Dissolving the joint venture with General Motors that had been responsible for the sales and marketing of Isuzu-built trucks in the U.S. since 2001, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. (ICTA) is now distributing its low-cab-forward vehicles directly to both the Isuzu dealer network and GM's network of Chevrolet and GMC medium-duty dealers.
While the move marks the end of General Motors Isuzu Commercial Truck LLC, “Customers will see very little change,” according to Todd Bloom, vp-marketing for ICTA. “The dealer networks, the badging, the warranties will all remain the same. Distribution to dealers simply moves from GM systems to Isuzu systems.”
The new plan calls for ICTA to deliver its Class 3-5 trucks badged as the N-Series for Isuzu dealers and the W-Series for GMC and Chevy dealers. Diesel-powered versions of those trucks will continue to be manufactured in Japan, and gasoline-powered models will continue to be assembled at a GMC facility in Janesville, WI.
ICTA has also taken over distribution of the Class 5-7 F-Series to its 200 U.S. Isuzu dealers. GM will retain distribution of the GMC/Chevrolet versions of that medium-duty cab, which it badges as the T-Series.
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