More details have emerged of the ending of the long-standing joint venture between General Motors (GM) and Isuzu Motor to co-develop largely Asian-made pick-up trucks, according to reports in Japan citing Isuzu company sources.
The venture, which built on earlier OEM re-branding projects that began with Isuzu's original LUV light truck line being sold as Chevrolet, Opel, Vauxhall and Holden models worldwide now will end, the reports said. The two automakers have cancelled their latest pickup truck joint development agreement signed off in 2014 – a more in-depth collaboration which originally more than 10 years ago.
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The partnership mainly involved joint development of the Isuzu D-Max and the Chevrolet Colorado, which also form the basis of the Isuzu MUX and Chevrolet Trailblazer SUVs, produced mainly in Thailand.
GM in the future will focus on high-end pickup trucks, while Isuzu will continue to cater for the high-volume segments. Therefore, new models will now be developed separately by the two companies.
Isuzu has already signed an agreement with Mazda to collaborate in the development of next generation pickup trucks, after Ford and Mazda announced that they too will cease collaboration in this segment.
The two US automakers are in the process of refocusing their operations in Asia, as they struggle to compete with Japanese automakers in the high-volume segments.
GM is reviewing its investment in India after closing a plant in Indonesia last year and has cut back its model range in South-east Asia. Ford is pulling out of Japan and Indonesia altogether.
Other global collaboration between GM and Isuzu will not affected by this latest decision, including the medium-duty truck partnership in the US.
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