New era? Isuzu reportedly working on new downsized diesel engine

Known to rarely introduce a range of new engines, a freshly uncovered report from Thailand has alleged that Isuzu is working on a next generation turbodiesel powerplant tipped to replace the venerable 3.0-litre unit, as well as the entry-level 1.9.

Hello 2.2?

A ground-up design without any links to either of the current engines, online publication headlightmag.com alleges the new mill will displace 2.2-litres and come in two states of tune, neither of which are known at present.

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Reportedly, Isuzu had been developing a 2.4-litre engine, which seemingly has come to nothing in spite of the publication alleging it to have been the case.

Based on information obtained by it from “reliable sources”, the 2.2’s tuning could see it usurp the 1.9-litre RZ4E-TC BluePower that makes 110kW/350Nm in the D-Max and MU-X, and as mentioned, the 3.0 4JJ3-TCX that delivers 140kW/450Nm in both models.

3.0 has come a long way

While the departure of the 1.9, which replaced the 2.5 D-TEQ 4JK1-TCX in the new D-Max two years ago in South Africa, will end a production spell of less than a decade, the supposed end of the 3.0-litre will close the chapter on the N-series truck derived mill that first debuted in the D-Max of two generations ago in 2002.

Then known as the 4JH1-TC, the flagship engine of Isuzu’s light commercial J-Series family has undergone numerous changes since then, albeit without gaining added cylinders, turbos or having its displacement altered from 2 999 cc’s.

Renamed DDI from D-TEQ with the unveiling of the current D-Max in 2019, the 4JJ3-TCX underwent one of its biggest revisions in said year to include an electronic variable geometry turbocharger, a diamond-type coating pattern for the pistons, higher pressure injectors and a completely new combustion chamber.

An engine also used by Mazda in the BT-50 as part of Hiroshima’s partnership with Isuzu, the DDI has long been rumoured for more substantial upgrade ever since a small bump in power and torque became available in the previous D-Max in Australia five years ago.

At the time, Isuzu’s then Director of Product Planning, Yugo Kiyofuji, said the brand had no desire to introduce a six-cylinder diesel engine for the then still-born new D-Max as the 3.0-litre four-cylinder was more than capable.

“I’m not going to ask the factory to introduce V6 or 300 kW and 600 Nm. That’s not something we should set. Some boast about V6 and some about figures but we are not trying to go into the battle of the figures,” Kiyofuji told drive.com.au at the time.

“What we are focusing on is how the customers can use the vehicles, which is the reason we have high flat torque so the high torque from the start, low revs, that’s something the customer wants at the end of the day.

“It’s not about 200 kW and whatever. It’s not a speeding car, it’s not a racing car, so I think we are going to keep the same Isuzu spirit for the next generation, at least around the powertrain”.

More soon

While little continues to be known about the new 2.2, a displacement last used for the earlier C-Series of engines in the late 1980s, expect more details and rumours to become apparent over the coming months and into 2024.

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