I’m not sure how I missed this, but it took someone close to me who is not exactly a hardcore car geek, just someone who appreciates good cars, to let me know that this fantastic beast exists. Thankfully, she did let me know, and now I’m happily aware that just a few days ago, at the Bangkok International Motor Show, Isuzu gave unto the world one of the best restomod concept-car pickup trucks that I have ever seen. And for that, I am also thankful.
Isuzu calls the truck the Dragon Max Concept, named for the Thai-market nickname for the Isuzu TFR pickup truck. This example in particular started life as a 1988 Isuzu TFR (also known under the model name Faster) Space Cab, which had a really novel extended cab design, complete with a portrait-proportioned window in the extended rear of the cab.
We got these in America, too, as shilled by Isuzu’s famous untrustworthy spokesperson, Joe Isuzu:
I even had a single-cab version of this truck, a few years newer, but part of the same third generation of the truck:
I really loved that truck. It was the perfect size – small, but with a big bed, extremely usable, fun to drive, good on gas – just a great all-rounder truck. I think that’s what makes Isuzu’s concept truck so damn appealing: they took the form factor of this old truck and crammed it full of modern tech, making something modern and retro by combining the best of both, and isn’t that really what a restomod should be all about?
Isuzu took the old 1988 truck and lowered it, in classic ’80s minitruck style, then replaced the entire drivetrain with their new 2.2-liter MaxForce turbodiesel engine, making about 220 horsepower and a hydrant-uprooting 405 pound-feet of torque. This truck originally came with a 2.5-liter diesel making 87 hp and 129 pound-feet of twisties, so that’s a hell of an upgrade.
What I especially like is how the lighting has been updated; Isuzu’s designers kept the basic form and shape of the lights, but re-imagined them in LEDs, and even extended the lighting to other graphic elements of the car’s face, like trimming the whole grille in white LED bars. And once you do that, you may as well start animating stuff, because life is for the living, dammit:
I especially like how they handled the turn indicators, turning the DRLs amber and including indicator lights in the traditional corner spot:
This thing just manages to look great, with just the right amount of nostalgia, which, of course, Isuzu is well aware of, as you can see in this Isuzu Thailand promo video:
The interior has been extensively re-done as well, with every surface absolutely slathered in Alcantara, so much that I worry for Thailand’s native population of Alcantaras.
You can also see that the instrument cluster has been replaced with a modern LCD display, and a large, portrait-oriented touchscreen has been added to the dash as an infotainment center-stack display. Other than that, the general forms and layout of the original interior have been retained, just updated with new tech.
I think that’s what makes this whole thing work: the forms and proportions and scale of the ’80s era truck are retained, just filled with modernity, or modernity has been spread over its surface, like schmear on a bagel.
If anything, it’s all a great reminder that there is still a place for a useful, non-massive pickup truck in the world, and even if this wonderful Thai experiment isn’t something that’s destined for production, perhaps it can act as an inspiration to someone out there, reminding them that little trucks are great trucks.
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Torch I didn’t know you once owned a P’UP.
Are you going to explain the giant Space Invaders or just leave us hanging?
Was there some sort of arcade roleplaying happening? Or were you just redecorating?
Here you go.
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I had an 84 Isuzu P’up diesel, great little engine, terrible rusting tinfoil body. But it was cool, as is this!
Truly a cool little truck but just bringing back the original body works with modern capabilities is good enough
I had an old 92(?) Hardbody and bought a similar year Isuzu that was basically the same truck but had a carb’d 4 cylinder. Used that truck for a little while but sold it as I didn’t need 2 rusty old trucks at the time. Was a fun little truck and I still miss them both
What kind of front suspension did these have that there is basically no shock towers?
Always thought these were good looking little trucks. This is a cool restomod.
Also laughing at them bragging about more space than the S10, when they ended up selling a rebadged S10 a few years later.
God I love this. If anyone wants a 1992 Mazda B2600i 4×4, I’m interested in selling mine, to do up a 2WD model with a 13BT. Or maybe I should just do that with my existing truck since it already has the wider fenders of the 4WD model.
Box flares ftw.
Pretty cool, and impressive specs for that little turbodiesel! It is refreshing to see a restomod without an EV powertrain for once. However, I still hate those stupid rear side windows.
Damn that’s cool. I like it a lot.
Thailand has quite a retro JDM and mini truck scene. Nice they are tying into that.
Sitting here in my 96 Isuzu Trooper, I am green with envy.
is the Trooper also green?
My grandparents had a space cab pup … In my mind it has a taller roofline, like it was intended to have a camper on it, but it’s been ages.
Too bad the steering wheel is on the wrong side. However, with that out of the way, this is indeed one heck of a restomod. My only real gripe though is why they didn’t at least make it a hybrid. I mean, they’re not going to sell these so it doesn’t really matter, but if anything it would have potentially added additional power and torque as well as getting even better mileage.
But damn, that body style aged quite well… we’re talking about Morgan Freeman levels of aging well here.
That’s one fancied up PUP. Miss small trucks.
I can do without the giant touchscreen. But other than that, this is pure awesomeness. Now do it to an ’83 Ranger! (2.3 ecoboost?)