Three years after development started, the Isuzu D-Max Blade has been revealed as a new hero model in the D-Max range. Based on the second-from-top LS-U+ model in the D-Max range, the Blade adds a number of changes to improve on- and off-road performance like a widened track and increased ground clearance, plus new styling features and even underbody protection. Co-developed with Walkinshaw over 100,000km of testing, the D-Max Blade is priced from $76,990 drive away nationally and will be available to order from November 1st.
Reflecting on the journey to bring the D-Max Blade to life, Isuzu Ute Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Junta Matsui, said that the Isuzu D-Max Blade “has been a long time coming, a result of over a dozen vehicle prototypes tested locally for the unique Australian off-roading conditions, with our Melbourne-based remanufacturing partner, Walkinshaw Automotive Group.”
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“Before we even kicked this project off, we spent months speaking with local engineering outfits to determine how to best bring the Blade to life. In the end, we chose to partner with Walkinshaw due to their unrivalled local LCV experience and local engineering and design talent pool—with the finished product speaking for itself.”
Made exclusively for the Australian market, the Isuzu D-Max Blade adds a number of suspension enhancements aimed at improving the D-Max’s on- and off-road performance. These include a 29mm lift in ride height (for 219mm clearance) courtesy of new 35mm MTV twin-tube suspension tuned for local conditions, a 32mm wider track for enhanced vehicle handling and stability and new 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac RT all-terrain tyres.
Walkinshaw also developed more off-road styling for the D-Max Blade, including a new grille and front bumper with wheel arch covers to accomodate the wider track, 3.0mm-thick underbody protection (double the thickness of the standard D-Max), new off-road recovery points and a load-rated recovery point system featuring an integrated cross-member that can pull up to eight tonnes. There’s also a 112-watt integrated light bar in the front grille for enhanced lighting.
The Isuzu D-Max Blade also includes a number of design enhancements, including black detailing including badging, chassis-mounted tubular side steps finished in black, a black sports bar and stripes on the bonnet and sides, including the signature Japanese ‘Katana’ stripe on the doors. Inside are Blade embossing on the front seat headrests, badging on the floor mats and scuff plates and a numbered badge on the centre console.
Aside from another numbered badge, underneath the bonnet, the D-Max Blade has seen no changes with the 140kW/450Nm 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel and six-speed Aisin automatic transmission unchanged from the regular D-Max range.
D-Max Blade standard equipment:
- Black 17-inch alloy wheels with 275/65R17 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac RT all-terrain tyres
- Rear differential lock
- Rough Terrain mode
- Terrain Command 4×4 drive modes
- 3.0mm front under-car protection plate
- 8.0-tonne load-rated recovery points
- Black badging
- Blade front grille with integrated 112-watt lightbar
- Blade front bumper bar
- Blade wheel arches and mudflaps
- Chassis-mounted tubular Blade side steps
- Tubular Blade sports bar
- Red Monroe twin-tube shock absorbers
- Suspension lift
- Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
- Rain-sensing automatic wipers
- Keyless entry with push button start
- Heated and electric-folding mirrors
- Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents
- Leather upholstery
- Leather steering wheel and gearknob
- 10-way electric driver’s seat
- Heated front seats
- 7.0-inch digital driver’s display
- 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Satellite navigation
- Wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring
- FM/AM/DAB+ digital radio
- Eight-speaker sound system
- 3x USB-C ports (2x front, 1x rear)
- 1x USB-A port near rear mirror
D-Max Blade safety equipment:
- Eight airbags (including a front centre unit)
- Auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and turn assist
- Forward collision warning
- Adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality
- Traffic sign recognition
- Lane-departure warning and assistance with lane keep assist
- Adaptive lane guidance
- Trailer sway control
- Emergency lane keeping
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert and braking
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Tyre pressure monitoring
D-Max Blade colour range:
- Moonstone White mica
- Basalt Black mica
- Granite Grey mica
- Sunstone Orange mica
D-Max Blade pricing (drive away):
- Blade: $76,990
The Isuzu D-Max Blade is available to order from November 1st, with the first local deliveries due to commence soon. Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.
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