1988 Isuzu Piazza HBL 2.0 turbo

Summary:

Lovely coupe with a difference

Faults:

New radiator + thermostat.

New battery.

Brakes.

Stainless steel exhaust system.

New tyres.

General Comments:

This was a lovely looking car dressed in bright shiny red paint. Just a shame about the rust it had bubbling around the rear wheel arches and around the bottom of the doors and fuel filler flap, This car had been stood in a barn for 8 years before a friend of mine found it and put it though an MOT, and it passed with only needing a brake overhaul and a small amount of welding in the front wheel arch.

After I bought it from my friend, I spent a few hundred pounds getting the car back up-together.

A past owner of the car had super glued the passenger door electric window switch and cruise control buttons open so you could not use them.

For a car of its age, it went very well and returning about 30 mpg if you stayed off the turbo boost.

I didn't keep the car long, as it needed a lot of body work doing from rusting, and needed more time than I had to spare to restore it to its original former glory.

All in all, a very well kitted up car, and nice to drive with a lovely interior and fairly good handling in the dry, and a little hairy in the wet from the back end loosing grip through the torque of the engine, even though it had an LSD fitted.

If you can get a nice tidy one, you're getting a fairly rare car with a good fan club to back them up, search on google for IPTOC and you will find it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th November, 2006

1988 Isuzu Piazza Turbo 2.0 petrol

Summary:

The forgotten '80s performance car

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This car was reliable in the time I owned it, but I didn't have it long. The previous owner had replaced the turbocharger at great expense.

A very nice car to drive considering it was based on the platform of an Isuzu saloon. I believe the suspension was tuned by Lotus. The handling was very good, but not exceptional.

Performance wise the Piazza was pretty quick, though I'd have liked more power.

Being a coupe with a hatchback rear, it was fairly practical for a sporting car. I found the interior to be a bit cheap and nasty though.

Great looking body design by Giugiaro of Italy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th May, 2004

9th Mar 2005, 00:20

I owned a beautiful Piazza Turbo.

It was pure white with Lotus suspension and badges.

I thought the interior was well ahead of its time -

All electric windows, central locking, rocking seats, power steering, cruise control and the turbo was awesome.

The turbo was linked to the accelerator rather then the RPMs as with later sports hatches so you could really control the power at and speed it was a flyer.

The Giugaro body kit was sublime and it looked like a back to the future car. I pranged it and bought another identical through the owners club.

This had no Lotus suspension and felt dangerous and wobbly at high speed or open motorway so I never enjoyed it as much.

A great and gorgeous design classic.

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