From the June 1987 issue of Car and Driver.

On the world automotive stage, the spotlights seem always to shine brightest on the perennial favorites. The big-name players—Ferraris, Porsches, Mercedes, Hondas—get most of the meaty roles, joined occasionally by a former star, such as the Pontiac Bonneville, making a comeback bid. Other marques, such as Yugo and Fiat, get to take center stage only as comic relief, playing the Slappy White or Gabby Hayes parts that make the big stars look even more glamorous. Still others, despite good looks and considerable talent, seem condemned forever to sing backup in the chorus line. Such has been the lot of the Isuzu Impulse. For all its star quality, the Impulse has never been more than a supporting player.

The Impulse made its debut in the U.S. in 1983 as a sexy starlet that seemed destined for big things. It had a body designed by Giorgio Giugiaro, who has shaped more than his share of superluminaries. Under his guidance, the original Ace of Clubs show car evolved into a triple-chic distillation of outstanding modern design, and early reviewers gasped at the wonderfulness of its form. After some wheel time, though, they concluded that the rear-drive, Chevette-based Impulse had great looks but not much else. A middleweight chassis saddled with a lightweight motor did nothing to captivate audiences. Similarly, the Impulse's live-axle rear suspension earned no curtain calls.

In 1985, in an effort to improve its ingenue's box-office appeal, Isuzu dressed it up with a turbocharged and intercooled version of its 2.0-liter four and also revised its rear suspension slightly. The Impulse's power rose from 90 to 140 hp, its handling improved, and it got considerably better reviews.

For the 1987 model year, Isuzu has enhanced the package even more with an RS edition of the Turbo. The new model is distinguished from lesser Impulses by its white-on-white exterior, broken only by gray bumper caps and rocker panels and a matching rear spoiler. Its only other visual clue is a pair of decals on its rear side windows.

Under the skin, the RS package includes a limited-slip differential, larger anti-roll bars, higher-rate springs, and larger tires. The base model and the Turbo get 195/60R-14 Bridgestone Regno rubber, while the RS gets 205/60R-14 unidirectional Bridgestone Potenza RE71 tires. A five-speed is the only transmission available in the RS.

Inside, the RS is set apart from other Impulses by Euro-look gray cloth upholstery. The rest of its decor is identical to the Turbo model's. The RS offers the same long list of standard equipment as the Turbo, including air conditioning, power windows, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a seven-way-adjustable driver's seat, rear seats that not only fold down individually but also have four-position recliners, an AM/FM-stereo radio/cassette with equalizer, thick carpeting, power rear-view mirrors, a rear-window wiper, and a rear defogger.

Above and beyond all this, the RS offers the no-extra-cost bonus of the Impulse's "designer" interior—and we mean that in the very best sense of the word. Artful touches abound: the adjustable control pods that flank the instrument panel, the pop-up air vent on the driver's side of the dash, the graceful sculpturing of the front armrests, the individual lighters and ashtrays for front-seat occupants, the rubber bellows for the headrest stanchions, and even the tidy integration of the cargo-area courtesy light. These are the sort of details that adorn show cars but never seem to make it to production. As chic as the Impulse's interior may be, though, it's a little cramped; the rear seats should be reserved strictly for children. One glaring shortcoming in the otherwise fully equipped cockpit is the lack of a turboboost gauge.

When we attached our fifth wheel, itself a very stylish piece of ultratech design, the Impulse RS reeled off some impressive numbers. It ran to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, in the same neighborhood with the Saab 9000 Turbo, the Fiero GT, the Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R, and the Maserati Biturbo 425. Its quarter-mile acceleration of 15.9 seconds at 85 mph and 130-mph top speed are also commendable. We measured a roadholding limit of 0.80 g, the same figure we've recorded for such performers as the Mercedes 190E 2.3-16, the Porsche 944 Turbo, and the Toyota Supra. In braking from 70 mph, the RS is about average, at 196 feet.

In the real world of white-knuckled on-ramps and free-fire-zone canyon roads, the RS requires a shade more concentration than the typical car in its class, especially if you've calibrated your driving style to the dynamics of modern front-drive cars. The Impulse's live rear axle is more than "live." As Dr. Frankenstein observed after the electrical storm, "It's alive!" The RS wants to be driven smoothly; it doesn't like added instructions once committed to a corner. Toeing in some throttle in the middle of a bend to squeeze out a few more mph induces a wagging of that stylish tail as the axle winds up and adds its own steering contributions. Braking too deep or too hard into a corner results in similar behavior. In the most extreme conditions, there is moderate oversteer to contend with.

Depending on your personal danger threshold, you can interpret the Impulse's demeanor as either terrifying or exhilarating. If the pavement is smooth and you get the RS balanced and turned in properly, you can cut clean apexes until the rubber melts off the wheels or your brain misfires. If the pavement is bumpy, the RS tends to wallow around on its springs while it looks for a place to land. None of this dramatically upsets the car, but it does make a strong case for a more sophisticated rear suspension.

The RS edition doesn't elevate the Impulse to superstar status, but it is at least a significant improvement. Isuzu's sporty coupe now has what it takes to break out of the chorus line and inch a step or two closer to center stage. With a little more effort, the Impulse could become a headliner.