|
The Isuzu Bellett is a subcompact car produced by the Japanese Automobile manufacturer Isuzu between 1963 to 1973. It was an in-house designed replacement for the Isuzu Hillman Minx, built previously by Isuzu under a license agreement with the Rootes Group . The name "Bellett" was supposedly to represent "a smaller Bellel", a larger car built by the company. "Isuzu" itself means "fifty bells", hence the choice of these names. The car was available as a four-door or two-door sedan, a rare two-door station wagon marketed as a commercial vehicle, called the Bellett Express, and an even rarer one ton commercial variant marketed as the Isuzu Wasp. There was also a four-door sedan with different bodywork and rear suspension, called the Bellett B. Lastly there was a two-door coupé and a fastback version of the same. After General Motors acquired a stake in Isuzu, the Bellett was replaced by GM's "global" T-car, initially called Isuzu Bellett Gemini and later simply Isuzu Gemini, which technically had little to do with its predecessor. A total of 170,737 of original Belletts were manufactured. ==Sedan== Launched in June 1963, the sedan began life with a 1.5 L OHV gasoline Inline-four engine and a 1.8 L diesel engine. The diesel received very low gearing of 4.1:1 - optionally available to the 1.5 as well - resulting in a top speed of only . In April 1964, they were joined by the 1.3 L OHC inline-four engine already in use in the Wasp pickup truck, at which time a three-door van/wagon version called the Express (in Japan) was also added to the lineup.〔Camion, ''Everything Isuzu'', p. 86〕 In 1966, the front fascia was facelifted,〔''Tutte le Auto del Mondo 1967'', p. 150〕 which is also when the Bellett B was added. At the very end of 1966, a sporting 1.6 litre SOHC engine was added for the 1600 GT. In 1971 the Bellett range underwent a second face lift, which also marked the end of diesel-powered Belletts. The Bellett was the first Isuzu to be exported to Europe, when a thousand cars were shipped to Finland in January 1965. The Swiss market was entered after displaying at the 1965 Geneva Salon. The Finnish importer also sold Alfa Romeos and Jaguars, and accordingly used competition as their main advertising method. The Isuzu Bellett was also the first Japanese car to be regularly imported to Sweden. Exports to Canada also started in March 1965 as well. A 1.6-litre sedan line was assembled in New Zealand by Campbell Industries at Thames from 1968-1970. Initial production had a silver grille and squared tail lamps; a facelift brought a new black grille and longer, rectangular tail lamps. The car was imported under '300 club' rules which encouraged assembly of up to 300 units a year, using as many locally made parts as possible. Isuzu car assembly stopped after GM took its stake; the next Isuzu to be built and sold in New Zealand was the 1977 Gemini, marketed by GMNZ as an Isuzu rather than a Holden as in Australia. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Isuzu Bellett」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|