More than just a truck
Over three decades of market leadership in any industry affords a prized vantage point to truly understand the needs and wants of your customer base.
This is certainly the case for Isuzu Trucks, with 32 consecutive years at the top of the Australian truck market and the country’s largest truck dealer footprint.
With over 160 models across the model line-up, the brand prides itself on understanding Australian customers’ desires, and in turn, responds by supplying products that are reliable, durable and efficient.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Confirming this intimate synergy between customer, dealer and OEM, Isuzu Trucks recently commissioned the largest ever Australian road transport survey – The Future of Trucking Report: The Road Ahead (FoT ).
Sampling feedback from over 1000 Australian road-transpor t fleets and operators, the findings revealed a myriad of business inputs facing transport businesses and their bearing on overall profitability.
Staying on top of it all is a task that requires close attention, vigilance, the desire to continue learning – as well as a hunger to find new, better ways of doing things.
One of the key FoT findings showed 64 per cent of Aussie fleets believe ‘lifetime’, or total cost of ownership (TCO), costs are more important to consider than upfront purchase costs.
These include a range of other fleet operating and TCO costs such as fleet servicing and maintenance.
HORSES FOR COURSES
A key pillar to a shrewd TCO approach is understanding and managing appropriate resource allocation.
Specifying an efficient, application-specific solution remains at the core of this approach. It is an ethos Isuzu Trucks has taken and thoughtfully refined over a 32-year tenure at the top.
From the opportunity cost of passing up work when suitable vehicles are unavailable, to trucks facing downtime due to harsh driving on unsuitable terrain, ensuring the right equipment is specified for the task at hand is simply critical.
Well specified vehicles mean well-managed compliance, reduced downtime and, ultimately, dollar savings from an efficiently performing piece of equipment.
This is where Isuzu’s pioneering Ready-to- Work range once again comes to the fore.
First to market back in 2003 and covering a plethora of trade and related industry applications, Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work formula represents quality, efficiency and reliability.
TIPPERS
With options aplenty, Isuzu’s Tipper line-up has a broad GVM span, from car-licence 4500kg units, through to the larger 14,000kg GVM FSR 140-260 Tipper.
With no less than 18 models in the bestselling range, each vehicle is built tough with both versatility and rugged functionality top of mind. Added to this is the peace of mind of having a Japanese, quality-built tipper body with a full factory warranty.
With multiple transmission options on offer as well, a good swathe of everyday materialhandling tasks are aptly covered by this broad and unrivalled line-up.
FREIGHTPACK
Complementing and building on the popularity of the light-duty N Series Vanpack ethos, the growing Freightpack range was officially previewed in 2019.
Again, responding to customer demand and prevailing requirements of the Australian freight task, the F Series Freightpack line-up (including FRR, FSR and FVL models) delivers more solutions, more options for Australian freight operators and greater economic efficiencies for those with road transport as their main game.
Variants across the Freightpack range include three engine variants (240PS, 260PS and 300PS), both Automatic and Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) variants, and a range of prebodied curtain side solutions covering 10-pallet, 12-pallet and 14-pallet configurations.
TRADEPACK
Following in the legacy of the first Tradepack model released back in 2003, Isuzu’s popular Tradepack range is all about efficiency, adaptability and productivity.
With the flexibility of either short- or medium-wheelbase options, the Tradepack range has been created to meet the diverse requirements of modern Australian trades – from landscaping and concreting through to carpentry, plumbing and everything in between.
Short wheelbase (SWB) models include a pre-bodied 3.45-metre-long heavy-duty aluminium tray, yet still maintains a turning circle tighter than many of the best-selling utilities currently on the market. SWB Tradepack models can also be parked in the local hardware carpark or a standard residential parking space or driveway.
There’s a choice of either the 4500kg GVM rating for car-licence operation, or a 5500kg GVM rating for increased payload. All Isuzu Tradepack models are equipped with the renowned 5.2-litre Isuzu 4HK1-TCN engine producing 114kW @ 2600rpm and 419Nm @ 1600rpm – 2600 rpm, sharply executing an efficient combination of power, capacity and practicality.
TRAYPACK
This jack of all trades typifies the adaptability of Isuzu’s enduring RTW range.
From transporting kegs of beer around town to carting specialised de-icing equipment up in the alpine country, Isuzu’s Traypack range is as versatile as it is capable.
The Traypack has long been known as a one-stop shop for trades, with the same tight turning circle and nimble handling as a utility, but a greater payload, trucktough dependability and Isuzu’s renowned reliability.
A flexible shor t-wheelbase model bookends the range, with a 3.1-metre-long heavy-duty aluminium tray, or a mediumwheelbase with a generous 4.5-metrelong tray. All are backed up by a GVM of 4500kg – meaning the Traypack has an impressive payload and all the pulling power an ambitious tradie could need.
SERVICEPACK
A real win for tradespeople, councils and service techs in the market for a work or fieldservice vehicle, Isuzu’s Servicepack range is the perfect fit-for-purpose solution. Again, opt ions are aplenty, wi th Servicepack variants beginning with the narrow-cab 4500kg GVM NLR 45-150 4×2, and rounding-out with the highly capable NPS 75-155 AMT 4×4.
Drivers can be confident their vehicle has the capability of carrying their load legally, and in turn, the vehicle is designed to have the handling and control to match.
The Servicepack is equipped with the expected safety items, including driver and passenger SRS seatbelt pretensioner loadlimiting seatbelts on driver and passenger seats, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Anti-Skid Regulator (ASR), and an ECE-R29 cab strength compliance plus Isuzu Stability Control System (IESC) on select models.
The strength of the pre-bodied Servicepack range lies in its flexible storage capabilities and central-locking system, which have all been developed for customer convenience, security and maximum productivity output, and all supported by a national bumper-tobumper warranty.
VANPACK
The introduction of the Vanpack in 2017 is a classic example of market demand dictating and directing locally developed last-mile delivery solutions.
Isuzu’s Ready-to-Work NNR 45-150 AMT Vanpack is the outcome, with a GVM of 4500kg and Isuzu’s acclaimed 4JJ1-TCS engine coupled with an ISUZU TC-AMT to maximise efficiency.
The Vanpack boasts an Australian designed and assembled 18.5-cubic-metre van body featuring four tethering points per side, double rear barn doors, rear grab handles and non-slip rear steps.
INTERSECTING PRIORITIES
As the above suggests, when it comes to application specificity, the weight of evidence in support of an Isuzu RTW product is immense.
From last mile delivery tasks through to trade, service and multi-tasking applications, the breadth of choice, configuration and application-specific nature of the RTW range cannot be challenged.
As operators and fleets begin to shape a more complete picture of their total cost of ownership equation, smarter purchasing and allocation decisions become inevitable.
It’s Isuzu’s mission then to deliver an optimum total cost of ownership balance through proven products that add genuine business efficiencies. This both from a productivity point of view and in terms of ongoing service and aftersales support.
Finally, all of this must be delivered, while adding value to the operator’s business and ensuring that the right tool is specified for the job.