1969 Isuzu Bellett MX1600 (Ghia)

Isuzu are not a company you would usually associate with sleek supercars, however for at least one brief moment this was the world they played in. At the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show Isuzu presented the first of two concept cars, the Bellett MX1600.

The car had a mid mounted 1.6 litre engine from the GT-R version of the Bellett powering the rear wheels. Inside the car was a two seat sports affair, and being Japanese is was right hand drive. In 1970 Isuzu presented a second MX1600 concept car, the imaginatively named MX1600-II. It was only subtlety different from the 1969 model, mainly in the front end styling.

Sadly the car never made it into production or it would have provided an interesting counter point to the ever popular S30 platform Nissans, as well as acting as a predecessor to the Honda NSX in terms of Japanese super cars.

The car was designed by Tom Tjaarda, who worked at Ghia, Pininfarina and Italdesign, his hand can be seen in many Pininfarina cars of the 60’s from Fiat to Mercedes. Most notable here is the DeTomaso Pantera, whose design is said to be a direct descendant of the Isuzu MX1600.