Japanese automaker Isuzu said
on Friday the two companies had ended the deal under which Isuzu since 2014 had
been producing pick-up trucks at its plant in Thailand, which the two companies
had marketed under their own brands around the world.
Isuzu and compatriot Mazda
Motor Co (7261.T) earlier this month announced that Isuzu would produce
next-generation pick-up trucks for Mazda outside North America.
"After detailed
discussions with GM, we have agreed that we will continue pick-up truck
development on our own," Isuzu said in statement.
Isuzu, which specializes in
light trucks and commercial vehicles, had developed its D-Max pick-up truck
under the agreement with GM, marketing the model in Asia and beyond, focusing
on markets including Australia and the Middle East.
GM did not make a similar
filing but confirmed the collaboration with Isuzu, which provided the U.S.
automaker the Colorado pick-up truck and its sport-utility variant Trailblazer
for Southeast Asian markets and Australia, has been terminated.
It was not clear who – GM or
Isuzu – asked to terminate the collaboration.
GM said in statement that
the two companies will continue to collaborate on a range of other projects
even though it is ceasing to jointly develop midsize trucks.
Those other projects include
joint vehicle parts and vehicle manufacturing in North and South America,
Africa and Asia.
"Both GM and Isuzu
agree that due to unique requirements for each company, joint development of
the next-generation midsize pick-up truck for GMI markets is no longer the optimal
model for this project,” the company said in a statement.
Credit: Reuters
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