Vauxhall TF1 / TF0

By 1988 the Bedford KB Series Pick Up was starting to show it’s age and was in dire need of a replacement despite receiving a facelift in 1980, essentially it was still the same Isuzu vehicle that dated back to 1972. The new model, the TF Series, was in fact a third generation pick up for Isuzu and was widely assembled throughout the world in addition to manufacture in Japan. In the UK and Europe the TF Series was launched in October 1988 and initially sold by General Motors as the Bedford Brava, however after the Bedford brand was dropped completely in 1990 it was re branded a Vauxhall Brava in Britain and Opel Campo in mainland Europe, Africa and the Middle East. All the models sold in the UK & Europe were wholly imported from Japan. In addition the Japanese maker also sold the same vehicle as the Isuzu TF. For their domestic market in Japan Isuzu split the TF range into two separate ranges, the RWD version retained the previous models Faster moniker, while the 4WD was sold as the Isuzu Rodeo.

BEDFORD BRAVA (UK & EUROPE) 1988 TO 1990

VAUXHALL BRAVA (UK) 1990 TO 2002

OPEL CAMPO (EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA) 1990 TO 2002

HOLDEN RODEO (AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND) 1988 TO 2002

CHEVROLET LUV (SOUTH AMERICA) 1988 TO 2002

CHEVROLET T SERIES (EGYPT) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU FASTER RWD (JAPAN) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU RODEO 4WD (JAPAN) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU TF (UK, EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU KB (SOUTH AFRICA) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU PICK UP (USA & CANADA) 1988 TO 2002

ISUZU FASTER-Z (THAILAND) 1989 TO 2002

ISUZU TFR (THAILAND) 1988 TO 2002

HONDA TOURMASTER (THAILAND) 1990 TO 2002

THAI RUNG UNION CAR

THAIRUNG ADVENTURE                       (THAILAND)          1995 TO 2002 (CKD)
ISUZU FUEGO                                         (PHILIPPINES)                                            1988 TO 2002
ISUZU INVADER                                     (MALAYSIA)                                                1990 TO 2002
ISUZU IPPON                                          (ISREAL)                                                     1988 TO 2002
ISUZU TT                                                 (FORTIGO)                                                  1990 TO 2002
FOTON AOLING T SERIES                    (CHINA)                                                       1992 TO 2002
JINBEI SY10                                            (CHINA) 1993 TO 2002

At launch the Bedford Brava was available with a single 3.025m wheelbase, a wider track than the previous KB which enabled a wider load bay & a double skin load bay as standard for the first time. At the time the Brava offered the largest load bay in its class. Engine wise the KB’s 1.6 litre petrol engine was replaced by the 4ZD1 inline 4 cylinder 2.3litre OHC unit giving 89bhp @ 4600rpm on 2 star petrol, 25% more than the previous engine. Torque jumped by a massive 50%, 123.1lb-ft @ 2600rpm. The diesel alternative was now the C220 2.2litre OHV engine which gave 53bhp @ 4000rpm and 88.4lb-ft @ 2200rpm. All models were fitted with a 5 speed manual gearbox with varying ratios depending on the model. Only one trim level was offered.

The 2.2 diesel engine was soon replaced by the Isuzu J Series 4AJAI-T direct injection 2.5litre turbo unit giving 75bhp @ 40000rpm & 118lb-ft @ 2300rpm.

In 1990 the Bedford brand name was dropped and the pickup was re branded as the Vauxhall Brava. For the 1991 model year the petrol engine became a special order option before being dropped altogether, most sales were diesel anyway. In mid-1992 two limited edition 2.5 Diesel Brava models were offered – Loader 4 x 4 & Outback – both of which featured unique paint and interior trim for a special price. The Brava 4x4 model was offered with a crew cab for the 1994 model year and meant the vehicle could now seat up to 5 people. Few changes were made to the Brava range, apart from the crew cab being available on the RWD models, until March 1997 when a revised and updated Brava was introduced and featured a more rounded boy styling and front grille. The interior was also upgraded with new trim, seats and dashboard. Sales continued until 2002 when the Brava was dropped without a replacement, sales by this time were very small. Unfortunately the Brava was considered a pure commercial vehicle rather than a recreational vehicle which were then being popularised by competitors such as Mitsubishi.