To Quote This Months "Car & Driver"

[tom4bren]

I thought the VX wasn't even planned for LRIP on a serious basis for Isuzu & definitely not planned as a real money maker either. The VX was planned as a test bed for innovative technologies. We're sort of Beta Testing concepts for them.

To compare the VX to any production model does a disservice to both vehicles.

[nfpgasmask]

To compare the VX to any production model does a disservice to both vehicles.

I agree. To compare the VX to anything else available on the consumer market is basically impossible, imho (save for maybe an Amigo or Rodeo Sport as far as the two door thing goes). The VX is, and most likely always will be a one-of-a-kind vehicle. Its NOT like the Aztec, and its NOT like the Avalanche. Its simply a VehiCROSS and you either love it or hate it. A futuristic and sporty 2 door SUV is something that basically does not exist outside the VX. Sometimes I look at the Mazda CX-7 or the Toureg, and those vehicles looks nice, but they still have that unfortunate station-wagon, soccer-mom look. There is something about the VX that pushes all the extremes and makes it unique, and comparable to nothing else on the road. Period. The end.

Since I have lifted and put bigger tires on, the comments have been flowing in regularly again. I don't really understand why, I mean, my VX definitely looks tougher and more off-roady with the new digs, but it still basically looks the same as it did before. I dunno, its all good either way.

Bart

[nfpgasmask]

Like I said before, stance is everything!

Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I can't stop peeping it out the window, so I guess the rest of the world is peeping it also.

Bart

[pbkid]

i noticed a significant increase in compliments also since i lifted it....

before i lifted i seemed to get that it looked like a #$@%ed up rav4 all the time...and now people are like "what is that thing?!?!?!" "its awesome" "is it really killer offroad?"

definately seems to be more response to lifted VX's...

good thing too...i was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with mine because i never got any comments...now they wont stop coming in lol

[nfpgasmask]

I checked your VX Madness site in hopes of getting a peek myself - you are such a tease!

LOL, actually, I took my VX offroad a little yesterday and snapped a few shots. If you think REAL HARD you might be able to find the pics online somewhere.

I really need to update VX Madness. I have all sorts of little mods to add and a lot of photos to post. After Moab I will be updating for sure, with all the pics I will come back with.

Bart

[VehiGAZ]

Hey Bart, you should pick up a copy of that Cr & Driver when it hits the newstands. European tuner Brabus showed a car in Switzerland that is right up your alley!

I've started on a letter to Car & Driver, btw. I'll have a draft ready for posting here for "peer review" in the next day or two...

[tom4bren]

"Like I said before, stance is everything!"

Zeus,

Am I reading between the lines or are you actually complimenting my stance with the 'offset from hell'

[VehiGAZ]

Here's a draft of the response to Car & Driver. I will double-check the references to their articles, the original price, etc. from home tonight. But feel free to suggest any revisions, additions, & redactions...


Dear Ed.,

In regard to your commentary on the 2011 Land Rover LRX ["24 Cars Worth Waiting For" June 2008], there are quite a number of us who remember the Isuzu VehiCROSS quite well, seeing as we still drive one everyday.

Many of us on the VehiCROSS forums were taken aback by your apparent swipe at our beloved “stylish coupe-SUV,” but also flattered by the back-handed compliment. We assume you were implying that the VehiCROSS fizzled as a model (it only sold about 4100 units in three years). We counter that it was always intended to be a very small production run and sold at a very high price (~$29,500 in 1999 dollars). In fact, you informed us of this in your own road test [C/D, April 1999], discussing how the body cladding pieces were molded by a process of very limited longevity (who has forgotten about the Isuzu VehiCROSS, indeed?).

The Isuzu “VX” stands out as one of the first and few radical concept vehicles to make it to the market in largely its car-show form. The design was so far ahead of its time that we VX owners are still consistently asked what model it is and whether it’s an ’08 or ’09 – almost ten years after its debut! (Those of us with over 100k on the clock are particularly amused by the shocked jaw-drops that accompany our answers to such inquiries.)

Of course, none of us outside Isuzu knows if the VehiCROSS was considered a success or failure within the company, or by what criteria that was judged, but it certainly is not appropriate to use it as an example of what Land Rover should not do with their similarly striking and unusual LRX concept.

– Sent on behalf of the members of the www.vehicross.info internet forum, as well as VX owners everywhere.

[VehiGAZ]

Like I said before, stance is everything!

You and Larry Craig agree...

(On the Rennlist forums, they have a smiley who hides behind a stone wall for protection - I need one of those NOW!!)

[fuzzy]

VehiGAZ - Love it! Send that puppy in!

[nfpgasmask]

Well written! Send that puppy in indeed!

Bart

[Scott Harness]

Excellent reply!!

[kodiak]

Nicely done!

[VehiGAZ]

I lean more toward the balanced stance cuz it's easier to keep your feet on your side of the line.

Well said! I'm with you on that one!

[VXIRONwoMAN]

Great letter! A+