D-MAX Farm Mate Harvests Savings
 |
EAGLE FARM, AUSTRALIA – January 17, 2011: Specialist ute importer Isuzu Ute Australia (IUA) is offering ABN holders two of its most farm-suited D-MAX one-tonne variants in a special-value Farm Mate limited edition model.
The Farm Mate pack offers D-MAX 4x4 buyers savings over retail accessory fitted values of around $5,000 on the three-seater EX single cab/chassis and the stylish SX space cab four-seater cab/chassis.
D-MAX’s Farm Mate pack comprises four key IUA-endorsed accessories
fitted:
D-MAX Farm Mate single cab is $33,990 driveaway and Farm Mate space cab is $39,490 driveaway. Farm Mate production volume is less than 100 but final availability will depend on demand.
“Many farmers in various regions across the country have had hard times of late with the extremes of weather. If they are looking to update their farm ute, then these Farm Mate special value D-MAX models will help make that purchase considerably more affordable,” IUA’s managing director Hitoshi Kono said.
“Farm Mates come equipped with the practical accessories that primary producers typically need in such a general purpose farm ute, and they are offered at driveaway prices which will save them thousands,” Mr Kono added.
D-MAX Farm Mates also can save farmers money with their renowned fuel economy, achievable along with the meaty, under-stressed 360Nm torque maximum of their 3.0 litre turbo-diesel engines—also doing duty in Isuzu’s 2-tonne trucks—for lugging or towing loads.
Top economy
The D-MAXs on which both Farm Mates are based use only
8.1 litres/100km on the ADR 81/02 combined city and highway test, which in
space cab is class best and compares with diesel Navara D40’s 9.8,
Ford Ranger/Mazda BT50’s 9.2 and diesel HiLux’s 8.3
l/100km.
As with all D-MAX 4x4s, the Farm Mates offer three-tonne maximum tow capacity, high 225mm ground clearance, paddock-crawler ultra-low low-range first gear with anti-stall, steel plate sump and transfer case guards and a fuel tank shield. Push-button dash controls simplify 2WD/4WD/low range selection and allow shift-on-the-fly up to 100 km/h between 2WD and 4WD High.
Both Farm Mates offer standard air-conditioning, rear LSD, dual airbags, pre-tensioners on outer front seat belts and CD/FM/AM MP3 audio. The space cab Farm Mate adds ABS with EBD (which disables on steep loose surface slopes to allow wheel lock-up), power windows, remote entry door locks, cruise control, front bucket seats with a storage binned centre floor console, rear window demister and door protection strips.
Longest load space
The Farm Mates also have the longest
endorsed tray load floor length from cab to axle among conventional-cab
one-tonners, for optimal loaded stability and safety. Their Isuzu chassis
has a uniquely longer wheelbase — by a sizeable 150mm — in
cab/chassis models than in its utes, and at 3200mm is longest in the
class.
Farm Mate single cab’s 2.55m tray load floor is 150mm longer than the standard trays fitted to cab/chassis HiLux Workmate, Triton, Ranger and BT50. Farm Mate’s tray loading height is also lower than other 4x4s thanks to its underslung rear leaf springs which are unusual in 4x4, don’t cost ground clearance and help lower the ute’s centre of gravity.
Featured in space cab Farm Mate are twin rear ‘jump’ seats with multiple folding modes. Lifting each seat squab reveals a box with a flat load platform lid under which is a segmented small tool storage area. These boxes can flip forward and fill the rear foot-well recesses, their flat backs levelling with the prop-shaft tunnel to present a near flat load platform across the full cabin rear floor width.
Each rear space cab seating position has a three-point seatbelt, cup-holder and a side pocket in the cabin side trim, plus enhanced visibility via the space cab’s signature low-sill, rear opening rear side windows.
