The Isuzu Co-A, known in Japan as the Isuzu CO-A, was a concept car shown by Isuzu at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1983. Its name stood for Communication Capsule for Open Air Motoring, reflecting a design brief built around electronic connectivity features and advanced route-finding technology.
The concept took the form of a four-seat convertible fitted with a substantial roll-over protection structure. Its front end was more aerodynamically shaped than that of the production car it previewed, with headlamps concealed beneath a darkened plexiglass cover. Despite its open roof section, the short notchback tail of a four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan was already visible in its silhouette.
The Co-A anticipated the styling of the new front-wheel-drive Isuzu Gemini, launched a year later in 1984. Unlike its predecessor, that Gemini was not a direct derivative of the Opel Kadett. It was also sold in the United States as the Chevrolet Spectrum, reflecting General Motors' ties to both Opel and Isuzu.
