This Judge Dredd wannabe is the Isuzu Kai concept. In the past, many Japanese motor manufacturers have been criticized for apeing their European counterparts, so it would seem that Isuzu has taken note of this and come up with the Kai, a purely Japanese concept.
This unique four-wheel-drive offroader takes many styling cues from Japanese culture. The radiator grill design alludes to a Shinto temple gateway, and the seat patterns are inspired by Samurai armor. Other such references include small square windows in the sunroof reminiscent of the Shoji screens found in Japanese houses and natural-grain leather as a nod to the Japanese respect for raw materials and harmony with the environment.
Isuzu describes its Kai concept vehicle as an RV-though, not a recreational vehicle as the common Japanese parlance has it, but rather a "revolutionary vehicle." According to Isuzu, the Japanese word kai means "return to the beginning" or "progress through repeated efforts," according to Isuzu.
The latter may apply to the vehicle's striking and wild styling, which has a significant bit of Simon Cox (now a senior design executive with GM) about it. The 4-m (13-ft) long vehicle has minimal overhangs and a long 2700-mm (106-in) wheelbase. It is powered by Isuzu's new Dd series dual-overhead-camshaft, 24-valve, common-rail direct-injection V6 diesel, which in its production form will be offered in 2.5- and 3.0-L displacements.
The lightweight and compact V6 readily fits transversely in the engine bay of a mid-to-large passenger car, according to Isuzu. In the Kai, Borg-Warner drives all wheels by an electronically controlled torque split/transfer system. The chassis features an all-independent suspension.
Source: www.difflock.com; Isuzu Motors Ltd.; JOHN LLOYD Collection
