Isuzu Fargo: Isuzu’s van that became the Bedford Midi

The Isuzu Fargo is a light commercial van that Isuzu built in Japan between 1980 and 2001. It spanned two generations: the first was sold from 1980 to 1995 as a van and a pickup, while the second, introduced in 1995, came only as a van and was a badge-engineered version of the Nissan Caravan rather than an Isuzu design.

Isuzu Fargo at a glance

based on one source (English Wikipedia)

History of the Isuzu Fargo

First generation

The first Fargo appeared in December 1980 with 1.6 and 1.8-litre petrol engines and a 1.8-litre diesel; a 2.0-litre diesel was at first offered only in the wagon, reaching the van in August 1981. Like most Japanese vehicles of its time it had an underfloor engine. The 1.8-litre engines were dropped in March 1982 and replaced by 2.0-litre units, and in July 1982 a luxury nine-seat LS Wagon with a standard sunroof arrived while the column gearshift gave way to a floor shift across the range. Diesels gained part-time four-wheel drive in November 1983, turbodiesels appeared in the wagon in January 1984, four-wheel drive on wagons followed in November, and an automatic gearbox became available on rear-wheel-drive models in 1987. A short-lived cab-forward pickup was added in October 1988 and was soon replaced by the Isuzu Faster. In January 1991 the 2.4-litre 4FG1 diesel replaced the smaller units, and in August 1993 the 4FG1-T turbodiesel became standard, with three-point rear belts and air conditioning free of chlorofluorocarbons.

The British Midi

Vauxhall, owned by General Motors, offered the Fargo as the Bedford Midi from 1985 to 1994, built at Luton; after Bedford was sold it became the Vauxhall Midi. It replaced the old Bedford CF as a stop-gap, and a true CF replacement never came. Engines were 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0, 2.2 or 2.4-litre turbo diesels, with a column or floor gear change, short and long wheelbases and standard or high roofs; there was even a minibus called the Albany. The Midi was restyled in 1989 with a new dashboard, seats, door trims and front fascia. Production ended in 1994, the short-wheelbase model being replaced by the Vauxhall Arena and the long-wheelbase one in 1997 by the Vauxhall Movano, both based on Renaults. In continental Europe and Ireland the van was sold as the GME Midi, Isuzu Midi or Bedford Seta, and between 1983 and 1988 Industries Mécaniques Maghrébines built the Isuzu Midi at Kairouan in Tunisia.

Holden Shuttle and other markets

Holden released the Fargo in Australia in February 1982 as the WFR-series Holden Shuttle, in short and long wheelbases with low or high roofs, with a 1.8-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engine and a four-speed manual gearbox. A limited-edition nine-seat LS appeared in October 1982 with only 250 built, followed in August 1983 by the cheaper LT people mover. In Europe and New Zealand the first series was sold as the Isuzu WFR, and in Colombia as the Chevrolet WFR.

Design and features

• Underfloor engine: a typically Japanese layout of the period.
• Van and pickup: the first generation offered both body styles.
• British production: built at Luton as the Bedford and then Vauxhall Midi.
• Many badges: Holden Shuttle, Chevrolet WFR, GME Midi and Bedford Seta.

Isuzu Fargo versions

• Fargo van and pickup (1980–1995): the original Japanese range.
• LS Wagon (1982): nine-seat luxury version with sunroof.
• Four-wheel-drive diesels (1983–): part-time four-wheel drive.
• Bedford Midi and Vauxhall Midi (1985–1994): British-built versions.
• Holden Shuttle (1982–1990): Australian version, including the LS and LT people movers.
• Second generation (1995–2001): rebadged Nissan Caravan van.

The Fargo’s pickup sibling was the Faster, and Isuzu’s larger vans and trucks are in the Isuzu collection.

Video: Isuzu Fargo Motorhome – GP MOTORWORKS CAR & CAMPER SALES ISLE OF WIGHT – NOW SOLD!!

Video by gpmotorworks on YouTube.

Sources

• Isuzu Fargo, English Wikipedia: history, Midi, Shuttle