To celebrate 45 years of local production, the Japanese manufacturer released a limited edition, called the D-MAX 45, in South Africa. Local production commenced with the first ISUZU KB coming off the production line in 1979.

However, this was preceded by the introduction of the ISUZU KB40 a year earlier as an imported model, which was soon to become one of the country’s top-selling bakkies.

The ISUZU bakkie range is credited with numerous trend-setting innovations over the years, including becoming the first pick-up to feature rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension, all the way back in 1981 – the same year that the second-generation model was launched, known as the KB25 LWB and KB41.

The third-generation KB debuted in 1989 as the first of a new body shape built by Delta Motor Corporation, which had taken over the ISUZU brand from GM. Having already sold more than 80 000 units by this stage, the third-generation range comprised an even wider and more capable line-up consisting of the KB160 Base and Fleetside, the KB230 and KB250D in short wheelbase, long wheelbase and an upmarket LE specification, plus four-wheel drive versions.

In 1993, the pioneering Turbo Blazer version of the KB was launched. Developed locally by the Engineering Centre team, it was the first time a South African manufacturer offered a turbocharged petrol-engined bakkie.

ISUZU followed this up by creating the double cab segment the same year with the introduction of the four-door version of the KB260 LE 4x4 and KB280DT – an industry first that set the groundwork for what is now one of the most popular segments of the new vehicle industry in South Africa.

In 1997, the fourth-generation ISUZU KB was launched, and the KB unsurprisingly became the top-selling one-ton bakkie in the country, a position it held for two consecutive years. Having returned to South Africa, General Motors invested R500-million into tooling and facilities for the fifth-generation ISUZU KB, which was launched in 2004.

Records are meant to be broken, and ISUZU did exactly that when the KB set a new world record at the 72 Hour Endurance Challenge, which took place at the Gerotek Vehicle Testing facility near Pretoria. A KB300 covered a record 12 243.38 km at an average speed of 170.047 km/h, exceeding the previous record of 11 520.664 km and 160.009 km/h held by a 2.7-litre petrol-engined pick-up. Similarly, a KB250 diesel improved on the existing 3.0-litre diesel records by 470 km and 5 km/h average speed – and came within a hair’s breadth of beating the 2.7-litre petrol records.

The ISUZU Off-Road Academy was launched in 2011 to provide hands-on training on 4x4 driving to ensure owners could get the best out of their vehicles. Thousands of owners have benefitted from these courses over the years. ISUZU’s sixth-generation D-MAX was launched two years later, and this was the first model to be produced in both left- and right-hand drive for export markets in Africa.

On 1 January 2018, ISUZU Motors South Africa (IMSA) was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Isuzu Motors Limited – the first outside of Japan – employing 1 000 South Africans directly and 25 000 people across the value chain. The KB name was subsequently dropped in favour of D-MAX to align with ISUZU’s global naming conventions. In 2019, ISUZU consolidated its Bakkie and Truck operations, relocating to the IMSA headquarters in Struandale, Gqeberha. Later that year, it was announced that ISUZU Motors Limited would be investing R1.2-billion in the South African operations for the seventh generation D-MAX.

Production of the all-new model range commenced in 2022 in both LHD and RHD configurations for export markets. In addition to an extensive range of seventh generation models, ISUZU continued production of selected GEN 6 models, thus offering a more affordable alternative in the highly competitive bakkie segment.