Also at the ’71 Tokyo Motor Show was a sportwagon from Isuzu based on the Bellett. At the time it was called clean and European – and looks like a cross between a Lotus Eclat and a Gremlin. Based on the Bellett GT chassis, and fitted with a 1.8 liter dual carb’d twincam, the Isuzu was more sporty than the Toyota RV1 across the show on Toyota’s stand. At the time it was compared to the Volvo ES – a 2+2 with some luggage space. Like the RV1, the Bellett sportwagon never made it to the production line.

Dave's post on the MX1600II attributes the design of this one to Ghia and Tom Tjaarda of Pantera fame. This would have been a logical style evolution to bring the Bellett into the 1970's, and it would have been interesting to see how things would have evolved if the Bellett had continued on, instead of GM's world car Gemini (which is always the dichotomy of a very good thing with a very bad thing).

Also, both of those photos appear to have been taken in front of the Fujisawa plant headquarter or main building. Where else will you find the same square cut hedge, fountain, and parking lot full of Isuzu cars (then Belletts)?

Thats heaps cool. I wish I could buy one of them and cruize it around now!

I'm not as much a fan of the ever recurring wagonback theme in the numerous prototypes as I am of the long, sloped hatchback shape like the 117 Coupe, Piazza, and second generation Gemini Coupe. I wonder why they went with Tjaarda for the MX1600s and the Bellett Sports Wagon prototypes, instead of Giugiaro? Both were at Ghia.

Then again, Giugiaro did all three of the sloped hatchback examples which were also production cars.

The Sports Wagon would have looked good running on a track alongside the 70's Nissans, Toyotas, and Mazdas that also adopted the sharply angled styling.

There's more than a little bit of the Bellett Sportswagon in the LC Chrysler Lancer (aka Mitsubishi Celeste), especially around the front and especially after the square-headlight facelift.






Sorry for the huge difference in image sizes!