DOUALA, Cameroon – Nissan, one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world and a leading vehicle brand in Africa, this week celebrated its return to the Republic of Cameroon.
The return sees Nissan partner with the globally diversified industrial group Caetano and local vehicle retail giant 3S Motors to open its first state-of-the-art dealership in Douala, the economic hub on the coast of this Central African country.
"We are very excited about our return to Cameroon and look forward to working with both 3S Motors and Caetano to establish and grow a strong presence here," says Jim Dando, Director of Sales and Operations for Nissan Group of Africa.
"Cameroon is an important hub in our future strategy to strengthen our presence in Central Africa, and we hope to grow our market share quickly with our range of sedans, pick-ups and luxury SUV models and the world-class sales and service support of our new 3S dealership," says Dando.
The new 3S Nissan dealership is located in 20 Rue Score, Bonapriso, near the centre of Douala's economic hub, and it will offer a complete range of services and support, including new vehicle sales, vehicle servicing, parts and vehicle repairs.
Full range of Nissan vehicles available
Nissan will launch a comprehensive range of vehicles in Cameroon and will rely on its strong regional network and presence in countries such as Ghana and Nigeria to ensure an ample supply of vehicles, parts and accessories.
Taking centre stage will be the two Nissan Patrol models, the luxurious V8 Nissan Patrol and the tough and reliable Nissan Patrol turbodiesel. These models are very popular across North, West and East Africa for their combination of proven 4x4 capabilities, luxury and reliability.
Nissan will also introduce its full range of medium-sized and compact SUVs in Cameroon. This includes the Nissan X‑Trail, the Qashqai and the compact and sporty Nissan Kicks, which was recently voted by Ward's Auto as one of the vehicles with the best-designed interiors in the world.
"Our Nissan products are already available across most of Africa, and they have proven capabilities as workhorses, family vehicles and luxury people carriers," says Dando. "We look forward to introducing them to our friends in Cameroon."
Aside from the range of SUVs, Nissan will also introduce a full range of pick-up models in the country, including the NP300 Hardbody in double- and single-cab variants, which are built in neighbouring Nigeria. It will also include the Nissan Patrol Pick-Up, which is a favourite off-road vehicle for overland specialists.
The NP300 Hardbody range is one of Africa's most popular pick-ups and is assembled in Nigeria and manufactured by Nissan in South Africa, where the product also undergoes continuous improvement to ensure that it is built Africa-tough. "The NP300 offers a unique combination of durability and affordability and it is no wonder why it is the best-selling pick-up in so many countries in Africa. With both the double and single cab available, we are sure that they will meet the needs of businesses, the military, private individuals and charitable organisations at work in Cameroon," says Dando.
Also on offer, is the range of Urvan buses and the Civilian people carrier. The NV350 Urvan is available as both a people carrier and panel van, and the Civilian, which offers safe and comfortable transport for up to 30 people.
Lastly, the Nissan Almera, Nissan's globally best-selling passenger vehicle, will also be available at 3S Motors.
Maintenance and warranty support from Nissan and 3S Motors
With the opening of the new 3S Dealership in Cameroon, Nissan will be able to offer its range of vehicles with a comprehensive technical warranty and service plan as standard. This means that its range of passenger vehicles and pick-up models will be sold with a 2- year/50 000 km service plan and technical warranty.
"Before the opening of the new 3S Dealership, customers of Nissan were limited to buying imported used Nissan vehicles. While these proudly carry the Nissan emblem and offer our world-class quality, they are not made for or tested in the environment in which they are sold," says Dando.
"With our new range of new vehicles, all Nissan owners can be assured that their Nissans are made for the Cameroon climate and conditions, also that we will support them in full, both with our comprehensive vehicle warranty and our range of parts and components, which will be readily available at our dealership."
Aside from its fully equipped service centre and parts storage facility, the new Nissan Dealership in Douala will offer customers a comprehensive range of accessories, with which they can personalise their vehicles.
New products on the horizon
As part of its expansion on the African continent, the Nissan Group last year announced that it will create specific product hubs in different areas, and that it has chosen its Rosslyn manufacturing facility in South Africa as a central manufacturing hub for its new 2020 Nissan Navara.
The Nissan Navara was crowned the European Truck of the Year when it was first introduced and it remains one of the most popular pick-ups, thanks to its unique and stylish design and powerful twin-turbo diesel engines.For its next generation, the Navara will be built in Africa and will be tested to comply with all road and climate conditions across the continent. This will mean that it will also become available in Cameroon, shortly after it has been launched across the world.
"The all-new Nissan Navara is eagerly awaited and will offer a complete range of pick- ups, from a single-cab workhorse model to a powerful and luxurious 4x4 double-cab model. As Africa is one of the core manufacturing hubs of this new model, we also look forward to introducing it in the coming year with our partners 3S Motors and Caetano," says Dando.
For more information on the Nissan product range and on Nissan in Cameroon, please visit www.africa.nissanmotornews.com and www.nissanafrica.com.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2018, the company sold 5.52 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.6 trillion yen. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.
For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
About Nissan in Africa
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. supplies innovative and exciting models across the hatchback, SUV, sedan and pickup segments in Africa. Nissan has three operational hubs and factories on the continent: Egypt in northern Africa, and Nigeria and South Africa in Sub-Sahara Africa. Nissan South Africa is the operational hub for the Sub- saharan Regional Business Unit. In South Africa, the company offers a range of 24 vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands, including the popular locally-produced Nissan light commercial vehicles - the NP200 half ton pickup and NP300 one-ton Hardbody - produced at the Rosslyn plant, north west of Pretoria. Nissan made history locally in 2014 with the introduction of Africa's first electric vehicle, Nissan's flagship Nissan LEAF. As well as boasting zero emissions leadership, Nissan is also a leader in the crossover segment. The Nigeria plant, in partnership with the Nissan and Stallion Group, formed after the Nigerian government introduction of new policies to stimulate local industry. Production of the first Nissan vehicles started at Stallion's VON plant in Lagos in April 2014, in doing so Nissan became the first OEM automaker to build cars in Nigeria for Nigeria. The plant assembles the Nissan Patrol, Almera, NP300 and Urvan. Nissan is targeting significant growth on the continent with a strong sales network and expanded product range introduced in emerging markets with innovative vehicles across the board including award-winning models such as the Qashqai and X‑Trail. Nissan is targeting significant growth on the continent. More about Nissan in Africa: www.africa.nissanmotornews.com.
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Media contact:
Nthabiseng Motsepe
Head: Government & Public Relations Mobile: +27 83 654 8763
Email: nthabisengm@nissan.co.za