Isuzu I-Mark History

When Isuzu opened its own US dealerships for the 1981 model year, the I-Mark was the passenger-car entry point — a front-drive subcompact on the GM T-car platform (related to the Chevrolet Chevette and Opel Kadett C). The same car was sold through GM channels as the Chevrolet Spectrum and later the Geo Spectrum.

Later I-Marks gained sporting credibility: the RS Turbo offered 110 hp from a turbocharged 1.5-liter, and 1988–1989 models with Lotus-tuned suspension set the I-Mark apart from its badge-engineered siblings. A 1989 RS with a 1.6-liter DOHC engine produced 125 hp — quick for a US subcompact at the time. US sales ended in 1989 as the Stylus took over.