Isuzu says it'll make just 50 of these bakkies every year, they should be quite collectable!Of course, those bold and outlandish looks need to be backed up by some credible mechanical changes and, truth be told, the AT 35 represents considerably more than just an image upgrade for the D-Max. We’ve been papped more times than Beyonce and if the driver of the oncoming Tiguan is anything to go by – who by now is blocking traffic so he can record the event for social media posterity – this is … Look, now he’s pointing!”My passenger is narrating the events unfolding before us.“Is that… it is… he’s taking our picture!
Isuzu has selected some of its most skilled and experienced technicians to produce the vehicle, and we got a chance to visit the factory to catch a glimpse of an example of the newcomer being built. Isuzu, perhaps to crown their 100th anniversary celebrations, packed their already capable D-Max off to Iceland to be fiddled with by Arctic Trucks, the company that’s been re-engineering 4x4s for life in the frozen wastelands for the best part of 25 years. Firstly, it becomes completely awesome. True, the Arctic Trucks set-up is geared more towards traversing a glacier than it is ploughing through axle-deep mud. Firstly, that engine, while tried-and-tested, doesn't quite deliver enough punch to match the bakkie's image. With a dedicated motorsport-inspired suspension, a dramatic kerb appearance and sporty interior, the Ranger Raptor is the first of its kind in Mzansi: a standard bakkie replete with the modifications and accoutrements usually offered only by tuning and customisation firms. Now it has a chance to appeal to the performance petrolheads. Desperately.However, should you take a test drive and find yourself similarly lusting after a truck-sized lump of awesomeness, I do have one piece of advice: In comparison, the standard D-Max 3.0 4x4 LX Auto (upon which the AT 35 is based) can only muster 220 mm and 600 mm respectively. First up are the wheel-wells and -arches, which must be adapted to accommodate the massive tyres.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for something unique and something that will make a statement, this is it. Buyers are convinced there's more to a double-cab bakkie than lugging building materials and other commercial applications; at the weekend, it can whisk your family to places where the tarmac has long since ended. We will confess that we pushed the AT 35 beyond its normal operating envelope and traversed some uneven and coarse farm roads at a pace that some would describe as "carelessly hurried." While that means the AT35’s load-spreading stance and increased contact patch can count against it at times, the Rotiiva’s less aggressive all-terrain tread pattern still impressed us with a decent self-cleaning ability and surprisingly little tyre noise on the road.For the stataholics, Isuzu quotes a 44 degree approach angle, 24 degree departure angle, and a 32 degree ramp-over angle, while ground clearance at the rear axle is measured at 290mm – 55mm more than the standard Back on tarmac, the 1.9’s 40Nm torque deficit does mean the D-Max struggles to maintain headway on motorway inclines, exacerbated by Isuzu’s decision not to alter the diff ratios to suit the larger rubber.In effect, the six-speed auto (admirably available at no extra cost) is convinced someone prised it open during the night and nicked a couple of cogs, such is the determination with which it spends its time hunting around for them. After this last stage, which takes 3 days, the vehicle is ready to be shipped to a dealership, after which it will be delivered. This is not the vehicle to buy if you favour keeping a low profile. The thing is, we’re doing it in an Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35.This is not the vehicle to buy if you favour keeping a low profile. Incredibly, the Isuzu factory in Port Elizabeth is the only Isuzu facility to receive Arctic Trucks' approval to build this model, which is now classified as a production Arctic Truck. The Blue Oval's headlining double cab puts aside its Builders Warehouse aspirations and prioritises performance, specifically off-road performance. The addition of Fox Performance suspension and dampers are a big step up from the off-the-shelf items and the off-road specifications have also changed dramatically.
Having contributed to multiple motoring titles as well helping run the public relations machine of the Johannesburg International Motor Show, Dave has experience in both sides of the motoring industry.
Think of situations like deep sand or snow, where you want the tyres to dig in and grip.Inside, the cabin is, again, similar to that of the flagship D-Max 3.0 TD double cab 4x4 LX auto. He’s definitely staring. Toyota is on the cusp of launching its Dakar Rally-inspired Hilux GR Sport, which looks very eye-catching, but its on-paper specifications are a little underwhelming. How does a ground clearance of 268 mm with a wading depth of 718 mm grab you? We headed to nearby Cape St Francis and Brakkeduine, one of the few inland dune fields. The thing is, we’re doing it in an Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35.
Not only does it stand taller than a standard D-Max – its wider too. The Arctic AT 35 may be tremendously capable when you put it through its paces on a tough sandy 4x4 course, but we think its real strength lies in traversing gravel farm roads.
The result is the D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35.