Isuzu Motors’ history began in 1916, when Tokyo Ishikawajima Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd. planned a cooperation with the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industrial Co. to build automobiles. The next step was taken in 1918, when a technical cooperation with Wolseley Motors Limited was initiated, yielding exclusive rights to the production and sales of Wolseley vehicles in East Asia.[3] In 1922 came the first ever Japan-produced passenger car, a Wolseley model, the A9.[4] The CP truck followed two years later; 550 of these were built by 1927.[5] In 1933, Ishikawajima Automotive Works merged with DAT Automobile Manufacturing Inc. (a predecessor of Nissan) and changed its name to Automobile Industries Co., Ltd. The products of this company, marketed as “Sumiya” and “Chiyoda”,[3] were renamed Isuzu (after the Isuzu River) in 1934, following a meeting with the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI). The word Isuzu translated into English means “fifty bells”—hence the focus on “bell” in both the later Bellel and the Bellett.
The first Isuzu emblem, 1949–1974
Second generation Isuzu emblem, 1974–1991
Current Isuzu emblem, 1991–
In 1937 Automobile Industries was reorganized and formed into a new company, Tokyo Automobile Industries Co., Ltd. It was founded with a capital of ¥1,000,000. Only in 1949 was Isuzu finally adopted as the company name. Meanwhile, in 1942, Hino Heavy Industries was split off from Isuzu, becoming a separate corporation.[6] Truck production (TX40 and TU60) began anew in 1945, with the permission of the occupation authorities.[7] Beginning in 1953 the Hillman Minx passenger car is produced under license of Rootes Group. The Minx remained in production until 1962, after the 1961 introduction of Isuzu’s first own car, the Bellel.[3] Being a small producer making cars which were somewhat too large and pricey for the Japanese market at the time, Isuzu spent some time looking for a commercial partner. Under pressure from MITI, who were attempting to limit the number of automobile manufacturers in Japan, a cooperation with Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) began in 1966. This joint sales-service collaboration was seen as the first step towards an eventual merger.[8] The Subaru 1000 was even shown in Isuzu’s 1967 annual vehicle brochure, as a suitable complement to the larger Isuzu lineup.[9] This tie-up was over by 1968, when an agreement with Mitsubishi was formed. This ended even quicker, by 1969, and the next year an equally short-lived collaboration was entered with Nissan.[10] A few months later, in September 1971, what was to prove a more durable capital agreement was signed with General Motors.