Limited Production 4×4: 1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS

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As enthusiasts, we often complain that the concept vehicles look nothing like their production variant, a scenario that is deemed disappointing because the concept is usually better looking than the mass-produced version. The Isuzu VehiCROSS is one of the few times it seemed like the manufacturer took exactly what they were thinking two years prior and dropped it onto dealer lots for consumers to purchase. It looked absolutely whacky, and I find it wonderful that such a car exists. Not only that, they are legitimately capable off-road and share their drivetrains with the Trooper of the same era, so this concept-car-for-the-street can be pretty easy to live with. Find this VehiCROSS for sale here on eBay with bids to $2,650 and no reserve.

The VehiCROSS is on that short list of vehicles I keep in the back of my head as one to potentially snatch up if circumstances allow. I actually bought a hugely rare 1989 Isuzu Trooper RS over the winter, a limited production short wheelbase model of the classic Trooper, and may consider unloading my 1986 project to find a VehiCROSS. It’s basically a show car for the streets, with all sorts of interesting hardware still intact, from the advanced “Torque On Demand” system to the monotube shocks with heat expansion chambers. It even had a rear-wheel drive bias, something you don’t see any cross-over vehicles today, and only the sportiest of sedans. The VehiCROSS was also equipped with a healthy 3.5L V6 with 230 lb.-ft. of torque at the ready.

The VehiCROSS even had legitimate competition, competing in grueling events like the Paris-Dakar rally, where it was the class winner in 1998. How many 4x4s produced and sold at a local dealer can claim that? Very few. Plus, it features conventional body-on-frame construction, a must have for any truly capable off-roader. The engine bay of this example isn’t particularly clean, but it’s also not a low-mileage time capsule, either. It wears almost 111,000 miles and there’s no mention of any service records, but it’s still said to run well. Low mileage specimens of these oddballs have brought respectable money as of late, approaching $20,000 in two recent examples.

Production was limited to as long as the ceramic tooling dies held up, which limited availability to just over 4,000 examples in the U.S. They featured a slick Recaro interior with two-tone upholstery and matching rear seat. The seller notes the front buckets are bit tired but the rear seat looks great. The A/C still blows cold, and the seller notes no issues with the electrical components or drivetrain. Hagerty sees these unusual 4x4s emerging as a collector’s item in the coming years, and it’s hard not to agree given the pedigree and rising appreciation for vintage Japanese trucks and everything cool and strange from the mid-90s. Would you buy a VehiCROSS if given the chance?

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Comments

  1. 8thNote 8thNote

    I liked these when they were new, and they still look great 20+ years later. They were, and still are, super rare. Ive only ever seen one in the wild a small handful of times. Every one I’ve seen come up for sale lately has been auto trans. Were these offered with a manual?

    Like 5
    • Skorzeny

      8th, automobile-catalog.com shows only a 4 spd automatic for Japan and the US.

      Like 4
  2. Sam61

    I remember looking at these at the local Chevy dealer that carried Isuzu. They were/are cool and pricey…$35 ish? We leased a loaded 4dr Chevy Blazer LT instead…toddler, luggage, etc.

    Like 1
  3. Vegaman Dan

    They look better today than when they came out. Like many unusual advance concepts (Like the Aztek), we eventually catch up to a point where they no longer look out of line with what is available.

    Kind of a neat lil’ soapbar of an SUV.

    Like 5
  4. CCFisher

    If I recall, one of the complaints levied by the automotive press of the day was that the interior didn’t measure up. In their judgment, it was neither as avant-garde as the exterior nor up to the quality standards of the $29K starting point. But, screw them. I always thought these were cool, and I agree that these have a lot of potential for the future.

    Like 5
  5. Bakyrdhero Bakyrdhero

    Cool find. I didn’t realize how rare they are. The write up alone makes me want to find one and put it away.

    Like 1
  6. Mike

    looks like shoe. Put a Nike swoop on it.

    Like 2
  7. RetroRick

    I’m still daily driving one I bought new in 1999. Fantastic then and now. Nothing else like it.

    Like 3
  8. Maestro1

    Bizzare. Good for RetroRick. Drive and enjoy it.

    Like 1
  9. Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac DivaMember

    A customized version of these was used in the movie, “Mission to Mars”. They cut the top off making it open air and electrified it. It looked pretty cool as a roadster.

    Like 0
  10. JoeNYWF64

    Does Isuzu use any mechanical parts from other existing car companies?

    I wonder if anyone would buy a 2 door suv or crossover today. Or even a 2 door(no extra cab) pickup. None even avail – i think.
    & I bet the little 2 door(but not 4 door) Jeep disappears as well(soon), as well as the Camaro(sales of the latter hit hard by Corona). Chevy should have given the new Camaro platform bigger side windows, not smaller ones!!

    Like 1

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