how many are left?

[evillecutter]

Given how few there were it would not be impossible to build a database to try to capture all all of them. (Google Docs or something?)

As to the numbers built I'm pretty sure if it had taken of Isuzu, would have made more.

from what ive heard isuzu couldnt make more because the molds were hand carved and then the dies then made of ceramic - ceramic is only good for a limited number of impressions before it wears out - so unless the artist who carved the original body could reproduce the exact carvings again (unlikely) they could never ever be the exactly the same as the vx we all know and love - on top of that there was so much spent on r&d they couldnt possibly have make the dies out of steel and still sell the vx new for anything close to affordable - also heard another rumor about the reason isuzu made the vx was to get people into the showroom so they would be impressed by isuzu's technology but then end up buying one of the more inexpensive models like a trooper or rodeo - like a promotional item of sorts
--but of course i have no way for sure of knowing if any of these are true

[circmand]

from what ive heard isuzu couldnt make more because the molds were hand carved and then the dies then made of ceramic - ceramic is only good for a limited number of impressions before it wears out - so unless the artist who carved the original body could reproduce the exact carvings again (unlikely) they could never ever be the exactly the same as the vx we all know and love - on top of that there was so much spent on r&d they couldnt possibly have make the dies out of steel and still sell the vx new for anything close to affordable - also heard another rumor about the reason isuzu made the vx was to get people into the showroom so they would be impressed by isuzu's technology but then end up buying one of the more inexpensive models like a trooper or rodeo - like a promotional item of sorts
--but of course i have no way for sure of knowing if any of these are true

You wouldn't need a new carving. You could make a reverse mold of the mold then recreate the mold itself from the reverse. And even if they werent the same it could be explained away by claiming a new look after 3 years. However given that the VX didn't sell that great (I bought my 2001 VX in June 2002) That means there were still new VXs for sale (Ifound 60 when looking for $23,995) when the 2003 models were coming out. So sitting on a lot for 2 years before selling is not want a dealer expects.

[VXR]

from what ive heard isuzu couldnt make more because the molds were hand carved and then the dies then made of ceramic - ceramic is only good for a limited number of impressions before it wears out - so unless the artist who carved the original body could reproduce the exact carvings again (unlikely) they could never ever be the exactly the same as the vx we all know and love - on top of that there was so much spent on r&d they couldnt possibly have make the dies out of steel and still sell the vx new for anything close to affordable - also heard another rumor about the reason isuzu made the vx was to get people into the showroom so they would be impressed by isuzu's technology but then end up buying one of the more inexpensive models like a trooper or rodeo - like a promotional item of sorts
--but of course i have no way for sure of knowing if any of these are true

Most (if not all) of that is true

[Vendetta]

"Cars, prepare for extinction" read Isuzu's intimidating introduction to the VehiCROSS.

And evolution may indeed have favored the SUV over the last decade. But the VX, our beautiful mutation that arguably started the trend of aggressively-styled production sport utes, was itself, "deselected."

If it sold well enough, it would not have been discontinued. Period. Regardless of stamping materials or technology or whathaveyou, Isuzu would have figured out a way to not sunset a successful model.

For my part, I'm glad they were a limited run. I've gone literally YEARS without seeing another on the road. Makes me appreciate not only what I've got, but also the people who share my pride in owning a rarity like ours.

Cheers, people.
-V

[Y33TREKker]

Wasn't original MSRP sticker price somewhere around $35k too? That couldn't have helped much at the time when it came to high sales numbers.

These days it would probably be a different story when relatively run of the mill vehicles can be in that same ballpark, so seeing as how I found a very nice example when I did for what I considered a fair price given it's condition, my thought is to just chalk it all up to the VX stars aligning in my favor at the right time.

Should the stars align again in the future positively affecting the value of my VX even better, but for now I'm satisfied with the way things have turned out.

[JoFotoz]

Well said...X2

For my part, I'm glad they were a limited run. I've gone literally YEARS without seeing another on the road. Makes me appreciate not only what I've got, but also the people who share my pride in owning a rarity like ours.

Never was a mass produced mustang/taurus/camry/explorer type

Gimme something a bit unique every time......


jo

[crager34]

Well said...X2

Never was a mass produced mustang/taurus/camry/explorer type

Gimme something a bit unique every time......


jo

Like a Nissan Juke!

