Anybody ever have an Isuzu Impulse?

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I used to see these cars now and then when they were new, back in the late '80s and early '90s. They looked fast, and I was always fascinated with the control blocks (http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/525/4769/38812384044_original.jpg?v=0) that flanked the steering wheel -- an early version of the controls-in-the-wheel that so many cars have now.

They're rarer than dinosaur fur now, I gather. Anybody have one? Were they fun to drive and easy to keep up, or total money pits?
 
The Eagle Premier/Dodge Monaco twins also used this sort of control stack. Other than this bit of trivia, I can't add anything else, so I'll bow out now...
grin.gif
 
My car has those similar style control pods on each side of the steering wheel. Left has the headlights,foglights,cruise control,etc. Right has the digital automatic AC/climate controls and readouts,and windshield wiper controls.
 
lusted after one in the mid 90s near one of my childhood friends house for exactly the same reason, nice shape and that dash.
 
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
I used to see these cars now and then when they were new, back in the late '80s and early '90s. They looked fast, . . .


Fast? They were faster than a speeding bullet!



As I recall, they weren't bad cars, but not quite in the same league as the best Toyotas and Hondas of that era. Part of the second-tier Japanese makers of that time, with Subaru and Mazda. All were fairly well assembled. They were nicely styled as well.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/web-originals/features-web-originals-six-forgotten-isuzus

I think the hardest part with owning one today would be sourcing high quality parts.
 
My grandparents had an iMark or something like that. I recall those controls and fonts on the labeling, but not the pods like that.

Interesting.
 
Isuzu had some cool vehicles for sure. How about the VehiCROSS, and Axiom? Both pretty much flopped, yet there's so many vehicles on the road today that are similar- especially to the Axiom.

I had a 2002 Rodeo and had some other 'late model' Rodeos and Troopers in the family. I miss that Rodeo!
 
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I had an old Citroen CX Pallas with a similar dash, this is a old 70's GSA.
The rocker switch for the indicators took some getting use to.

2123286293_e94d6dc07e_n.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Pontiac was doing it around the same time range:

Sweet mother, that's hideous...


Pontiac always was on the fine line of "style" vs hideous. They seemed to sell especially that grand Am car.

Ode to plastic cladding and tacky dashes.
 
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Originally Posted By: rjundi
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Pontiac was doing it around the same time range:

Sweet mother, that's hideous...


Pontiac always was on the fine line of "style" vs hideous. They seemed to sell especially that grand Am car.

Ode to plastic cladding and tacky dashes.


At its very worst, when it fantastically crossed the line of garishness, Pontiac lived up to its alternate slogan,

"We Build Excrement".

In a fit of utter madness, my sister bought a brand new yellow Aztek, which I consider among the most butt-ugly vehicles ever designed. I've questioned her sensibilities ever since.
 
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Originally Posted By: leeharvey418
Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Pontiac was doing it around the same time range:

Sweet mother, that's hideous...


Pontiac always was on the fine line of "style" vs hideous. They seemed to sell especially that grand Am car.

Ode to plastic cladding and tacky dashes.


At its very worst, when it fantastically crossed the line of garishness, Pontiac lived up to its alternate slogan,

"We Build Excrement".

In a fit of utter madness, my sister bought a brand new yellow Aztek, which I consider among the most butt-ugly vehicles ever designed. I've questioned her sensibilities ever since.

I've always loved the Aztek. (feel free to question anything you want about me)

but that dash pictured a few posts back was clearly painted red, by some owner with bad tastes. it would have been dark grey/black from the factory.
 
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
I used to see these cars now and then when they were new, back in the late '80s and early '90s. They looked fast, . . .


Fast? They were faster than a speeding bullet!



As I recall, they weren't bad cars, but not quite in the same league as the best Toyotas and Hondas of that era. Part of the second-tier Japanese makers of that time, with Subaru and Mazda. All were fairly well assembled. They were nicely styled as well.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/web-originals/features-web-originals-six-forgotten-isuzus

I think the hardest part with owning one today would be sourcing high quality parts.


anyone else notice that last second of the Video?
"Isuzu Impulse, with Handling by Lotus"
 
These were very attractive cars and came from an era where some of the cars from Japanese makers were really quite nice to look at.
That era has come and gone, sadly.
I can't think of a really attractive current model from a Japanese maker, but then the same could be said of cars designed everywhere else.
 
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