--- title: "Isuzu Impulse Turbo Listed for $500 on Facebook Is Worthy of Saving" description: "This Giugiaro-designed hot hatchback with handling by Lotus deserves to live on." date: "2023-11-24" modified: "2023-11-24" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/isuzu-impulse-turbo-listed-for-500-on-facebook-is-worthy-of-saving" categories: - "Culture" - "For Sale" - "News" --- # Isuzu Impulse Turbo Listed for $500 on Facebook Is Worthy of Saving ![]() *Facebook* Right now, sitting on a flatbed in Loveland, Colorado, there's a very special car in need of saving. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who's even heard of it, even though it does happen to wear a moderately exotic badge. But for those in the know, this [rare 1989 Isuzu Impulse]() is a hidden gem that deserves to be brought back from the dead. And [for just $500](), there are plenty of us out there with the means to do so. Never heard of the [Isuzu]() Impulse? Don't worry, neither have most American car enthusiasts. However, it's a car you're going to want to learn about and, once you do, maybe even put half a grand down for. ![]() ![]() ![]() In the 1980s, GM owned a big chunk of Isuzu and used its name to sell rebadged cars and trucks in the United States. Most of them were forgettable but, toward the end of the decade, something magical happened. GM let Isuzu go a bit wild and develop its own engine for a more powerful version of the standard Impulse, which was built on a rear-wheel drive, econobox chassis. So this Impulse RS Turbo for sale packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 140 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque into a rear-wheel-drive hatchback body, as the "4ZC1 Intercooled Turbo" decal on the side window teases. (The listing calls it a turbocharged 1.6-liter, but the first-generation Impulse didn't offer that engine.) It gets even better, though. Isuzu then partnered with another GM-umbrella brand to tune its suspension—Lotus. In exchange for Isuzu's engine, for use in the Elan Roadster, [Lotus]() tuned the Impulse's suspension, giving it new shocks, springs, and anti-roll bars. The second-gen Impulse, which followed the wedge seen here, even experimented with a passive rear-wheel-steering system, where the direction of the wheels changed based on suspension travel, as well as optional all-wheel drive. ![]() ![]() ![]() Anyone that thinks the Impulse looks familiar is onto something, too. Italdesign's Giorgetto Giugiaro is the man who designed the Isuzu Impulse, which explains its handsome exterior. While this car has clearly been sitting for a minute, its Giugiaro-penned body has aged as gracefully as any could, free of any significant damage. It also still proudly wears its "Handling by Lotus" badge, which is of course pretty valuable to this hot hatch's character. The seller calls it a parts car, as it lacks its turbo and intake manifold, so it doesn't run. There aren't any interior photos to illustrate what it's like inside, and it also doesn't have a title. However, it's such a rare and interesting car, it'd be a shame for someone to buy it for use as a parts car. At only $500, this isn't an expensive project to start. While parts might be difficult to find, and potentially expensive once you *do* find them, this is the sort of car that you stash away as a long-term project, in hopes of bringing it back to glory. Whoever trailers it home ought to do exactly that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHa_p7tvU-Q *Got tips? Send 'em tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()