The Isuzu 117 Coupé is one of the more unusual Japanese grand tourers of its period. Originally styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, it remained in production for more than a decade and gradually evolved from an almost hand-built specialty car into a more modern series-production coupé. This late XE DOHC represents the final development of the model, combining the angular late-production front treatment with the 2.0-litre twin-cam engine and a notably luxurious specification. Even in Japan the 117 is now uncommon, and genuinely untouched late cars are considerably harder to find than restored examples.
This example is particularly remarkable for its history rather than its specification alone. The seller reports just 4,000 km from new — roughly 90 km per year over its life — and describes it as effectively a one-owner car, with ownership changes limited to members of the same family. It has reportedly remained completely standard, including the original fender-mounted mirrors, and has been stored in a garage. The original warranty booklet and owner’s manual are included, while the listing states that there is no recorded structural repair history. The red leather interior is especially striking and, judging from the photographs, shows remarkably little wear for a car more than four decades old.
The exterior, cabin and engine compartment all appear unusually coherent, with the sort of small factory details that tend to disappear once a car has been restored or modified. That makes preservation more important here than cosmetic improvement. The extremely low mileage should nevertheless be treated with the same caution as any long-stored car: hoses, seals, fluids, tyres and other age-sensitive components may require attention even if they show little visual wear. The absence of a current Japanese shaken and the dealer’s no-warranty sale conditions reinforce the need for a thorough mechanical inspection, while the mileage and one-family history should be confirmed against the surviving documentation. Find it for sale at ¥16,090,000 (about €92,000 / $101,900) here in Mihara, Japan.
