The Chevy Colorado and Ford Ranger can commerce blows all they need, however Chevy doesn’t have a worthy challenger to the Maverick. No carmaker actually does, besides possibly Hyundai. Ford retains profitable on the small truck entrance uncontested. It’d be an actual disgrace for the Blue Oval, then, if Chevy have been to launch a successor to the LUV. An actual disgrace, certainly.

Hell, even Toyota may very well be quaking in its boots given how the Chevy LUV, or “Mild Obligation Car,” as soon as gave the Toyota Truck (in off-road guise) a run for its cash when Automotive And Driver pitted the LUV in opposition to the Truck. You’d assume the LUV could be bested by the Toyota because of the Japanese truck’s greater stance, however the seemingly quick LUV truly had higher floor clearance than its Japanese rival.

In fact, the LUV itself was additionally Japanese, made by Chevrolet’s companion, Isuzu. The LUV was referred to as the Isuzu Quicker in Japan, the place it debuted in 1972. Chevy wished a competitor to the Ford Courier (made by Mazda) within the U.S., as nicely a compact pickup to problem the crop of tiny vehicles coming from the East.

There was no denying the LUV was thrifty: the Chevy LUV scored an unbelievable (estimated) 32 fucking miles per gallon on the freeway, returning a mixed gas economic system within the excessive 20s. Be mindful, this was within the ’70s, in order that was extremely environment friendly. And tiny vehicles have been considerably of a development through the Oil Disaster, when gasoline was costly.

It was a ladder-frame truck with unbiased entrance suspension, a six-foot mattress and 1,100 pound payload capability. It weighed lower than 2,600 kilos. The Chevy LUV was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine making 75 horsepower and 88 lb-ft of torque mated to a four-speed guide transmission.

Chevy received partially across the notorious Hen Tax by importing the LUV as a chassis cab mannequin after which assembling the vehicles within the U.S. However simply because a truck was tiny, that didn’t imply it wasn’t succesful. Thus, the Chevy LUV was launched as an adept however fuel-efficient cargo hauler.

Finally, the LUV received non-obligatory 4WD in 1979 and some upgraded packages making for neat trims such because the LUV Mikado; a time period meant for the Japanese emperor and a nod to the LUV’s roots. The Mikado provided little greater than the bottom mannequin’s customary tools. t got here with Mikado nameplates on its rear facet panels, in addition to a three-spoke wheel and upgraded upholstery. But it surely got here in rad shade mixtures, like this one I got here throughout one just lately on my native FB Market.

The Chevy LUV was bought from 1972 by 1982. It’s not as well-known right now as its successor, the Chevy S-10. In actual fact, the LUV was so profitable, Chevy noticed match to design its personal compact truck. In different phrases, victory defeated the LUV. Now that the Maverick is right here, and the Maverick Tremor is hitting trails, possibly it’s time Chevy confirmed the LUV some love and introduced again the nameplate.