Isuzu does not build many cars like the Isuzu 4200R: a 4-door 2+2 (car body style) / 2+2 coupé with Isuzu 4.2 l V8 DOHC 32-valve, made in small numbers. Its designer of record is Shiro Nakamura / Julian Thompson / Simon Cox (interior).
How it came about
The Isuzu 4200R was a mid-engine concept sports car that Isuzu displayed at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. The development theme was the establishment of a sporty performance and image, in a traditional European taste. Lotus and Isuzu were connected at the time, both being in the GM group, and Shirō Nakamura, who was with Isuzu at the time (later moving to Nissan) worked together with designer Julian Thompson from Lotus to design the 4200R.
The hardware
Under the skin sits Isuzu 4.2 l V8 DOHC 32-valve. The gearbox is a 5-speed manual. The layout matters: the engine sits behind the driver and ahead of the rear axle, which puts the mass in the middle of the car and is why mid-engined cars change direction the way they do. The wheelbase is 105.9 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Family and rivals
Its Isuzu stablemates include the Isuzu Gemini and the 4000 Series Medium Duty.