Isuzu does a Runner

ISUZU Ute Australia is offering a limited-edition D-Max ute dressed with a mix of its most popular accessories at $46,990 driveaway.

Called X-Runner, the special ute draws its name from Isuzu’s Max Run Challenge – an annual economy run by off-road racing legends Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki, who set out from Queensland to drive a diesel D-Max as far as possible on one tank of fuel.

The D-Max X-Runner is based on the range-topping 4x4 LS-U crew cab that normally sells for about $50,000 driveaway, but comes already equipped with a three-piece hard tonneau cover, black sports bar, tub liner, carpet floor mats and metallic white paint.

Isuzu says the extra gear represents $4500 in extra value, not including the on-road costs.

According to Australia’s official combined tests, Isuzu’s 3.0-litre diesel ute with five-speed manual transmission achieves fuel economy of 8.1 litres per 100km on the combined cycle and 7.0L/100km on the highway.

In 2009, Garland and Suzuki achieved 4.42L/100km in the previous-generation 4x2 low-ride D-Max when they set out from Far North Queensland and drove 1716.3km on a tank of diesel, covering 175km on dirt roads and ending up in South Australia.

That distance has yet to be beaten by the pair in their annual adventure.

This year, the drive will start out from south-east Queensland in a 4x2 LS crew cab with automatic transmission, heading south-west.

In an online competition on its website, Isuzu is offering a D-Max along with $2000 of Caltex fuel and $2000 in travel money to the car fan who can estimate the distance covered by Garland and Suzuki.

Last year, Isuzu Ute sales jumped 21.7 per cent on the back of the new D-Max that arrived in Australia mid-year.

In December, Isuzu sweetened the deal by extending its standard warranty to five years and 130,000km.