A Direct Look at the Coupe Piazza, Isuzu's Innovation Before Trucks

KatadataOTO – Isuzu is better known as a manufacturer of large commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses, including in Indonesia. 

However, long before that, Isuzu had made many passenger vehicles with various model variations such as sedans and coupes.

At the Isuzu Plaza located in Japan, these old products can be seen directly by visitors. One that catches the eye is the Isuzu Piazza.

The Isuzu Piazza is a coupe that debuted as the Asso di Fior prototype, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, at the 1979 Geneva Motor Show.

Photo : KatadataOTO

Giorgetto Giugiaro is not a new name in the automotive industry. He is a legendary designer who won the Car Designer of the Century award in 1999.

Its appearance was unique, and the model was equipped with various contemporary technologies of its time.

This included memory tilt steering, variable multi-adjustable seats, semi-retractable headlamps, and a digital instrument panel.

Then in 1981, the production version of the Asso di Fior was released under the name Isuzu Piazza.

Piazza itself means Plaza in Italian. The name was intended to symbolize the coupe's vision as a leader in the automotive industry in the 1980s.

The Isuzu Piazza used a G200-coded engine. The water-cooled inline four-cylinder engine had a capacity of 1,949 cc. This configuration was claimed to produce 133 hp.

Its dimensions were quite compact. According to the specifications from Isuzu, the Piazza had a length of 4,310 mm, a width of 1,655 mm, a height of 1,300 mm, and a wheelbase of 2,440 mm.

The two-door car could accommodate up to five passengers.

Thanks to its capable specifications and eye-catching design, the Isuzu Piazza, also known as the Impulse, recorded positive sales.

Photo : KatadataOTO

In its first six years of production, the Isuzu Piazza sold up to 100,000 units. This marked the Piazza's success as one of the automotive world's trendsetters in that era.

Although it is no longer sold, the Isuzu Piazza is immortalized at the Isuzu Plaza as a record of the automotive giant's success before it entered the truck and bus segments.

The Piazza is placed among a row of other classic Isuzu vehicles, serving as a witness to Isuzu's journey in accompanying consumers in the passenger vehicle segment.