Isuzu Ute Australia has left the door open to more locally modified, Australia-exclusive models after revealing the D-Max Blade.
Walkinshaw Automotive Group in Victoria was tasked with modifying the D-Max to create the Blade, and has a long history of fettling passenger cars and utes to create models unique to the Australian market – namely through collaborations with Holden, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi.
The D-Max Blade is launching as a direct rival to the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior, which sits at the very top of the Navara range and has been modified by local firm Premcar.
Where Nissan offers a mid-spec SL Warrior as a cheaper alternative, Isuzu is currently limited to the one top-spec model.
Isuzu Ute Australia, which currently only has two models in Australia, has left the door open to additional Blade models – but only if it identifies a “gap in the market”.
100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
“If we identify that there is a gap in the market and we don’t have a solution for it, then we will investigate that,” said Isuzu Ute Australia PR manager Mark Harman.
Mr Harman said the brand is constantly “looking at the market”.
“We identified that we had a shortfall in terms of not having that halo product, and that’s why we started these conversations a couple years ago, to develop this vehicle,” he said.
“We’ve identified that there is a gap in the range, and we’ve worked on a solution locally, and that’s what this is.”
The D-Max Blade is priced at $76,990 drive-away, considerably higher than the X-Terrain that’s currently priced at $67,990 drive-away.
Similarly, the Navara PRO-4X Warrior – launched here in 2021 – is much more expensive than the next priciest Navara, and it’s priced at $71,265 before on-road costs.
However, Nissan offers the more affordable Navara SL Warrior at $59,250 before on-roads. It launched around a year after its pricier sibling.
No plans have been made public for any further collaborations between Isuzu and Walkinshaw, and Mr Harman says the current D-Max Blade is still the focus for both companies.
When asked about the possibility of an Isuzu MU-X Blade, IUA sales and network development executive general manager Ben Jaeger said the company wants “to see what the reception is” before it looks at branching out.
“I think at the end of the day, this is quite a large step for us as a company. It’s our first foray into this area. Everything’s under consideration, and we want to see what the reception is to this vehicle before start to expand further,” he said.
“Some brands have launched cars, of a similar ilk and probably haven’t hit the mark, whereas we feel as though we have with this product, but we also need to see what the market reception is before we start to expand further.
“I think that’s probably the smarter way to go.”
MORE: 2025 Isuzu D-Max Blade price and specs
MORE: Why Isuzu says the D-Max Blade is as Aussie as kangaroos, football and meat pies
