If cars were horses, the Isuzu Impulse would have been a thoroughbred. With an Italian design, a Lotus suspension, and built by one of Japan’s oldest carmakers, the Impulse had a great deal in its favor. Yet the Impulse stumbled out of the gate. In terms of sales, it played only a bit part in the crowded sports coupe market – just about 10,000 US examples were sold annually between 1983 and 1989. Nevertheless, it was a highly influential car. This particular example was spotted driving along at 70 mph on a busy Interstate. Even from these glimpses, one can imagine what a splash this design made when new, and also how successful the Impulse could have been if it was just a little bit more polished when first introduced.
History will remember the Impulse for being one of the most groundbreaking designs of its day. Isuzu turned to Italy’s masterful Giorgetto Giugiaro in the late 1970s to design its new sports coupe. This was not a random choice for Isuzu, as Giugiaro had also designed the Impulse’s predecessor, the 117 coupe, a decade earlier. He was given virtually free reign; Isuzu’s only requirement being that the end product use GM’s T-car platform (Chevette/Kadett/I-Mark – GM owned a stake in Isuzu, hence the platform-sharing).
When Giugiaro’s concept (called the Ace of Clubs) emerged at the Geneva Auto Show in 1979, it was breathtaking. Although wedge-shaped like his Lotus Esprit, the Isuzu featured a rounded tail and corners, and numerous small, detailed refinements that collectively made the car the stunner that it was. It’s hard to overstate this car’s impact on worldwide car design. Features such as concealed rain gutters, flush glass, hidden seams, and doors that blend into the roof were nearly unheard-of when this car was designed. All of these features were pioneered by the Ace of Clubs, and subsequently became commonplace by 1990.
Show cars are often simply design exercises that merely pass on some hints of their original concept to a future production car. Amazingly, the eventual production Impulse was virtually unaltered from Giugiaro’s initial show car.
Innovations carried over to the interior as well, where Giugiaro created a novel concept for the instrument panel where most controls (even the turn signals) were mounted on two pods on either side of the steering wheel. The whole assembly moved with the tilt steering wheel. This feature, too, was carried into production.
Some markets first saw this car in 1981 (called Piazza in most of the world), but US sales began in 1983.
Isuzu dealers (often paired with GM franchises) needed some drama in those days, but though the Impulse brought many lookers, few became buyers. Why? For one, performance enthusiasts were disappointed that underneath the intense exterior was a traditional, and undistinguished car. The original Impulse had a buzzy 1.9 liter, 90 hp engine and an unsophisticated suspension with a live rear axle. An Impulse would wheeze under acceleration and roll heavily in corners – not the type of performance suggested by the exterior. Paradoxically, the car’s rear-drive format turned off many non-enthusiasts, as front-wheel drive was becoming increasingly popular. Add to that Isuzu’s small US dealer network, and the Impulse’s sales struggles are easily understood.
Isuzu improved performance by adding a turbocharged model for 1985, and then, along with a slight styling update, a major suspension enhancement for 1988. Lotus (another member of the GM family) was hired to rework the Impulse’s suspension, and did so in remarkable fashion, transforming the ancient T-car underpinnings into a thoroughly modern affair. Handling was markedly improved, and ride harshness reduced. To make the point known, 1988-89 Impulses wear 4 badges that say “Handling by Lotus.”
The Impulse also benefited from the world’s best advertising campaign. I’m lying. But no discussion of 1980s Isuzus would be complete without a mention of the company’s truth-impaired pitchman, Joe Isuzu, shown here making a characteristically truthful claim.
Joe may have exceeded 900 mph in his Impulse, but this one was about to get a nudge from an impatient Freightliner behind it. By 1988, the base Impulse’s horsepower was up to 110 from its 2.3-liter 4-cylinder SOHC engine – adequate but not exceptional power for a 3,000 lb. car. The turbo model added 30 more hp.
This particular Impulse came painted in Vivid Red – the only one of the ’88 Impulse’s eight colors that was available on either turbo or non-turbo models. Isuzu stressed the Impulse’s high level of standard equipment, and as such the only options on either model were an automatic transmission and floor mats.
Despite the performance and handling improvements, Impulse sales never picked up steam. By the time this car was produced, the Impulse had already been on the market for almost 5 years, and as other cars gained the design innovations pioneered by Isuzu, the Impulse itself faded into the background. 1989 was the last year for this generation of Impulse, and Isuzu’s US presence was fading as well. The company eventually pulled out of the US market in 2009.
Thirty years after its US introduction, it’s easy to overlook this car’s contribution to worldwide car design, since Impulses were never plentiful on the roads. But sales figures alone do not tell the Impulse’s story. This car that numerically left barely a ripple in most countries’ sales charts was one of the most important automotive designs in the last fifty years. If only it had benefited earlier from the engine and suspension improvements gained in its later years, it likely would have run a much better race.
Photographed near Morgantown, West Virginia in March, 2016.
