Isuzu Bellett

Infobox Automobile


name = Isuzu Bellett
manufacturer = Isuzu
production = 1963-1973
predecessor = Hillman Minx
successor = Isuzu Gemini
class = Subcompact
body_style = 4-door sedan
2-door sedan
2-door coupe
2-door station wagon
2-door pickup truck
engine = 1.3 L OHV I4
1.5 L OHV I4
1.6 L OHV I4
1.6 L SOHC I4
1.6 L DOHC I4
1.8 L SOHC I4
1.8 L diesel I4
2.0 L diesel I4
transmission = 4-speed manual
3-speed automatic
width=1499 mm (59 in)
length=4032 mm (158.7 in)
height=1391 mm (54.8 in)
wheelbase=2350 mm (92.5 in)
weight=921 kg (2030 lb)
top_speed=161 km/h (100 mph)__NOTOC__

The Isuzu Bellett was a subcompact car manufactured by Isuzu Motors Ltd. in Japan from 1963 to 1973. It was an in-house designed replacement for the Hillman Minx, assembled previously by Isuzu under a license agreement. The name "Bellett" was supposedly to represent "a smaller Bellel".

The car was available as a 4-door or 2-door sedan, a rare 2-door station wagon, called the Bellett Express, and an even more rare 2-door pickup truck known as the Isuzu Wasp. After General Motors acquired a stake in Isuzu, the Bellett was replaced by GM's "global" T-car, initially called Isuzu Bellett Gemini and later simply Isuzu Gemini, which technically had little to do with its precedecessor. A total of 170,737 of original Belletts were manufactured.

edan

Launched in June 1963, the sedan began life with a 1.5 L OHV gasoline I4 engine and a 1.8 L diesel engine. In April 1964, they were joined by a 1.3 L OHC I4 engine. In 1966, the front fascia was facelifted, and in 1967, a 1.6 L SOHC engine was added. It was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine after the 1971 facelift, which also marked the end of diesel-powered Belletts.

GT

The Isuzu Bellett GT', launched in April 1964, was a 2-door coupe with a Auto mm|40|1 lower height than the sedan, fitted with a twin-carbureted 1.6 L OHV gasoline engine. It was the first Japanese car to be billed "GT" (Gran Turismo). September 1964 saw the arrival of a 1.5 L version of the GT, front disc brakes and some slight modifications to the front fascia. In September 1967, the base engine's power was increased, along with the addition of a fastback body style. Two years later, the 1.6 L engine was upgraded to a SOHC design, and in 1970 it was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine.

GT-R

The GT-R, more specifically GT Type-R (for "racing"), was a racing version of the GT, also available to individual customers. First presented in September 1969, the GT-R featured a 1.6 L DOHC engine from the 117 Coupe, power brakes and numerous other modifications. It was visually different from other Belletts primarily by a specific paint scheme, which included a completely black hood. The GT-R achieved many successes in racing, and has gained its own fan community. Only about 1,400 GT-Rs were manufactured.

Though the GT-R was one of the first cars to be called "GT-R", the Nissan Skyline GT-R was in fact earlier, with the PGC10 GT-R being released six months beforehand, in March 1969. The Holden Torana GTR was released in October 1969. However, there was a Bridgestone GTR motorbike which predates all of these. It is also worth noting that Isuzu used the "Type-R" designation long before Honda adopted it.

In 2006, readers of Japanese collector car magazine "Nostalgic Hero" ranked the Bellett GT-R 10th in a list of the 50 greatest Japanese cars. Results were published in issue 116 (August 2006) as well as a Nostalgic Hero Extra Edition (Geibun Mooks No. 555) published 4/20/2007.

MX1600

At the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show, Isuzu presented a concept car called Isuzu Bellett MX1600, designed by Tom Tjaarda. It was a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive 2-seater super sports car. Apart from sharing the 1.6 L engine with the GT-R, the MX1600 had little to do with any production Bellett, and it never materialized into a production vehicle, but it is said to have inspired the De Tomaso Pantera by the same stylist.

Video games

The 1969 Bellett GT-R is a playable car in the Polyphony Digital video game Gran Turismo 4 for the Playstation 2. It is available as a used car only, and comes in three colors: white, gold and orange.

External links

* [http://www.users.bigpond.com/glennpp/belletclub.htm Australian Bellett Car Club's webpage (includes many photos)]
* [http://www.tom-tjaarda.net/cars.htm A listing of all of Tom Tjaarda's designs with photos, including the MX1600 and Panter]
* [http://www.histomobile.com/1/Isuzu/1965/Bellett_.htm?lan=1' Isuzu Bellett specifications from histomobile.com]
* [http://www.geocities.com/martialstax/bellett.html Images of the Isuzu Bellett from the video game Gran Turismo 4]
* [http://www.bellett.net/forums/ Bellett.net Forums with history, pics, scanned brochures, tech tips and discussion (english language)]