D-MAX for Precision Driving Team

After years of dazzling crowds with daring tricks in Holdens and Toyotas – including HiLux utes for the past five years –Australia’s most famous stunt driving team will switch to Isuzu D-MAX utes from this year.

‘Team D-MAX Precision Driving Team’, as it is now known following the announcement of D-MAX importer Isuzu UTE Australia as new naming-rights and vehicle sponsor - will make its first public appearance at the 2013 Royal Canberra Show over February 22-24.

Isuzu UTE Australia said the deal will provide the company with an unrivalled opportunity to expose its D-MAX one-tonner, which was launched in Australia in 2008 before a redesigned model range arrived here last June, to potential customers.

“Precision driving has been a crowd favourite at city and regional agricultural shows for over 45 years and reaches a huge live audience in our target markets,” said Isuzu UTE’s Senior Public Relations Manager, Dave Harding.

“No other sponsorship property outside of off-road racing gives us the opportunity to display our D-MAX ute in action so we’re really excited at this new ‘Team D-MAX’ asset and the benefits it will bring our growing brand.

EMG Director Wayne Boatwright said switching vehicles for its long-running show was not something the team did lightly.

“Making the switch to a new manufacturer is a big deal for us but the timing was right and Isuzu UTE is doing incredibly well at the moment,” he said.

“They are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of trucks and diesel engines now and the D-MAX ute has been extremely successful since it was launched in Australia in 2008.

“We’ve obviously got some pretty skilled drivers in the team but the shows we do are a massive test for the vehicles as well and D-MAX is the real deal in terms of ruggedness and performance.

“Their truck heritage and Japanese engineering is obvious when you look closely at how they are built. They have even backed them now with a five-year warranty and Roadside Assistance program which is unheard of for this type of vehicle.”

Team D-MAX will campaign a fleet of Bridgestone-shod 4x2 SX Crew Cab Low-Ride models – one of 12 different D-MAX variants now available - for its daring stunt shows throughout 2013.

“It will be the first time the team has ever used diesel power and I’m blown away by the performance of the D-MAX’s 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine,” said lead driver Jack Monkhouse. “I can’t wait for our first show.”

Team D-MAX is the latest motorsport sponsorship program to employ D-MAX vehicles, with the rugged one-tonner also contesting one-make racing series in Malaysia and its manufacturing home country of Thailand, as well as the gruelling Dakar cross-country rally.

Isuzu Ute Australia sold 7782 D-MAX utes last year (including 1336 4x2s and 6446 4x4s), which is up 21.7 per cent on 2011 and more than the number of utes sold by Great Wall last year.

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