-digit badges for its 1981-1993 trucks.

Name-calling aside, we do know a little about the Dakota successor. Pickuptrucks.com says that the vehicle may be a unibody creation based on the bones of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. With the death of the Ford Ranger on our shores, Chrysler may be hoping to position itself as the sole company with a genuinely new small-truck offering. Sounds good to us no matter what you call it.

UPDATE: David Eslhoff, head of media relations for the Ram brand, has stepped forward to officially deny that the company is considering changing the naming convention of its trucks. Elshoff tells us,

Yesterday afternoon an automotive blog, citing two unnamed sources, claimed that Chrysler Group was considering a name change for its Ram pickup trucks.

Rest assured, such is not the case.

There have been no discussions whatsoever, nor any consideration given to changing the names of our incredibly successful and award-winning Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks nor our 3500, 4500 and 5500 Ram Chassis Cab trucks.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Report: Chrysler considering new name for Ram trucks [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GMC, First Drive

Usually whenever we head out to a new vehicle press launch, we have to sit through exhaustive technical and marketing presentations before we get a chance to climb behind the wheel. However, General Motors put us straight into a dual-rear wheel GMC Sierra 3500 crew-cab diesel upon our arrival in Baltimore. On the docket? A 130-mile trek from Baltimore airport to Rocky Gap Lodge in the Allegheny mountains of western Maryland with Vehicle Line Executive Rick Spina sitting shotgun.

We actually appreciated this ‘backwards’ approach, because it gave us the opportunity to develop some ‘gut’ impressions of these new trucks even before we got the attendant sales pitch. For a two-hour, mostly highway jaunt, the duallie SLT proved to be a surprisingly amiable companion, but it was just the first of seven different trucks we would drive over the next couple of days. Read on past the jump find out what GM’s new heavy duty trucks are like when sampled in a range of real-world conditions.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard

First Drive: 2011 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks set new HD standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: SUV, Truck, Recalls, Safety, Infiniti, Nissan

The Associated Press is reporting that Nissan will recall 48,700 trucks and SUVs for a suspension problem that could lead to an unforgiving ride. The recall, which could officially begin as early as this week, involves the 2010 Nissan Titan, Pathfinder, Armada and Xterra, along with the Infiniti QX56. The recall is related to a suspension control link that may not have been welded properly. If the weld is insufficient, the bushing collar could crack, leading to the kind of ride that bruises kidneys and rattles fillings.

Nissan spokesman Colin Price reported to the AP that the company is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get the recall processed as quickly as possible. Once a recall is officially announced, Nissan will provide a fix at no cost to the customer. No accidents have been reported as a result of this potential issue.

[Source: The Associated Press]

AP: Nissan to recall 48k trucks, SUVs over potential suspension issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to the combined official figures released by the Truck Manufacturers Association of the Philippines and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc., Isuzu trucks again outsold the competition in 2009, as it had the previous 11 straight years.

Last year, Isuzu’s N-Series light-duty trucks sold a total of 996 units, or 56.8 percent of Category 3 of the commercial vehicle segment. Isuzu’s medium-duty trucks, including the Forward, were just as dominant, selling 232 units for 57.9 percent of Category 4.

The impressive 2009 sales numbers of Isuzu trucks included a strong December, in which the Forward sold 20 units (100 percent of Category 4) and the N-Series moved 141 units (51.8 percent of Category 3). The good sales performance of these vehicles helped Isuzu post an overall month-on-month increase from 972 units in December 2008 to 1,199 units in December 2009. Isuzu’s total sales during the month also marked a 28 percent improvement from the 934 units it sold in November 2009.

“The sustained strong sales of Isuzu trucks show that customers continue to trust our hardworking vehicles,” said Isuzu Philippines Corp. president Keiji Takeda. “Factors commonly cited by clients are our trucks’ durability, reliability, fuel-efficiency and low-cost maintenance requirements. Clearly, Isuzu trucks are the ideal business partners.”

In 2009, Isuzu introduced the all-new Forward medium-duty series of trucks. The market’s response was very positive, most certainly owing to the Forward’s many class-leading features, including Isuzu’s new Euro 2 emission compliant 6HK1-TCN engine, which is now already turbo-charged and boasts an intercooler and a common-rail fuel-injection system. Its 72 kg-m of torque is now the best in class. Another feature of the Forward is a new “hexapod concept” design, resulting in optimal aerodynamics for better fuel economy as well as bigger door openings for easier ingress and egress.

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Dreamco Automobile Company Incorporated (DREAMCO) recently rolled out its initial lineup of JMC light commercial vehicles – 4- and 6-wheeler light trucks – at its assembly plant in Laguna.

Jiangling Motors Company (JMC) is one of the largest automotive brands in China with an annual production of 100,000 units. It exports its line of American and Japanese licensed vehicles to more than 60 countries worldwide in regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, Central and South America, Russia, and Southeast Asia. JMC has also displayed its pickup trucks, SUVs, and commercial vehicle lineups at the Frankfurt, Russia, Egypt, and Paris motorshows.

The partnership of DREAMCO with Jiangling-Isuzu Motors Company Limited and Jiangling Motors Import & Export Ltd. marks a commitment to providing excellent automotive products. This is supported by an extensive, nationwide dealership network and aftersales support for long-term reliability and lower owning and operating costs.

In the mid-1980s, JMC took the lead in introducing internationally advanced truck technology, producing Isuzu vehicles and becoming a main manufacturer of light duty trucks. It was the first company to introduce Ford Motor Company in China, becoming a strategic cooperative partner through ADRS. JMC has also passed the compulsory national product certification (3C) and ISO 9001 and ISO 14000 environment protection systems.

Since then, Jiangling Motors Corporation, Jiangling – Isuzu Motor Co. Ltd. and Jiangling Motor Import & Export Co. Ltd. have been producing cab and chassis compartments and components for light trucks under a joint venture with Ford Motor Co., Isuzu Motors Corp. and Itochu Corp., Japan.

The initial Philippine market lineup consists of the “JMC COMPADRE” series light trucks and “JMC N301 HUNTER” pickup truck series.

The “JMC COMPADRE” is available in three different variants: JMH, JMK4 and JMK6. These are direct injection, diesel-powered, cab-chassis light commercial vehicles that can be configured for a multitude of tasks and business applications.

The “JMC N301 HUNTER” pickup truck series complements the commercial vehicle lineup and will be available in four variants: single cabin 4×2, single cabin 4×4, double cabin 4×2, and double cabin 4×4.

JMC is proud of the fact that its vehicles incorporate Japanese design and technologies, with components specifically manufactured by its dozens of JMC subsidiaries; modern, first-class production lines for engines, casting, stamping and body assembling.

JMC thereby sets a higher and more consistent level of quality compared to other Chinese automotive manufacturers that assemble vehicles from a multitude of generic component suppliers and which assemble and market such vehicles under a single brand.

“JMC COMPADRE” series light trucks are imported in Knocked Down (KD) form by DREAMCO Automobile Company Inc. These are then assembled at its facility in Laguna Technopark, utilizing highly skilled Filipino technicians under strict ISO9001 quality system standards.

Local assembly of the “JMC COMPADRE” series light trucks assures local customers of the same, high-quality workmanship as the popular Japanese light commercial vehicles being assembled side-by-side in the same plant.

DREAMCO is a member of the Truck Manufacturer Association (TMA) and is registered with the Board of Investments (BOI) under the Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP). DREAMCO is a 100% Filipino-owned corporation, run by a professional group which has been in the automotive business for more than 50 years.

Text and Photo from Philippine Star

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