| 4/5-speed
manual | 3-speed
automatic | 5-speed
semi-automatic (
NAVi5) }} |
Holden Camira |
Opel Ascona C }} | Japan:
Kawasaki, Kanagawa (
Kawasaki Plant) | Chile:
Arica (GM Chile) | Ecuador:
Quito (
Automóviles y Máquinas del Ecuador (AYMESA)) }} }} The original Aska was developed as a part of GM's
J-car program and was a replacement for Isuzu's dated
Florian. In contrast to fellow J-cars from other GM divisions, the Aska only came in one body style, a four-door sedan (the
station wagon body style on the Florian was always relatively unpopular). The Isuzu J-car variant differed most notably in the rear styling from other J-car variants. From 1983 to 1984, the Aska was known as the "Florian Aska", before being renamed simply "Aska" in 1985. Turbo (JJ120) The car was launched in March 1983 with carburetted 1.8 and 2.0 litre gasoline engines and a
diesel, going on sale a month later. In August 1983 the Turbodiesel followed, with . In October 1983, a
turbocharged and fuel injected version of the 2.0 litre engine, which developed 150 PS, joined the lineup as the LJ Turbo. In November 1985 a version branded by the German
tuner Irmscher (specializing in Opels, they cooperated with Isuzu on some other models as well), this version featured a distinctive body kit and became somewhat of a cult object among some car fans in Japan. In September 1984 the innovative (but ultimately unsuccessful)
semi-automatic NAVi5 system became available for the naturally-aspirated Aska 2.0. This was an
automated manual transmission with an electronically operated clutch, long before Alfa Romeo's
Selespeed. In March 1985 the diesel also became available with the NAVi5 transmission, and from September 1986 the LG Turbodiesel was also available with it. The Aska underwent a very subtle facelift in July 1985, which was also when the "Florian" portion of the car's name was dropped.
South-East Asia and New Zealand The Aska was exported to
Southeast Asia, where it was known as the
Isuzu JJ. It was also exported to
New Zealand as the
Holden Camira (JJ) between 1984 and 1987. This replaced the Australian-sourced JD Camira, because its predecessor, the JB Camira, had fared badly in the New Zealand market. However, the JD series wagon was retained, albeit imported concurrently from Australia rather than locally assembled.
General Motors New Zealand switched back to the updated Australian version (JE) in 1987 due to the strengthening of Japanese Yen. In
Indonesia, the two-liter version with was briefly sold as the "Holden Aska" alongside the 1.6-liter Camira. ==Second generation (1990–1993)==