Inching closer to center stage. The 1987 Isuzu Impulse Turbo RS is a car that has been waiting for its moment in the spotlight. With its sleek design and impressive performance, it's a vehicle that deserves attention. The Impulse made its debut in the U.S. in 1983 as a sexy starlet that seemed destined for big things. It had a body designed by Giorgio Giugiaro, who has shaped more than his share of superluminaries.
Under his guidance, the original Ace of Clubs show car evolved into a triple-chic distillation of outstanding modern design, and early reviewers gasped at the wonderfulness of its form. After some wheel time, though, they concluded that the rear-drive, Chevette-based Impulse had great looks but not much else. A middleweight chassis saddled with a lightweight motor did nothing to captivate audiences. Similarly, the Impulse's live-axle rear suspension earned no curtain calls.
In 1985, in an effort to improve its ingénue's box-office appeal, Isuzu dressed it up with a turbocharged and intercooled version of its 2.0-liter four and also revised its rear suspension slightly. The Impulse's power rose from 90 to 140 horsepower, its handling improved, and it got considerably better reviews.
For the 1987 model year, Isuzu has enhanced the package even more with an RS edition of the Turbo. The new model is distinguished from lesser Impulses by its white-on-white exterior, broken only by gray bumper caps and rocker panels and a matching rear spoiler. Its only other visual clue is a pair of decals on its rear side windows.
Under the skin, the RS package includes a limited-slip differential, larger anti-roll bars, higher-rate springs, and larger tires. The base model and the Turbo get 195/60R-14 Bridgestone Regno rubber, while the RS gets 205/60R-14 unidirectional Bridgestone Potenza RE71 tires. A five-speed is the only transmission available in the RS.
Source: caranddriver.com
