If there’s something we’ve noticed over the years, it’s that manufacturers love swapping out chrome bits for gloss black trim pieces. After that, these automakers would slap on a badge that says either Black Series, Black Edition, or any variation of the two. The latest brand to hop on that trend is Isuzu with a special variant for the MU-X.
Dubbed the MU-X Phantom Collection, it’s the latest appearance package for Isuzu’s popular SUV. The Phantom Collection is based on the Ultimate variant in Thailand, which is equivalent to the LS-E. As you’d expect, it has all the hallmarks of any blacked-out, limited-edition model.
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Starting with the front, the hood lip, grille, and foglight housings get gloss black parts. The only bit of brightwork present there is the Isuzu badge on the grille. Over to its side, the MU-X gets the same 20-inch alloy wheels as seen on the Ultimate/LS-E, but it loses the two-tone look for, you guessed it, a black finish.
Wrapping up the murdered-out exterior tweaks are a pair of black roof rails and side steps. Interestingly, the MU-X Phantom Collection is not available in black. Instead, the color choices are limited to Islay Grey Opaque and Dolomite White Pearl.
As for the interior, the brown leather seats are replaced with black leather, and the same goes for the dashboard tops, door panels, trims. What’s worth pointing out here is the material used for the seats. It’s called Cool Max leatherette, and Isuzu claims it absorbs less heat compared to standard synthetic leather.
There are no changes under the hood for the MU-X Phantom Collection. It uses the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine found in other MU-X variants. Power is rated at 187hp, while torque is at 450Nm. The 1.9-liter RZ4E can also be paired with the Phantom Collection models.
The Phantom Collection is only available in Thai market, at least for now. Only time will tell if Isuzu Philippines will bring it over here. But what we’re really waiting for are the updated versions of the MU-X and D-Max that were released late last year.
