Isuzu unveils new van; announces Spartan deal for gas trucks

ORLANDO, Fla. — Isuzu Commercial Truck of America has unveiled a brand new vocational walk-in van with a body designed by Utilimaster Corp.

The body is atop an Isuzu NPR chassis and powered by Isuzu’s 3-liter diesel engine.

Prototypes are scheduled to begin rolling off the line in the third quarter of this year, with full production scheduled for the second half of 2011.

This new walk-in van will offer significantly more interior height and width than other commercial vans, says Shaun Skinner, executive vice president and general manager of Isuzu. "Add to that a body design and powertrain that have been engineered for performance, durability and low cost of ownership, and the result is a vehicle that will truly revolutionize the commercial van market.”

Meanwhile, the medium duty cabover maker also announced at the American Truck Dealers 2010 Convention & Expo that Spartan Motors has been selected to assemble gasoline-powered Isuzu N-Series trucks.

Spartan will assemble all gasoline-engine models of the Isuzu N-Series chassis to Isuzu’s specifications at one of its assembly facilities, beginning in the second quarter 2011.

The powertrain will employ a General Motors 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine and Hydra-Matic 6-speed transmission.

Gasoline-powered N-Series trucks had been assembled by GM at its plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, until the plant ceased operations in 2009.