Isuzu and GM End Pick-up Truck Development Partnership

Japan’s marquee automaker Isuzu and USA’s popular automaker GM, have ended their partnership under which Isuzu developed the pick-up trucks for GM. The deal was signed back in the year 2014. These trucks were being sold in the Asian market by GM. The reason behind this deal-end is the dominance of auto makers like Isuzu, Toyota, Mitsubishi and others in the daily needs fulfilling trucks. The American maker GM is now looking at the high end market and would launch its self-made pick-ups in the segment.

Commenting on the deal closure, GM issued a statement that stated, “Both GM and Isuzu agree that due to unique requirements for each company, joint development of the next-generation midsize pick-up truck for (GM) markets is no longer the optimal model for this project.” On the other hand, an Isuzu spokesman said, “The direction each company wanted to take (for the vehicles) was changing hence the deal has come to an end.”

Recently, Isuzu had joined hands with another Japanese maker Mazda Motors to develop the pick-up trucks. During the collaboration, Isuzu assisted GM to develop Colorado pick-up truck for Asian and Australian market which was different from what was being sold in the USA, while Isuzu developed D-Max pick-up truck during the agreement. It remains to be seen what outcome Isuzu will get after ending this deal and how profitable its collaboration would be with Mazda Motors.