Isuzu Concept X previews D-MAX tough-truck

Isuzu Ute Australia has unveiled its first ‘monster’ show trucks, and there’s a good chance some of the radical modifications made to both the Concept X D-MAX ute and MU-X SUV will find their way onto a Toyota HiLux Rugged X-style D-MAX special in the future.

Breaking cover today at the Melbourne 4x4 Expo, the two Concept X vehicles are defined by a pumped-out, jacked-up body, with specially fabricated flared wheel guards, front and rear bumpers, and a muscular bonnet among the many factory-style enhancements.

The Concept X project vehicles were put together by EMG, the company behind Isuzu Team D-MAX stunt team, with support from major sponsors Isuzu Ute Australia and Toyo Tyres.

The latter supplied the massive 38x15.5-inch Open Country 20LT off-road tyres – believed to be the fattest rubber ever fitted under an Isuzu passenger vehicle and sourced from the US at more than $1000 a pop.

EMG director Wayne Boatwright said the Custom X vehicles were built with few off-the-shelf components, and the 3D-designed, all-metal custom fabricated bodywork was painstakingly completed in-house by EMG over a 12 month period.

“We didn’t set out to build a racer, a rock crawler or yet another version of the ultimate 4WD tourer,” said Boatwright.

“It would have been easy just to bolt on a lot of accessories but we really wanted to ‘go our own way’, so most of the build — the guards, bull bars, bonnet, brakes, suspension and chassis mods — are all in-house custom work.”

Along with the extra-wide body, the Concept X show-stoppers include integrated front and rear winches and a bespoke suspension package with 60mm remote-reservoir shock absorbers.

There’s also a high-performance four-wheel disc brake package that includes six-piston callipers with 390mm full floating rotors up front and four-piston callipers with 355mm floating rotors at the rear.

The Concept-X D-MAX ute features a custom-built full alloy tray with integrated spare wheels and jerries, and its suspension is swapped for an MU-X-like five-link coil-spring set-up and lifted by seven inches.

As a result, approach and departure angles are boosted to a massive 50 and 38 degrees respectively.

The standard 3.0-litre engine and drivetrain are untouched, although the exhaust system has been “tweaked”.

The interiors are standard LS-T spec, although a more heavily ‘blinged’ interior treatment may be added in the future.

Other mods to improve drivability of the beefed-up off-roaders — including off-road portal axles and more suitable gearing — could also be added down the track.

Both Concept-X vehicles will appear at shows and other events around Australia in coming months. Isuzu Ute Australia’s PR and sponsorship manager Mark Harman said the importer will guage public reaction before deciding on whether to introduce ‘Concept X’ style factory accessories, or a special-edition production version with some Concept X-style features, such as the integrated LED driving lights.

If a Concept X-style Isuzu D-MAX ute were to enter the market it would boost an already buzzing ‘toy truck’ ute segment that includes Toyota’s new HiLux Rugged X and Holden’s Colorado SportsCat by HSV.

Harman also said that — unlike Toyota’s similarly-themed HiLux Tonka Concept — the Isuzu Concept X vehicles can be driven forwards as well as in reverse!