Certain cars demand a new wardrobe in order to fully appreciate their driving experience.
A Land Rover, for instance, requires wellies and a tattered tweed coat; a Mitsubishi Evo would expect a David Beckham white-silk tracksuit and neatly razored facial hair. A pick-up, however, needs a checked shirt, sweat-stained Stetson and a denim jacket embroidered with the words: 'Don't Mess With Texas.' Or maybe: 'Don't Mess With Hackney.'
Long the van of choice for farmers, builders and anyone with a ton of baggage (either physical or psychological), the Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max is the sort of vehicle which gives anyone with a conscience palpitations and anyone without eco sensibilities a smirk as long as one of Garth Brooks's rhinestone cowboy boots. Other than muscle cars and souped-up American imports, the Isuzu three-litre turbo diesel is the largest pickup available in Britain.
It's a colossal, grunting beast which weighs almost two tonnes and has a three-tonne pay load. The makers are keen to position it as a leisure (or 'lifestyle family') vehicle, which is why it now comes in its traditional guise of two-seater cab with large flat-bed out the back, or as a five-seat double cab with a smaller flat-bed which can be enclosed with a hard cargo top.
Effectively, this transforms it from a work vehicle into an over-the-top, steroid-soaked estate car. A motor with abs as well as ABS. The Rodeo starts at £15,802 (which seems remarkably cheap if you buy cars by weight) and does a not totally discreditable 30mpg. It's not a van for speed freaks, however, as it has a top speed of only 99mph. In fact, it's so slow it makes the Big Brother housemates look rather quick.
The Rodeo is a multi-awardwinning motor (What Van's best pick-up and the Caravan Club's towcar of the year) and Isuzu hopes to sell about 3,500 vehicles a year. To put that in perspective, the Rodeo already sells 10,000 units a month in Thailand - where it's known as the D-Max. In Australia it wears the Holden badge and in South America it's sold as a Chevrolet.
Car bores may already know that the first vehicle built by Isuzu was a locally assembled, British-designed Wolseley A9, made in 1922. Since then, as they say, things have moved on. The Rodeo is the fifth pick-up from Isuzu - the Japanese giant has been perfecting the model for 31 years now, and prides itself on the 'car-like handling' of its bestselling pick-up.
And it's true - the Rodeo has aircon, a CD player, an automatic gearbox, tinted windows and a grey, anonymous interior. But to say it handles like a car is like saying the Aussies don't know how to play cricket. It's also missing the point... The joy of the Rodeo is that it has 'truck-like handling'. In fact, make that 'tractor-like handling'. Turn the key and the giant engine jolts into life, rattling and grinding like a demented jackhammer. With its huge wheels and panoramic views, the Rodeo is a grease-and-gilt throne for all budding kings of the road. Just don't forget your Queens of Country compilation CD.
