Following a record year of sales for its 3.5 tonne Grafter range of trucks in 2020, leading commercial vehicle manufacturer Isuzu Truck UK has announced that it is expanding, and uprating, the range of options within its award-winning Grafter range for 2021, together with adding new finance and long-term warranty plans.
With immediate effect, the Isuzu Grafter 3.5 tonne truck range now incorporates a choice of models on the most popular Grafter 120hp that includes a new option over the standard 6-speed manual transmission of a fully automatic 6-speed gearbox for the first time, as well as incorporating updated steering and suspension features.
Announcing details of changes to the Grafter range, Richard Waterworth, head of sales at Isuzu Truck UK, said,” The Grafter has been available in the UK for many years now and, based on our long-term operational experience at this GVW, we believe that the latest Grafter 2021 version is a most excellent all-round truck package that is ideally suited to UK operators. In co-operation with our colleagues in Japan, we have been able to refine the driving performance, reliability, and efficiency of this range, but keeping our unique forward cab design.”
Richard continues, “Not only does the fully automatic gearbox now make the Grafter even easier to drive, especially within urban environments where it works at its best, but it is now even lighter in weight than its predecessor, whilst offering further improved driving performance as well as reduced emissions. “
For 2021, the Isuzu Grafter N35.125 (A) 6D Temp chassis is available in both single and twin rear wheel models, featuring the Aisin AWR6B45, 6-speed fully automatic gearbox with sequential shift. This automatic gearbox weighs in 35 kg lighter than the old model, with a typical 2021 Grafter N35.125 (SA) SWB model, for example, now having a kerb weight of just 1765 kg* (excludes the driver and fuel).
Isuzu Truck UK has also confirmed that the current Easyshift semi-automatic transmission option will continue to be the preferred option on the higher horsepower Grafter N35.150 model.
The impact of the Grafter range in the UK gained added momentum in 2017 with the launch of the Euro 6 Grafter Green models, with both new and existing customers taking to the new trucks in significantly larger numbers.
By 2020, Isuzu Truck UK had its best performance ever for 3.5 tonne vehicle sales, representing a 17.3% increase in comparison to the previous year.
“2020 was a fantastic year-long performance for Isuzu Truck UK, especially bearing in mind that the overall 3.5 tonne chassis cab market was more than 14% down on prior year and we were in the middle of a global pandemic,” commented Richard Waterworth, “Last year, the UK construction industry showed a real liking for the Grafter with tipper sales, in particular, increasing by over 44% in that particular market, whilst the Grafter has become the ‘go to’ truck at 3.5 tonne GVW for both arb and landscaping companies,” added Richard.
As with the full Isuzu truck range from 3.5 tonne to 13.5 tonne, the new 2021 Grafters are supplied complete with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty as standard. In support of the new Grafter debut for 2021, Isuzu has also introduced an extended warranty and free service package covering additional four- and five-year options.
This extended warranty and free service package enables customers to choose from either the four year or five-year warranty period package with the option of three mileage parameters at 12,500 miles, 18,750 miles or 25,000 miles per annum.
“Our new after sales offering has proved extremely popular since we first introduced it and shortly, we will be announcing a further three new flexible finance packages, including a ‘Buy now, pay later’ plan, which will enable operators to maximise the productivity of their Isuzus, whilst easing the financial burden of new vehicle acquisition,” commented Richard Waterworth.
