29. Isuzu 117 Coupe
They never offered the gorgeous Isuzu 117 Coupe on the American market which is a shame. But even with its limited production, it became one of the early Japanese classics and an influential model. Back in the late ’60s, Isuzu offered passenger cars that were later abandoned in favor of trucks and pickups. The company needed a halo car to attract attention and present them in the best possible light.
So they used the existing passenger car rear-wheel-drive platform with 1.6 and later 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines. Then they went to Italy to find a fashionable suit. There, Isuzu contacted famous designer Giorgetto Giugiaro who provided them with an elegant, cool-looking coupe design.
This was the final piece of the puzzle. In 1968, the beautiful Isuzu 117 Coupe debuted. The car stayed in production until 1981 and they sold it in reasonably large numbers. Despite the fact it wasn’t particularly fast or agile, the 117 Coupe was a comfortable, fast GT perfect for relaxing cruising.