USA Piazza/Impulse History
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2005 8:47 am
The Isuzu Impulse was a small sporty 3-door hatchback sold from 1982 through 1992. The Impulse was originally a rear wheel drive car, but it made the switch to front wheel drive with the 1989 introduction of the second-generation Impulse. The second-generation Impulse was the basis for the more successful American Geo Storm, and the engine of the second-generation was shared with the modern Lotus Elan.
[edit]1982
The first Impulse was a 3-door hatchback based upon General Motors' T platform. Debuting in 1982, the Giugiaro-designed hatchback used either a 110 hp (82 kW) 127 ft.lbf (172 Nm) 2.3 L (2254 cc) I4 or a 2.0 L (1975 cm?) turbo engine which produced 140 hp (104 kW) and 133 ft.lbf (180 Nm). 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions were available. The Impulse also received a special suspension tuned by Lotus for model years 1988 and 1989. The Impulse was also known as the Isuzu Piazza outside of the US, and badged as the Holden Piazza in Australia.
[edit]1989
The second-generation Impulse debuted in 1989 for the 1990 model year. It was a 2+2 design with semi-concealed headlights and was available with front wheel drive or all wheel drive with center and rear viscous differentials. The suspension was all-independent with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link system in back. The Impulse used a DOHC 1.6 L (1588 cm?) I4 engine which produced 130 hp (97 kW) or, in turbo form, 160 hp (119 kW). Since the Impulse weighed just 2400 lb (1090 kg), the turbo engine and all wheel drive combined gave excellent performance.
General Motors, who owned nearly half of Isuzu, also owned Lotus Cars at the time. The Lotus Elan got the Impulse's engine, and in exchange, the Impulse got Lotus suspension tuning. This included a passive rear wheel steering system which adjusted the toe of the rear wheels with a clever bushing compression design.
The base 1.6 L engine was replaced with a stroked (by 11 mm to 90 mm) 1.8 L (1794 cm?) version in 1992. This larger powerplant was good for 140 hp (104 kW) and 125 ft.lbf (169 Nm). Sales remained poor, and the company dropped the model in 1992. The Impulse was also sold as the Geo Storm from 1990 to 1993.
Retrieved from "http://www.grohol.com/psypsych/Isuzu_Impulse"
[edit]1982
The first Impulse was a 3-door hatchback based upon General Motors' T platform. Debuting in 1982, the Giugiaro-designed hatchback used either a 110 hp (82 kW) 127 ft.lbf (172 Nm) 2.3 L (2254 cc) I4 or a 2.0 L (1975 cm?) turbo engine which produced 140 hp (104 kW) and 133 ft.lbf (180 Nm). 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions were available. The Impulse also received a special suspension tuned by Lotus for model years 1988 and 1989. The Impulse was also known as the Isuzu Piazza outside of the US, and badged as the Holden Piazza in Australia.
[edit]1989
The second-generation Impulse debuted in 1989 for the 1990 model year. It was a 2+2 design with semi-concealed headlights and was available with front wheel drive or all wheel drive with center and rear viscous differentials. The suspension was all-independent with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link system in back. The Impulse used a DOHC 1.6 L (1588 cm?) I4 engine which produced 130 hp (97 kW) or, in turbo form, 160 hp (119 kW). Since the Impulse weighed just 2400 lb (1090 kg), the turbo engine and all wheel drive combined gave excellent performance.
General Motors, who owned nearly half of Isuzu, also owned Lotus Cars at the time. The Lotus Elan got the Impulse's engine, and in exchange, the Impulse got Lotus suspension tuning. This included a passive rear wheel steering system which adjusted the toe of the rear wheels with a clever bushing compression design.
The base 1.6 L engine was replaced with a stroked (by 11 mm to 90 mm) 1.8 L (1794 cm?) version in 1992. This larger powerplant was good for 140 hp (104 kW) and 125 ft.lbf (169 Nm). Sales remained poor, and the company dropped the model in 1992. The Impulse was also sold as the Geo Storm from 1990 to 1993.
Retrieved from "http://www.grohol.com/psypsych/Isuzu_Impulse"