At Isuzu, we realize that for customers to buy our trucks, they have to trust our company.

• That means trusting that we’re here for the long run…
• And, when they invest in one of our vehicles, that it will perform as advertised and provide them with mile-after-mile of reliable service

That’s why it’s vital that your customers know the Isuzu story:

• The first Isuzu truck was built in 1918
• In the past 90 years, over 26 million Isuzu trucks have been sold in 64 countries
• In 1936, the first air-cooled diesel engine was built by Isuzu
• The Isuzu two-ton low cab forward truck was introduced in 1959
• The first Isuzu direct-injection diesel engine was introduced in the 1960s
• The first gas engine NPR hit the road in 1992
• The first American-made GM built Isuzu F-Series/T-Series truck rolled off the Janesville, Wisconsin assembly line in 1996

These achievements have helped make Isuzu the #1 selling low cab forward truck in America.

The Pursuit of Trust

Once you realize the importance of trust, you can appreciate why Isuzu is so concerned with the pursuit of trust – and one way we do that is via SEE:

• Safety-oriented features are designed to help both passengers and cargo while on the road
• Economy-oriented features make our vehicles more affordable to operate and maintain
• Environmentally-oriented features allow our vehicles to meet and exceed emissions standards, which helps reduce emissions

One way we make sure we are meeting these goals is to take off our "corporate" hat and look at our products as if we were the customer – in other words, looking at them through buyer’s eyes. This allows us to see things and make corrections.

When someone is buying a commercial truck, you want it to be reliable because every day it’s not on the job, it’s costing the owner money. So we take great pride in the fact that our trucks are deemed reliable.

Now, to make that a benefit for you, be sure to present these features that are engineered into our trucks that make them reliable – here are six of the "small" features that can make a big impact in the long term:

• Bonded windshield = superior visibility, no water leaks, no wind noise, and increased cab rigidity for added cab strength
• Electro deposit primer (E-Coat) for enhanced corrosion protection
• Large resin grip pull-type door handles for better paint protection and ease of operation – plus, they can be opened using work gloves
• Taper leaf front springs for better ride, greater durability, and lighter weight
• Air cleaner and Filter Minder – a large single-stage element for extended filter life and better engine protection locking Filter Minder restriction indicator to let operator know when the filter needs changing for less downtime
• Fuel water separator has a dash-mounted warning light to alert the driver when water is present in the fuel to help reduce engine shutdowns also warms the fuel in extreme cold areas to prevent fuel from jelling and causing the engine to shutdown

Trust + Reliability = Success

So this philosophy of marrying "trust" with "reliablility" is used in every aspect when developing new models. In other words, the designers and engineers are always asking themselves two questions:

1. Will this make our trucks more reliable?
2. What can we do to instill trust in our company and in our products?

So while the engineering goal may be to: "create excellent trucks that satisfy customer’s needs" – in reality, the goal is: "to establish, build and nurture a trusting relationship with our customers."

Supreme

• Offers value added bodies in set configurations
• 12’, 14’, 16’ Van Bodies with lift gate option

ABC Tuff Deck

• Offers premium composite based construction and landscape bodies in set configurations
• 12’, 14’ 16’ Stake, Contractors and Landscape bodies with hoist options

Over the years, California has had the most aggressive air quality standards of any state – and for good reason – air pollution is a real problem in certain areas. That’s why California started CARB – the California Air Resources Board – to help reduce pollution. One of the latest laws that started out west is the Anti-Idling rule.

California was the first to put an anti-idle law on the books, followed by Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Vermont and Oregon. And many other states are considering similar legislation. Clearly, this affects a lot of truck operators from coast-to-coast.

There has also been a lot of confusion about these laws, and this article is designed to help get you up-to-speed on the laws themselves and their impact on Isuzu commercial vehicles.

For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on California state law, as most of the other states have been following California’s lead. In October 2005, CARB voted to limit truck idling to 5 minutes. That law went into effect January 1, 2008, and includes even those trucks with sleeper cabs.

• The rule applies to all commercial diesel vehicles with a 14,001 lb. and higher GVWR.
• The rule applies to diesel engines – not gas engines.
• Non-compliant vehicles will have to be manually shut off by the operator.
• 2008 model year and newer diesel engines sold in California (and the other states listed above) have to be equipped with an automatic engine shutdown device that is activated after 5 minutes of idling, unless vehicles comply with the clean air standard.

Initially, it was thought that violations would be a $100 slap on the wrist – but now that the law is in effect, fines in California start at $300 and can be as much as $1,000 per day. Violators may also face criminal charges. This is no laughing matter.