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CC Capsule: 1988 Isuzu Impulse – Wait, What? Brendan Saur
Nice catch! These are getting rare on the ground. I shot one here a couple of years ago, but like so many cars, I just never got around to writing it up.
This was such a fine design, and Isuzu gets so much credit for not messing with it anymore than absolutely necessary. They should have gotten it to the US a couple of years sooner, though. That might have helped.
These look great in any color, but I always thought it was one of the few cars that look best in white.
The best looking Chevette ever.
Too bad Isuzu didn’t keep the style and just modernize the mechanicals for the 2nd generation.
The latest Audi A4 just copied the hidden “hood to fender” cut line of the Impulse. Long lasting influence indeed.
Being a Isuzu fan from my Chevy LUV days, I always kind of wanted one of these. But, some prayers are better left unanswered….
Yes, certain features of this car’s design pointed to the future, but to me, and I’m perhaps in the minority here, this car ended up looking rather bland. Other cars of this time period also had feeble powertrains (like early 3rd gen GM F bodies), and sold in much greater numbers than this Isuzu. Heck, I thought the 3 door Hyundai Excel (also a Giugiaro design) of that era looked at least as good. The original VW Scirocco has far more appeal than this Impulse.
The original VW Scirocco was a killer design for sure, but Giugiaro was looking to the future when he designed this, and i could really relate to where he was going. It just blew me away. I remember hearing Isuzu was going to build it, and it seemed to take an awfully long time to make production. Or maybe I was just impatient.
By the time it eventually came down under as a ‘Holden Piazza’, it was starting to look a bit old. If it had come on the market a few years earlier it would have been much more competitive, and probably not fallen foul of our emission laws either. But that was probably a global-GM problem rather than an Isuzu problem.
Major kudos to Isuzu for not messing with the design. A worthy successor to their classic 117 coupe.
Memory serves me correctly, because they sold so few Holden dropped the price 5k then sent refund cheques to early buyers. A doco was made some time ago about the people who owned the remaining ones here in Aus.
Like all the Japanese coupes of the 80s these things were pricey. You could buy a lot of 300zx or supra for not much more and it was massively undercut by the excellent 20k fwd Celica when it was released.
The 1986 Wheels road test had it pretty much last in a mega coupe test. Turbo Engine was a standout compared to defending champion turbo Mitsi, which was by then a bit old and off the pace, but it was a bit of a knife at a gun fight by 1986 for the Izuzu too. V6 Alfa, turbo V6 Nissan, Twin cam, multi valve 6 Supra, even underpowered but smooth13B Mazda. Suspension was hopelessly off the pace compared to RX7 and the Celica and Supra duo. Wheels lament was that it would have been a great car if it had have been ready in 81.
I remember when these came out – like the Audi 5000 (and later Taurus), it was a vision of the future. Maybe as ground shaking as the 1957 Chryslers were when held up to everything else.
Amazing find, and great write-up, Eric! Wow. With this Impulse, you’re already a contender for what should be the annual CC Award for “Best Unicorn – Spotted In The Wild” subcategory.
These cars, besides being some of my favorite Japanese coupes of the 80’s, will forever be tied in my mind to the show “Dance Fever” as giveaway prizes to the winning contestants.
Good catch on a rare car and wonder how close to death it is since this Isuzu has some body damage.
What is with the novelty plate on the front? All I can see is IAM 4NO.
Looks a novelty Notre Dame plate. It looks pretty real, I wouldn’t think it would be legal.
Well West Virginia is a one plate state so I assume you can put whatever plate you want on the front.
My experience with one-plate states is that they’re very lenient when it comes to putting other plates on the front.
When I lived in Pennsylvania, I had a Guam license plate on one of my cars (just to cover up the empty plate frame), and no one ever gave me a problem about it.
And yes, the plate on the front of this Impulse is a Notre Dame booster plate (IAM 4ND).
“… and If I’m lying, may lightning hit my mother.”
Cue the distant sound of thunder and a starting to worry Mom.
Joe was the best.
This really was a pretty impressive design, and by rights it probably should have sold better than it did. I had an acquaintance who owned one back in the mid 90’s, and I remember thinking at that time that it was looking a little dated, even though his was the top-line Turbo model with Lotus tweaks, and was kept in immaculate shape at all times. I wonder if these didn’t sell well because they were just so much less “swoopy” than some of the competition. In 1988, for example, there were competitors like the Starion/Conquest, Supra, 300ZX, 2nd gen RX7, etc. that were more “supercar” than “souped-up japanese hatchback” in their presentation. These were pretty, but for the buyer interested in this class of car at the time there were a lot of other entries that screamed “I’m a hip cool J Cavaricci wearin’ playa” a little better than the Impulse. Besides, wouldn’t you rather say you drove a “Conquest” than an “Impulse”. Kinda reminds one of premature ejaculation, not to mention that “Impulse” was a feminine deodorant body spray in the mid 80’s. Just sayin.
