Okay, quick Impulse lesson.The first gen Impulse was pretty much fresh on the showroom floor one year from Giugiaro's ItalDesign drawing boards...
Rear-wheel drive, a near 50/50 balance and all sorts of cool styling and fantastic ergonomics. I had the 192nd unit and absolutely loved putting nearly 200K miles on it. The next version came just a couple years later with more displacement up to 2.3 liters from the original 1.9L. The turbo RS version moved to 2.0 DOHC from the original 1.8 of previous years. The headlight "eyelids" were eliminated and the bonnet got a power bulge style...
1989 was the last year for the RWD platform in the US. The 2nd gen was related the Isuzu JDM Gemini and was also supplied with different bodywork to GM as the GEO Storm. The new Impulse was much smaller, front-wheel drive but still retained good balance and handling traits...
The really nice thing about the 2nd gen Impulse was the drive train. Many folk believe Isuzu develops their gas engines from their diesel mills, accounting for the great build quality and high reliability. Whether this is true or not, or maybe just a zealous myth, this version of the Impulse had a practically bullet-proof drivetrain. So, of course, Isuzu had to produce a monster...
The Isuzu Impulse RS AWD. That's right, All Wheel Drive and an intercooled turbo. This, my friends, would make one nimble little rally car.
But you were asking about a wagon, weren't you? Well, keep in mind that about this time Nissan had introduced the Pulsar. Remember that thing? You could trade the back hatch out for a wagon back? Like you'd fork over the money for two different back ends. Anyway, that was sort of the inspiration for the Impulse XS Wagonback...
Cool, huh?
Oooh! There's even one for sale right here in the Southeast for under a grand! 1991 Isuzu Impulse XS Wagonback
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