In addition, environmental groups are encouraging citizens to turn in offenders – there’s even a special Hot Line set up just for this purpose (1-800-END-SMOG)

How does this affect 2009 model year Isuzu trucks?

Isuzu N/W-Series engines are so efficient, they meet and exceed the standard!

• All 2009 N/W-Series trucks with 2008 model certified engine above 14,500 lbs. GVW are 50-state emissions certified and will not require idle shutdown. These trucks will deliver with a certified Clean Idle Label affixed to the side of the vehicle.

The bar code is VIN specific and is scanned when the truck comes into the United States, certifying that its diesel engine is emission certified. The intact sticker is proof that it is a "Certified Clean Idle" vehicle.

• Isuzu offers both gasoline and diesel models so your clients can opt for a gasoline powered model if that meets their needs.
• GM built Isuzu F-Series with I-Spec will have an Idle Shutdown Timer installed.

This is just another example of Isuzu being aware of what is happening in the industry and creating vehicles that meet and exceed customer expectations.

Idling longer than 5 minutes is acceptable under the following situations:

• When stuck in traffic.
• When idling is necessary for inspecting or servicing a vehicle.
• When operating a power take-off device.
• When the vehicle cannot move because of adverse weather conditions or mechanical failure.
• If the vehicle is queuing (must be beyond 100 feet from any residential area).
• If the truck’s engine meets the optional NOx idling emission standard and the truck is located beyond 100 feet from any residential area.

This law is being implemented because it can help reduce air pollution. Here are the figures released by the state of California – that when fully implemented by 2010, this law will...

• Reduce annual diesel particulate matter emissions by 153 tons per year in California alone.
• Eliminate 17,000 tons of smog-forming diesel nitrogen oxide.
• Reduce over 700,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a heat-trapping gas that contributes to global warming.
• Reduce overall diesel fuel consumption in California by 3%.

Here’s a way you can help today:

• If you have an auxiliary power unit on your truck, it is 80 – 90% more efficient than running a heavy-duty diesel engine.

Even though Isuzu’s 14,500 lb. GVW engines exceed the standard, the overall goal is to reduce emissions and reduce our dependence on diesel – so anything everyone can do helps – like remembering to shut down the engine rather than letting it idle.

For more information on this topic, go to these sites:

• http://www.arb.ca.gov/noidle
• http://www.epa.gov/SmartwayLogistics/idle-state.htm
• http://atri-online.org/research/idling/2008_atri_idlingcompendium_3_13_08.pdf

The late George Harrison (and ex-Beatle) once sung the lyrics, "If you don’t know where you’re going… any road will take you there."

That statement applies to a lot of people and a lot of companies.

Not Isuzu.

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America and our parent company, Isuzu Motors Limited (IML), have a vision and goals – not just for the next year… but way beyond the next decade. Case in point, IML’s overriding corporate goal is to be a driving force in life around the world – and making that goal a reality starts with a commitment and a plan.

Big Plans for the U.S.

So what are these plans? Here’s some insight:

• Build and expand the Isuzu commercial truck brand in the U.S.
• Attain an annual sales goal of 50,000 trucks per year
• Work with our dealers to help make Isuzu a primary brand within their dealership
• IML’s launch of the new Class 3 – 5 vehicles on a worldwide basis
• Looking further down the road, there are plans for a new, light Class 3 truck, too

Getting excited? There’s more to SEE.

SEE. The Difference.

You’ve seen that phrase before – but in case you forgot, SEE stands for:

• Safety
• Economy
• Environment

That may sound simplistic – sure, everyone wants to create a "safe" vehicle. But at Isuzu, these three words really help shape our products and our company. And as you read on, you’ll discover that it goes even deeper.

In 1991, Isuzu Motors Limited established their "Development Concept" – a concept that would shape all future products. Over the years, this concept has evolved to where it has grown into this philosophy:

• To create the very best for people
• To build vehicles that instill confidence and security
• Embrace key attributes like quality, practicality, long life and sound design

Stop and think about those for a minute.

Those are some very ambitious attributes to engineer into every commercial vehicle we distribute – but if you look at our newest N/W-Series vehicles, you can see how each of those attributes comes to life.

Case in point:

• "The very best for people" is epitomized by the cab design of the new N/W-Series
• The design of the windshield is an example of how we instill confidence – it’s easier to drive a commercial truck when you have a wide range of vision
• Practical – the fact that our diesel engines are compliant with the 2007 emissions standards