Sometimes the useless trivial information I retain just really makes me wonder…
I used to worry about all the trivial car info I remembered, but then I met you guys…. 🙂
A family friend had one of these when I was a kid. It must have been an ’88-’89 model since it had the “Lotus” badges on the sides. Loved that car, but haven’t seen one of them on the road in years.
I remember seeing a red version of one, I think it was later first generation or maybe a second generation, but it would occasionally be parked near the Navy Federal bank near my house. I always thought these cars were sharp looking in terms of design, some of my favorite Japanese cars believe it or not, but it was clear that Isuzu would have no luck with the passenger car market. Which is a shame, because they could make a really nice looking car, but when the SUV craze is starting to go in full swing and the Rodeo and Trooper are selling like hotcakes, can you blame them for axing the Impulse?
Once again: I may be wrong but a big factor in the dismal sales for these cars was the limited dealer network. Add in a truly awful sales experience, at least in my case, and these must have been a hard sell.
I also think “buff books” took every opportunity to remind potential owners that these were basically “gussied-up” Chevy Chevettes…..THE bottom of the automotive barrel.
Too bad Isuzu couldn’t have stuffed a V6 under the hood like it’s Blue Oval competition would eventually decide to do.
– Through at least 1984 the Isuzu dealership in Boston was the only one in New England that sold passenger cars. Isuzu’s attempt to launch under their own brand ran headlong into the VRA quotas which favored the established players.
They were probably on shaky ground until the Trooper II became the first import SUV (apart from the much more expensive, then manual-only Land Cruiser) and only the second midsize one to offer four doors.
– People liked the B-Special (’71 Riviera) well enough, and in the early ’80s were buying G-Specials like warm bread. Why not a T-Special?
Nicely styled, but I liked the similar looking VW Scirocco of the same time period better. I guess Giugiaro penned them both. I just couldn’t stomach all the VW quality horror stories (nor the steep price of admission). If it had been reversed and Isuzu had gotten the Scirocco version (and VW the Impulse), I might have bought one.
According to Popular Mechanics, the Impulse design was first offered to and rejected by VW:
https://books.google.com/books?id=H-MDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=volkswagen+scirocco+impulse&source=bl&ots=CHxh8IrJXH&sig=PBwZbU_CKDwwoRhaEPhwfqSJeoM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6rrTYoLPMAhVEaT4KHeIsCWY4ChDoAQgxMAI#v=onepage&q=volkswagen%20scirocco%20impulse&f=false
I saw quite a few (relatively) of these in the late 80s – there was a popular Subaru/Isuzu dealer near us.
To my tiny mind this was the zenith of 80s Japanese hi tech. I’m smiling now to think there was a Chevette underneath, a car 80s me wouldn’t have been seen dead in.
It should have been built by Vauxhall they had the best performing ‘T’ cars with 2.3 litre OHC and DOHC engines and Lotus is only just down the road who used the same engines in their offerings nice car but the wrong division built it.
I worked with a guy who bought a new early turbo model. The small dealership was located in a gas station with separate sales building. They required mandatory undercoating. The undercoater taped the vent on the rear axle to prevent contamination. He left it there. On the first road trip the pinion and at least on axle seal blew. My co worker drove it till it dropped.
There was much drama over repairing and providing a loaner car. They worked a deal on another new one. I’m sure there was no shortage.
I think Citroën had controls flanking the steering-wheel in the earlier CX. I’m not claiming they were the first, however.
Also, the AMC Pacer had doors that wrapped into the roof years before even the Ace of Clubs show car.
I am positive I have seen this one near where these pictures were taken – on I79 south between Morgantown and Fairmont. This looks like it was on I68 east of Morgantown near the Sabraton exit. Just west of Sabraton I saw a Bugatti Veyron a couple of years ago. Probably Mylan Pushkar’s.
I’m sure that’s the same Impulse! These pictures were actually taken on I-79 northbound, right before the exit for I-68. In the picture where the Impulse is compared to the Ace of Clubs, he’s continuing northbound on 79, while I’m exiting onto 68.
Oddly, within a few minutes of taking these shots, I saw both a Chevette and then a Lotus Esprit – both cars with strong connections to the Impulse. What are the odds? I would have loved to photograph the Chevette, but it was heading in the opposite direction, so no chance of that.
An Impulse, Chevette and Esprit… Just an Ace od Clubs short of a full house. Ha.
I can’t imagine two daily driven red Impulses in the Morgantown area…
I always thought these were fantastic-looking cars, and once Lotus went over the chassis, they had handling to match. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen one though.
It never occurred to me before now that these were so closely related to the Chevette!
I believe I’ve seen that same car before, near Charleston. Kind of hard to miss one of the greatest Isuzus to exist aside from the Bellett.
This is one of those cars that I’d love to own but regret buying.
Funny how the front spoiler awkwardly poking out under the long overhead, just ahead of the front wheels, betrays the car’s Kadett/Chevette roots.