Nissan South Africa is pleased to announce the beginning of a new era with the introduction of the new Nissan NP200. The Nissan NP200 will be a key player in the half-ton segment and is clearly destined to be a reckonable force in the South African commercial vehicle market.
The NP200 is manufactured at Nissan's Rosslyn Plant north of Pretoria. The Rosslyn facility meets international standards with Nissan being one of the first South African motor companies to achieve the internationally recognized ISO 9001 and subsequent 14001 quality certification from the SABS in all its plants.
"The Nissan NP200 is a Nissan engineered product, designed to suit the rigorous demands of the South African market,"says Vinod Thomas, NP200 Branch Manager: Nissan South Africa. "As with the rest of our commercial vehicle range the NP200 offers the highest levels of reliability and durability, in conjunction with the lowest possible levels of overall running and maintenance costs."
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive commercial vehicle line-ups on the market as well as a reputation for reliability and rugged ability. "The NP200 brand is a unique and youthful offering that is sure to attract a large following,"adds Nadia Trimmel: Senior Product Manager: Nissan South Africa.
"The NP200 is an exciting introduction for Nissan South Africa,"she continues. "It offers the uncompromising, tough reliability of a Nissan workhorse together with an exciting, adventurous design to deliver true versatility."
Best suited to Business
Though the NP200 is classified as a half-tonner it is in fact closer to a one-tonner with a 800kg payload capacity. With the largest payload in its class the NP200 stands out as the sensible choice among its competitors.
The load bed comes as standard with a protective surround that prevents damage to the bodywork during loading operations, and easily resists loads of up to 100kg.
The tailgate is designed with safety and durability in mind and will resist loads of up to 300kg when open – a feature normally only found on larger pick-ups. The bed floor, sides and cabin partition are corrosion-proofed.
A maximum load length of more than 1.80m and a maximum load width of 1.37m provide optimal flexibility for loading a wide variety of items. A sill height of just 64cm, with tailgate down, makes for easy loading, while a rear step provides easy access to the bed.
There are no less than 16 anchor points, for safe fastening of any load. There are four fasteners on the bed surround on either side of the vehicle, two hooks on the safety hoop with load restraint, and six rings on the load bed floor.
"The versatile new Nissan NP200 will effortlessly take your business to new heights thanks to its never-say-die attitude offering and no-nonsense approach,"interjects Trimmel.
Cabin Space and Storage
The Nissan NP200 is not without innovation. The high quality appeal offers the luxury and the aesthetic styling normally found in passenger vehicles whilst ensuring that the practicality and versatility that is consistent with a bakkie is not compromised.
Excellent front and rear visibility, partnered with a commanding driving position and advanced ergonomics make the cabin environment comfortable and user friendly. Extensive stowage areas are littered throughout the cabin with a glovebox, door bins and cup holders all easily at hand. A sizeable 300 litre stowage compartment behind the seat is easily accessible by tipping the driver's seat forward. This in-cabin compartment is ideal for compact items such as tool boxes or other valuable items that can be stowed out of sight, while also freeing up the load bed for heavy and bulky loads.
Two interior hooks on the rear bulkhead provide a place for one to hang work clothes while there is also a net for holding small objects in the middle of the partition, behind the seats.
The rear window is fitted as standard with a double-barred partition than can be reinforced with a safety hoop with load restraint in order to protect the cabin against load intrusion from any heavy or dangerous objects loaded on the load bed.
The NP200 offers a value for money proposition with features such as power steering, 4-speed fan and heating system with recycle function, bucket seats with cloth upholstery, height adjustable headrests with a radio system available as an optional extra
Performance
The NP200 will initially be launched with a 1 598cc petrol power plant developing a peak power output of 64kW at 5,500rpm and a torque peak of 128Nm at 3,000rpm. The first three gear ratios are short, resulting in impressive acceleration from pull away and at low speeds when heavily loaded. The two top speeds are tailored to provide comfort and fuel efficiency.
The NP200 suspension has been designed with passenger car-like comfort in mind resulting in a smooth, balanced response under all circumstances. The front suspension comprises a MacPherson layout, with wishbone arm and non-damped cradle and a front anti-roll bar. The reinforced rear suspension uses an H-type torsion beam, plus coil springs and extended-travel vertical dampers perfectly suited to South African road conditions.
Stopping power comes courtesy of disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear.
Design
Designed to address the needs of both business users and private motorists looking for a practical leisure vehicle, the NP200 offers a modern and robust interior. Materials for the dashboard, door panels and upholstery, are sturdy and durable, an important consideration whether its application is work or play.
A European and Japanese design team from the Nissan headquarters formalised the exterior design of the Nissan NP200, which is characterised by its macho styling. Appealing to young business owners, dynamic entrepreneurs and outdoor adventurers, the new Nissan NP200 introduction is a fresh alternative to the competition.
The purposeful stance of the NP200 is further accented with body colour bumpers both front and rear as well as tinted glass all round. The vehicle is fitted with 15"steel wheels with a full size spare wheel.
Safety
The NP200 features a comprehensive passive safety system including three-point safety belts. The engine compartment layout is designed so that the content will tend to stack up under frontal impact conditions. The dashboard material has a highly absorbent polypropylene honeycomb structure to minimize the risk of knee injury on impact. Enhanced lower limb protection is afforded by under-foot padding on driver and passenger sides.
Low cost of ownership
The Nissan NP200 comes with a 3 year/100 000km warranty and a 6 year anti-rust and corrosion warranty. Nissan South Africa has an extensive dealer network with 121 dealerships interspersed throughout the country. Service intervals are stationed 15,000 km apart.
The Nissan NP200 is fitted with an anti-intrusion bar that secures the rear window, and space behind the seats hides belongings from prying eyes. You also have a lockable spare wheel and fuel cap.
"Various performance, durability, quality control and reliability tests have taken place in recent months,"says Trimmel. "As successor to the 1400 Bakkie, the NP200 has a valuable legacy of reliability and the reputation of a true icon in the commercial vehicle market. The Nissan NP200 will continue to strengthen this reputation in the light commercial vehicle market,"concludes Trimmel.
The NP200 will initially be available in a single model configuration with a range expansion early in 2009 to fully cater for the needs of the diverse customer base that the NP200 distinctively appeals to.
The NP200 will retail at 88,900, VAT included.
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