Origin of Isuzu vehicle names

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117Coupe
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Origin of Isuzu vehicle names

Post by 117Coupe »

Got this info from the Japanese Piazza Owner's Club. I have translated them from the Japanese so hopefully got them correct.


Bellel: Roman for '50 bells', which is what 'Isuzu' means.

Bellett: Younger sisters of the 'Bellel'.

Florian: Named after a horse.

117 Coupe: 117 was the code used when the car was first developed.

Gemini: Zodiac sign of the twins, represents GM and Isuzu.

Geminett: German for small, pretty girl.

Aska: Named after the Asuka period in Japan (6th century), a period in which Japanese culture flourished mainly due to international influence.

Piazza: Italian for plaza or square.

Nero: Italian for black. Evokes an image of high class and sporty. Piazza Nero's were the only models to offer black.

Rodeo: Self explanatory.

Faster: JDM name for the Rodeo. Comes from 'Fast-Faster-Fastest'. Considering most sold in Japan were diesels, Isuzu must have had a sense of humour.

Wizard: JDM name for the US Rodeo SUV. Abbreviation for Wondering Imagination Zing Adventure Romance Dream.

Bighorn: Evoke an image of large deer roaming in the Rockies.

Trooper: A soldier on horseback, strong, tough, able to go anywhere.
Last edited by 117Coupe on Sat Nov 05, 2005 5:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
'80 Isuzu 117 Coupe
'87 Isuzu Aska
'93 Subaru SVX
'98 Mazda Roadster
'97 Honda Legend
'99 Honda Logo
'01 Toyota Will VS
'01 VW Polo
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Bugle
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Post by Bugle »

What about Big Horn?

Also I assume the Nero on the end of Piazza is after the Roman emperor Nero from AD54-68.
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Post by 117Coupe »

Bugle wrote:What about Big Horn?

Also I assume the Nero on the end of Piazza is after the Roman emperor Nero from AD54-68.
I have added them to the list.
'80 Isuzu 117 Coupe
'87 Isuzu Aska
'93 Subaru SVX
'98 Mazda Roadster
'97 Honda Legend
'99 Honda Logo
'01 Toyota Will VS
'01 VW Polo
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Chris
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Post by Chris »

Thanks for the Info, though Piazza means "Great" or "Big" plaza/sqaure though theirs noting big about the Piazza :partyman: .

Added to sticky..
LESS SHOW, MORE GO!!

2009 | 1986 White Piazza 2.2L, Man, STi Turbo (SOLD)
2006 | 1986 Black Piazza Turbo Manual (SOLD)
2005 | 1986 White Piazza Turbo Auto (Pain in the ass)
2004 | 1986 White Piazza Manual Stock
2004 | 1986 Red Piazza Manual TO3, Haltech
2001 | 1986 Silver Piazza Manual Turbo
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Post by wedgenut »

HMM!

I thought Piazza meant Rust in the tailgate and spare wheel well, aircon that keeps you cold in winter only, dahboards that crack, cracking paint finish, glove box lids that rattle and fall off when the pissy piece of plastic lets go, windows that go down fast and up very slow scratching the glass on the way, lots of electronics that would defy microsoft, unacceptable weight distribution and probably a million other things that creak, groan and go "click" when you leat expect it...but they are still my favourite car! :supz:
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Post by 15uzu »

You've forgotten MU - abbreviation of Mysterious Utility
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Post by IZU069 »

Thanks 15uzu for BUMPing.
As I read, I thought of MU, but you got it.

I'm not sure of the earlier Nero (black) as the I'm fairly sure the Bellel and 117 both came in black. And these were both popular with Japanese VIPs, ambassadors etc (who usually drove black). If I recall right, Japanese visitors to Aust couldn't get over 117s driven by "non-VIPs"!

And the others names seem pretty accurate.
The original Isuzu symbol (as on early Belletts) with the 12 looped oval surround symbolised "12 Rivers". (Corrected 29Sep08).
The Florian was named after Austrian Emperor Franz Josef's favorite horse (fictional based on Wiki's "Isuzu_Florian" info; and furthermore, the 117 was built on the Florian floorpan).
I-TEC is Isuzu Total Electronic Control.

And I know the modern II-ish logo is based on twins (Gemini) - or rather, the meeting of two people, and Isuzu-GM makes perfect sense!
But how unfortunate based on subsequent history!
If true, I strongly suggest the logo may change soon - maybe when they cycle back from their current "ISUZU logo" to a new 50-bells & Gemini type logo which I expect when other manufacturers go from logos back to names. Or if Isuzu were to start releasing passenger vehicles again. (Not that I'm suggesting they will. And surely not a hi-tech nostalgia model or two!)

What about Jackaroo? To make up for the Gemini as "a girl's car"? (That's a star-sign thing - totally divorced from reality!)

MX-1600 (Mid engined eXperimental??)
4200-R (bigger than GT-R?)
Wasp - maybe it is a stinger as suggested by BellettRacer's G200W Wasp? (I could suggest it's its "more than a Holden 1-tonner" carrying capacity, or the aforementioned "Stung" feeling others get when overtaken...., but I'd hate to be biased!)

LUV was Light Utility Vehicle.

And Big Horn. Surely that is self explanatory to most of us!
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Post by vadoo »

Maybe this mean something?
Image
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Post by IZU069 »

I recognise it but can't place it. (Not one of those illegal adaptations used by a certain US Isuzu site?)
But the similar "twin towers" logo as in the following...
Image
... represented the twins which meant the joining of GM with Isuzu.
And of course Gemini is the twins star-sign.


The other symbol is the previous logo as used on Belletts etc.
The surrounding "ring" has 12 spirals in it which - as I recall - reflects the 12 rivers near where Isuzu was located.
Isuzu itself was on the "50 Bells" River aka the Isuzu River, hence the Bellel & later "mini" Bellel (Bellett) etc.

Isuzu have a tendency to be the opposite of other car marques. When they were using Holden and Toyota for their badges, Isuzu used the above logos.
Now when others are using logos for badging, Isuzu uses "ISUZU".
Yep, Isuzu must be Punks at heart!


Sorry if this repeats my former info above.
And I hope I haven't been corrupted by wiki or other info. I do recall wiki being wrong on various issues (eg, en.wikipedia Isuzu_Motors as well as others) but now I'd have to review old notes. Alas wiki has info from other sources (like The Complete History Of The Japanese Car) which in turn is wrong.
And as I well know, bad info overtakes good info.
[ The GT-R PR91W chassis number is a good example. It was started by some idiot in the BCCV and has taken on a life of its own - especially since homologation papers that support the PR91W chassis numbers were later found by others. (Alas I've had them for years, and I (once) knew the story behind them...) Despite some knowing how the GTRs were manufactured (namely random chassis taken off the GT production line), they still insist on the "addition" of the W in the "PR91-123456" chassis number. BTW - I'm the idiot referred to above. The Bellet GT was the PR91 and had PR91-xxxxxx chassis numbers, and the GTR was known as the PR91W model, hence it is logical that GTR chassis numbers were PR91W. Yet another example of logic being wrong! ]

Oh dear, more reflection of my amazement at increasing webland disinformation....
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