Welcome to the new Isuzu D-Max ‘Basecamp’ edition, a truck built to allow you to get to and then set up shop in almost any environment known to man, from rugged forests to secluded beaches. No mention has been made of surviving NLEX after a bad truck accident, which has us raising eyebrows.
We jest, because Isuzu is really rather good at building this sort of thing. It’s based on the Arctic Trucks AT35, and then loaded up with a whole bunch of accessories from renowned off-road suppliers like ARB and Lazer. It results in a D-Max that really could brush off an evening in the wild. Or Everest Basecamp.
Starting with the home-from-home comforts, there’s a hard-shell roof tent up top with windows providing views for days, a ladder to get there, and an aluminium storage canopy that could be used for storing important things, but should be used for storing many chips. There's also a 12V power shower (with an attachable cover) to scrub off the excess.
Inside, there’s a slide-out kitchen comprising a three-burner gas stove, a 12-liter collapsible sink and an electric fridge, so pretty much everything you need for a genuine night out in the woods. We expect the AT35’s standard-fit goodies to be carried over too, including a 9-inch multimedia display and an eight-speaker audio system.
The Basecamp also carries over the extended wheel arches and the slightly moody face from the AT35, but builds on these with a roof rack, extra lights on the grille, and a sidebar for easy access to and from the cabin. Those tiny 17-inch alloys are wrapped around a set of 35-inch mud-terrain tires, and a Bilstein lift kit helps add some more height. Because height is precisely what you need to ward off chip-snatching grizzlies out in the wild.
The powertrain remains an inline-four diesel putting out 162hp and 360Nm. It’s good for a 0-100kph run of either 12.7 or 13 seconds depending on your choice of manual/auto transmission, but regardless of which you go for, the top speed’s limited to 180kph.
Interested? You can build your own Basecamp at any number of Isuzu dealerships in the UK, but do consider the standard AT35 already starts at £52,495 (P3.89 million).
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
