Tuesday 21st February 2006

Isuzu makes flying cars

If you believe the ads, that is

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Isuzu Geminis can fly...

Have you ever wondered if Isuzu Geminis could waltz and fly? Ever heard of the Isuzu Gemini? No, me neither.

But you can see just what the little-known Japanese company came up with in the way of video ads by following the link below.

The company itself is more established than you might think. It started in 1910 when a company named Toyko Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering laid its first plans to manufacture vehicles, primarily trucks. Its first car rolled off the line in 1922, and the name Isuzu was adopted in 1949. It is the name of a river that flows past a Japanese shrine, and means "fifty bells pealing in harmony and celebration."

So now you know.

• Isuzu video ad

[Nevin]

Now that is an impressive advert, despite the car.

[hendry]

An 80s ad with music that could have been pulled of Madonna's Confessions on a Dancefloor album. Ahead of its time or is Madonna actually churning out 80's car commercial muzak and dressing it up as high fashion?

[Pat_T]

that is the most awesome thing i've seen so far this week!

[Colin Blues2]

What an outrageous display of reckless driving

Obviously made in the days before the ASA and Nanny state decided that anyone seeing an advert would go out and copy it. Thank goodness they put an end to the Shake and Vac advert!!

[r988]

Be thankful you didn't get the gemini, awful things

This was the earier iteration, at least it had RWD


They also made this slightly more interesting model in the 90's with Turbo and AWD


Did you ever get the Isuzu Piazza Turbo in Europe? Another awful car...

[xjsjohn]

Izzuzu had something to do with Lotus as well, the Elan from the 1980's had an izzzuzuzuz (its all z's and u's ) block in it ... at least the NA ones do, as a mate of mine has one, I was very surprised to see it peeping out when i popped the ponnet one day ....

[jazzyjeff]

[quote=r988]Be thankful you didn't get the gemini, awful things

This was the earier iteration, at least it had RWD


[quote]

That's just a reskinned Mk 1 Cavalier isn't it?? ;-)

Isuzu also did a nice line in dreadful commercial vehicles - cue the Bedford Rascal and notorious Midi vans

JJ

[the pits]

incredible driving skill and choreography on display but it's clearly an ancient film and I'm sure you can't buy an isuzu gemini any more. Shame, watching that made me strangely want one...

[r988]

jazzyjeff said:

[quote=r988]Be thankful you didn't get the gemini, awful things This was the earier iteration, at least it had RWD [quote] That's just a reskinned Mk 1 Cavalier isn't it?? ;-) Isuzu also did a nice line in dreadful commercial vehicles - cue the Bedford Rascal and notorious Midi vans JJ

An Opel Kadett (one of the versions anyway) looks the same.

[tog]

That's brilliant. It reminds me of this effort by Saab along similar lines.

[broadside]

Great driving all round. I suppose the Isuzu advert being shot in Paris would have had some input along the way from Remy Julienne and his team.

Tog - Thanks for posting the Saab link, I have seen snippets of this video on TV but never the full thing, cheers.

Nige'

[J1mmyD]

There was a big tie up in the 80's with Isuzu and GM.

Isuzu provided engines for Lotus, as metioned above. The vauxhaul frontera is a rebandged and rebodied trooper. Then there was the monterey .... which pretty much only changed the badges.

I have in the back of my mind some vague recollection of there being a GM Gemini ... .perhaps some of our north american brethren can tell me I'm wrong?

[tr3a]

tog said:

That's brilliant. It reminds me of this effort by Saab along similar lines.

Without following the link, I knew which Saab advert you meant and I think it's better and more original than the Isuzu version.

[cdp]

I seem to recall Vauxhall did a "red arrows" advert using Astra GTIs in the 1980s. That included a similar jump.

[FestivAli]

J1mmyD said:

There was a big tie up in the 80's with Isuzu and GM. Isuzu provided engines for Lotus, as metioned above. The vauxhaul frontera is a rebandged and rebodied trooper. Then there was the monterey .... which pretty much only changed the badges. I have in the back of my mind some vague recollection of there being a GM Gemini ... .perhaps some of our north american brethren can tell me I'm wrong?

There was the holden gemini which was sold in australia from 1977-1985 or something, which was the same car as the Opel Kadett (or at least the first ones where) but I'm pretty sure some where badged as IZUSU's and the block was probably an IZUSU unit. Before you bag them out, I know of at least three people who have very fond memories of their Gemini's, even if they were slow and outclassed by the front wheel drive opposition like the Mazda 323/Ford Laser and Corollas and such.

Fantastic ad, but some old shit (forgive the stereotype) would have it banned if they tried it these days.

Ali.

[skint_driver]

Presumably all the cars in the video are new, so why are they in that '8 year old' shade of red?

[tuttle]

Both very enjoyable vids, gotta love that Russ Swift type 2 wheel driving.

[tog]

tr3a said:

I knew which Saab advert you meant and I think it's better and more original than the Isuzu version.

I agree, but I like the Isuzu one as well. It's quite cheeky. The bit jumping through the fountains is fun - it brings out a Dukes of Hazzard feeling in me somehow.

[cdp]

tog said:

tr3a said: I knew which Saab advert you meant and I think it's better and more original than the Isuzu version. I agree, but I like the Isuzu one as well. It's quite cheeky. The bit jumping through the fountains is fun - it brings out a Dukes of Hazzard feeling in me somehow.

I'd rather have a Dodge Charger though, even if it is orange with a flag on the roof...

[wedgepilot]

Awesome driving! The saab one is impressive enough, but the bit with the izuzus drifting through 180 degrees with their door mirrors touching made my jaw drop!