[VXR]

it would not have been discontinued

it was not discontinued

they made as many as they initially intended to

[evillecutter]

i was talking to the janitor at my daughter's school a few weeks ago and he said he actually worked at an isuzu dealership when they first came out and people went crazy over them but didnt want to buy one because they were around 35k and everyone was worried the cladding would look like crap after a few years - he even said at his dealership they priced it above msrp because they liked having it in the showroom to draw people in - didnt think to ask where that dealership was but he did say it was silver and he only remembers them having one and noone bought it while he worked there

[Y33TREKker]

i was talking to the janitor at my daughter's school a few weeks ago and he said he actually worked at an isuzu dealership when they first came out and people went crazy over them but didnt want to buy one because they were around 35k and everyone was worried the cladding would look like crap after a few years - he even said at his dealership they priced it above msrp because they liked having it in the showroom to draw people in - didnt think to ask where that dealership was but he did say it was silver and he only remembers them having one and noone bought it while he worked there

Was that an Evansville Isuzu dealership? If so, it would have to be the one where a girl I knew from high school bought her '01 Proton. She was actually trying to sell it when I was in the market for a VX, but I obviously ended up going with an Ebony.

[evillecutter]

i'll ask next time i see him but i do remember him saying it was silver - i didnt talk to him long but it sure seemed to put a smile on his face seeing mine and remembering that one

[Vendetta]

Of course, it's called hedging a bet. Despite all their marketing bluster about cars becoming extinct and the VX taking over the world (not happening with 6,000 or so units), they said officially it was a proof of concept for a new manufacturing method using cheaper but shorter-lived ceramic stamps.

But if it flew off the dealers' lots, as opposed to languishing there for years in some cases, you can be certain they would have "intended" to make more of them.

-V

[89Vette]

You're forgetting that Isuzu had a bad name for the Trooper rollovers. I think this was a major part of the Isuzu failure in America.

While the Isuzu's enjoyed moderate success in the 4x4 infancy, the Jeep/FORD market was able to capitalize.

You may point out (and rightly so) that the Ford's also had issue's with hwy rollovers. But, they were successful in pointing the finger at Bridgestone. So, they recovered.

Trooper had no scapegoat. The brand was damaged. Whether the lack of advertising or something else, I don't think they did enough to save the brand.

It could be that reliablity and/or fuel enonomy issues didn't help either. People tend to buy America unless their preferred vehicle class has a better foreign model in terms of reliability/economy ratings.

In my jaded view of things, I also think corporate giants would never pass up on the opportunity to continue making money on a product. OTOH, I don't know much about the mold method desribed here. At least not in terms of production costs and how profitable/costly the VX might have been. So, the issue of continued production might not be so clear.

I'd like to think of the VX as an under-advertised icon of the Isuzu era....as a vehicle worth more than the sum of it's parts. In the Chevrolet community, I'm sure they could manufacture and sell Corvettes for much less than they do. But, their goal is to create an icon...a legend...to boost the brand name of Chevrolet. In doing so, they can make money for the brand without every car sold actually BEING a Corvette. Obviously, people have different needs for a vehicle.

In the case of a small 2-door "performance" 4x4, I'm not sure Isuzu was positioned as the brand people wanted to be associated with...especially being a foreign brand associated with the 4x4 rollover era. But, that doesn't mean the Vehicross couldn't have been something much bigger -- if the right advertising campaign had been in place.

I know the Isuzu brand name never was sold on me. I didn't by a VX because it was an Isuzu...I did so despite that. It's the first foreign vehicle I've owned since I was very young. Granted, it's made from some heavy Chevy heritage....but I never would have know that w/o coming to this forum.

[blacksambo]

Of course, it's called hedging a bet. Despite all their marketing bluster about cars becoming extinct and the VX taking over the world (not happening with 6,000 or so units), they said officially it was a proof of concept for a new manufacturing method using cheaper but shorter-lived ceramic stamps.

But if it flew off the dealers' lots, as opposed to languishing there for years in some cases, you can be certain they would have "intended" to make more of them.

-V

Never wanted to make more of them. They made 5K for FIA homologation production rally-entry purposes period. They won several stages of Paris Dakar rally before running out of basic parts and retiring. They also were the overall class winner of the Australian Safari Rally. As for languishing sales, the VX was $30K plus in the USA, with two semi-useless entry doors for the back seat. Of course they knew this fact. Families, unless they were rich stalwarts could not use them. It's also true that inspite of winnimg Japan Car of The Year in 97/98, only 600 could be sold there (120 million people live in Japan). It was an exclusive car right from the get go. It was for a select audience and never intended for mass consumption. The ceramic dies were for time saving production, strictly. Get it out there and race and win, over and out. Hope a few collector types grab a few, because we are not making any more. You'll notice Isuzu still makes most all parts available to us if we are willing to pay. Isuzu is the biggest diesel engine builder in the world, but still enjoy the VX halo effect because of its racing and award winning exploits. The VX continues to be good business for them. This web site attests to that fact.

[JoFotoz]

So..the Cliff notes.

I love my VX



Yup...

Jo