I still remember walking into the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center on Saturday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m., the air thick with anticipation and the faint scent of motor oil. That evening marked a special exhibition of Isuzu's most unexpected creations - their sports cars. Most people know Isuzu for their rugged trucks and dependable commercial vehicles, but what many don't realize is that this pragmatic manufacturer has produced some genuinely exciting sports cars throughout its history. Having followed the automotive industry for over fifteen years, I've developed a particular fondness for these underdog performance machines that often get overlooked in favor of more mainstream sports cars.
The story begins in the late 1960s with the Isuzu 117 Coupe, which debuted in 1968 and remained in production until 1981. Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, this car featured beautiful lines that still turn heads today. Under that gorgeous body lay a 1.6-liter or later 1.8-liter twin-cam engine that produced around 115 horsepower in its final iterations - respectable numbers for its era. I've had the privilege of driving a well-maintained 1978 model, and what struck me most was how balanced it felt through corners, with steering that communicated exactly what the front wheels were doing. The 117 sold approximately 86,000 units during its production run, which isn't bad for what was essentially a halo car meant to elevate Isuzu's brand image.
Then came what I consider Isuzu's masterpiece - the Piazza. Known as the Impulse in some markets, this car launched in 1980 and represented Isuzu's serious commitment to sports car engineering. The first generation featured Giugiaro's sharp, angular design that looked like it came straight from a science fiction movie. I'll never forget test driving a 1983 model back in 2005 - the digital dashboard, the futuristic interior, and that handling-assisted rear wheel steering system called ITEC made it feel decades ahead of its time. The turbocharged version produced about 140 horsepower from its 2.0-liter engine, pushing the lightweight coupe to 60 mph in roughly 8.5 seconds. Isuzu built around 47,000 first-generation Piazzas before introducing the second generation in 1990.
The second-generation Piazza, which I've always felt was underappreciated, featured smoother lines and improved aerodynamics. More importantly, it received a significant power boost with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine now producing 150 horsepower. I remember speaking with a former Isuzu engineer who told me they'd made hundreds of small refinements to reduce weight and improve rigidity, though he admitted they only sold about 15,000 of these final Piazzas before discontinuing the model in 1993. What makes these cars special to me isn't just their specifications but how they represented Isuzu's engineering philosophy - reliable, innovative, but always with a focus on driver engagement rather than raw numbers.
Isuzu's sports car efforts weren't limited to these two models, though many enthusiasts forget about their partnership with Honda that produced the Isuzu Gemini Coupe, which shared platforms with Honda's Prelude during certain generations. Then there were the concept cars that never made production, like the stunning 4200R from 1989 - a car I was fortunate enough to see in person at the Tokyo Motor Show that year. With its 4.2-liter V8 producing an estimated 350 horsepower and four-wheel steering, it could have been Japan's answer to European grand tourers, but unfortunately remained a concept.
Walking through that convention center in May, seeing these machines lined up in chronological order, I was struck by how each represented a specific moment in automotive history and Isuzu's evolving approach to performance. The company that built its reputation on diesel engines and commercial vehicles repeatedly demonstrated it could create engaging sports cars when it chose to. While they never achieved the sales numbers of Toyota's Supra or Nissan's Z-cars, there's a purity to Isuzu's sports cars that I've always found appealing. They weren't chasing horsepower wars or lap times as much as creating balanced, driver-focused machines that offered genuine enjoyment.
Today, finding a well-preserved Isuzu sports car has become increasingly difficult, which is part of what made that May exhibition so special. The 117 Coupes that haven't succumbed to rust typically sell for $15,000 to $25,000 in good condition, while clean Piazzas can range from $8,000 to $18,000 depending on specification and maintenance history. These aren't just collector's items though - they're reminders of an era when even the most practical automakers felt compelled to build cars that stirred the soul. As I left the convention center that night, I couldn't help but hope that Isuzu might one day return to its sports car roots, though in today's automotive landscape, that seems increasingly unlikely. Still, for those of us who appreciate automotive history's lesser-known chapters, Isuzu's sports car legacy remains a fascinating story of innovation, passion, and occasionally brilliant engineering from an unexpected source.
