THE latest Isuzu D-Max with its “Blue Power” 1.9-litre engine continued the tradition – of Isuzu 4x4 pick-up trucks being one of the toughest and most capable off-road vehicles in the annual Borneo Safari off-road challenge – by successfully negotiating the tough terrain in the recent seven-day event.
At the end of one of the toughest and most extreme events in the region, Isuzu Malaysia’s “Blue Monster” picked up the event organiser’s “Special Award” which recognised its remarkable off-roading capabilities.
This year’s Borneo Safari was the 29th event in its history. It started on Oct 20 in Kota Kinabalu, skirting Beaufort, Tenom, Keningau and Tambunan, before heading back to the city on Nov 3 for the closing ceremony.
The 1.9-litre-powered Blue Monster joined Isuzu Malaysia’s 2.5-litre-powered “Red Monster”, “Black Monster” (2.5-litre) and “White Monster” (3.0-litre) which completed the event (top pix). They were part of Isuzu Malaysia’s commitment as the event’s Diamond Sponsor.
All four vehicles were virtually stock standard save for a few additions to make them more suited to the terrain including a body lift to fit the mud terrain tyres, long travel shock absorbers, snorkel, winch and heavy duty guards to protect them from the extreme elements faced in the jungles.
Members of the media utilised the vehicles to get close to the heart of the action in this year’s event which has been organised annually since 1991.
Isuzu Malaysia has been a keen supporter of the event, furnishing it with its continuously-tough D-Maxes for the last 13 years.
“Off-road enthusiasts understand that strong and balanced power delivery is vital when tackling extremes in the jungle. With its impressive power delivery perfectly matched to its new six-speed gearbox, the new 1.9-litre Blue Power D-Max simply showed its pedigree and dispelled any notion about the capability of its diminutive engine displacement,” said Isuzu Malaysia chief operating officer Masayuki Suzuki.
