Isuzu Commercial Truck Establishes Distributor in Canada

    CERRITOS, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning this year,
 commercial vehicle customers throughout Canada will be able to purchase and
 have serviced the Isuzu industry-leading line of class 3 - 5 low cab
 forward medium duty trucks.
     Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. has established Isuzu
 Commercial Truck of Canada, Inc., a distributor for its operations in
 Canada. The new company, ICTC, will import and sell Isuzu commercial
 vehicles and provide parts and service support -- strengthening its overall
 sales and service network in North America.
     "Establishing the Isuzu brand in Canada will give us the opportunity to
 offer great trucks in a growing market, giving customers more choices when
 it comes to selecting the right truck for their business," said Makoto
 Kawahara, President of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. "We're excited to
 share our products and philosophy of customer service with commercial truck
 buyers in Canada."
     Isuzu brings to Canada the best-selling cab-over brand in the U.S.
 since 1986. Of the nearly 400,000 Isuzu-built diesel trucks sold in North
 America since 1984, more than 83 percent are still registered and in
 service.
     An Isuzu distributor in Canada will offer direct sales and service
 support, giving Canadian customers greater access to top-selling Isuzu
 trucks and award-winning customer service. Previously, Isuzu-built LCF
 vehicles were available in Canada only as GMC W-Series-branded trucks.
     "Customers may have been familiar with our products, but not the Isuzu
 brand," said Kawahara. "With ICTC, the Isuzu brand will strengthen an
 already well-established and respected product."
     Isuzu Motors Limited plans to boost and strengthen its sales
 organizations, aiming to expand overseas sales of its commercial vehicles.
 In Canada, the plan is to further increase sales by establishing an Isuzu
 network of dealers, in addition to the existing sales network of GMC
 W-Series dealers. The vehicles will be imported by ICTC from the United
 States and marketed through a sales network of local dealers.
     ICTC is capitalized at one million Canadian dollars (approximately 100
 million yen) and is 100-percent held by Isuzu Commercial Trucks of America,
 Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan. ICTC will have
 offices in Toronto.
     The Canadian commercial truck market for classes 3-7 is approximately
 16,000 units, of which the Low Cab Forward segment represents about 14
 percent. Sales of the Isuzu product badged as the GMC W-Series, sold by GMC
 Commercial Dealers in Canada, were 700 units in 2006. The new company will
 sell both gas and diesel low-cab forward trucks in classes 3-5. Projected
 2007 sales for the combined GMC and Isuzu networks is 1,000 units, with a
 goal of 2,000 by 2010.
     Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada, Inc.
 
     Established      April 2007 (Start of sales: June 2007)
     Location         Toronto, Ontario
     Capital stock    1 million Canada dollars (105 million yen)
     Shareholders     Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.: 100%
     Main business    Import and sales of Isuzu vehicles and parts in Canada
 
 
     Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.
 
     Established      May 2003
     Location         Cerritos, California
     Capital stock    25,500 US dollars (book value)
     Shareholders     Isuzu. 80% and Itochu Automobile America: 20%
     Main business    North America Operations Control of Isuzu commercial
                      vehicles, import and wholesale of the commercial
                      vehicles, and import and supply of the components
 
 

SOURCE Isuzu Motors Limited