2000 Isuzu Trooper 1 Owner Georgia Owned 38k Miles Local Trade No Reserve Only on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Could this Isuzu Mysterious be an affordable 90s gem?

The Isuzu Rodeo holds a special place in rad car fans’ hearts, as it was the basis for another beloved off-roader, the original Honda Passport. The five-door Isuzu SUV lasted here for several years before being discontinued in the early 2000s, but the automaker sold funky two-door body styles in other markets, and one of the now-legal imports has made its way to Cars & Bids. Though our version had the somewhat mundane “Rodeo” title, the SUV was known as the “MU” or Mysterious Utility. This Japanese-market version comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel and a five-speed manual transmission. This one has around 121,000 miles and looks in decent shape. Interestingly, the two-door MU almost has a Mitsubishi Pajero Evo vibe, with its beefy fender flares and cropped, lifted body. Amazingly, the auctionÂ’s statement that the SUV is barely modified is accurate, as its only upgrades include a new stereo and those funky gold wheels. The Mysterious has drawn several comments, mainly from curious observers asking questions about a vehicle theyÂ’ve never seen. One wondered whether the MysteriousÂ’ top is removable, which unfortunately is not the case. Some versions, including the Isuzu Amigo, which we got, came with a removable soft top. One commenter noted that the tops donÂ’t age well, so the hardtop is likely the best choice for a 31-year-old imported SUV.   Though many JDM vehicles from this era are sometimes exceedingly difficult to import and equally expensive, the Mysterious sits at just $3,500 halfway through its auction. ItÂ’s got all the hallmarks to be a Radwood-ready bargain, too. The bright red paint and gold accents give it just enough flash, and versions of the diesel engine are still in production in China, so it might be somewhat reasonable to find parts. Related Video Isuzu Auctions Used Car Buying SUV

GM-Isuzu joint venture assembles 1.5-millionth Duramax diesel

General Motors and Isuzu have officially stitched together 1.5 million Duramax 6.6-liter diesel engines. The joint venture between the two manufacturers started in 1998, and now the DMAX plant employs 517 workers in a 584,000 square-foot facility. GM introduced the Duramax turbo diesel engine to the US market for the 2001 model year, and it can be found trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD as well as the full-size Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans. In its current configuration, the engine yields 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet of torque at just 1,600 rpm.
Of course, the big oil burner has plenty of tuning potential as well. As you may recall, a Duramax-powered truck recently set the land speed record for towing a vehicle at 142 miles per hour.
GM owns 60 percent of the joint venture, with Isuzu laying claim to the remaining 40 percent. The facility is located in Chicago. You can take a look at the brief press release below for more information on the milestone.

Porsche revives Pink Pig and Rothman's liveries for Le Mans

Long-time fans of Porsche, particularly its motorsports history, are in for a treat at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The company took two of its 911 RSR race cars and gave each of them a famous color scheme from the past. The designs are part of the company's 70th anniversary celebration. The first and most unusual paint scheme is a modern rendition of the "Pink Pig." The design was used on a Porsche 917/20 in 1971. Just like the original, it's finished in a pale shade of pink with dotted lines marking out sections of the car. Each of these sections has a label for a different cut of meat from a pig. The other livery isn't as strange, but it's no less recognizable. It features a blue, red and gold color scheme of tobacco company Rothmans. Rothmans was a sponsor of many racing Porsches over the years, and the colors appeared on everything from Le Mans racers to the Paris-Dakar 959. This version on the 911 RSR notably lacks any tobacco branding or advertising. The two 911s with the retro colors will be competing alongside 8 additional 911s with more modern liveries. They will compete in the GTE classes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.