The latest Nissan Pick-Up, ‘NP300 Navara’, was unveiled in Bangkok this summer. Thailand is the largest market for pick-ups after the USA despite a population a fraction of its size. It's probably number one for medium-sized one-tonne models, and more than 40 per cent of the market is pick-up. It also accounts for 60 per cent of total Thai vehicle production which itself is greater than 2 million.
No wonder then that the country is a global centre for pick-up production. Apart from Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford/Mazda and Isuzu/GM have 'home' plants there. EU Nissan pick-ups, of course, are built currently in Barcelona and if production of the exisiting Navara there was to stop, it would mean an end almost certainly too for the Pathfinder.
No wonder then that the country is a global centre for pick-up production. Apart from Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford/Mazda and Isuzu/GM have 'home' plants there. EU Nissan pick-ups, of course, are built currently in Barcelona and if production of the exisiting Navara there was to stop, it would mean an end almost certainly too for the Pathfinder.
Barcelona will build the European version of the (five-door lower medium hatch) Pulsar now available to order and this, together with the one-tonne van and e-NV200 electric version was seen as the future for the plant.
But people familiar with the situation imply that the NP300 is engineered for world-wide production and could be built in Catalunya after all. Moreover, it would be “perfectly rational” to suppose that a successor to the Pathfinder could be built on the same chassis. A business case has to be made out, however, for the kind of investment required to produce the 'new' Navara in and for Europe where the pick-up sector of the market is much smaller than for North America and Asia-Pacific.
Unsurprisingly – following VW’s Amorok, Ford’s latest Ranger and Isuzu D-Max – the emphasis of the NP300 is on driving refinement, comfort, ease of use and economy. The new body structure is both lighter and stronger it is claimed – the new chassis and traditional rear leaf-sprung beam axle have been strengthened to withstand a more punishing work regime. Despite a lower, sleeker roof-line, ground clearance is higher and the reduced body-mass/frontal area contributes to greater fuel economy.
Double and King-Cab (two-plus-two seater) are offered together with 4x2 or 4x4 variants, and the loading area is larger too. Engines are improved versions of existing 2.5-litre four cylinder diesel and petrol engines. The diesel is likely to be the only one on offer here and higher boost has been obtained from a turbocharger with electrical actuator. At last, the manual gearbox is six-speed (with a seven-speed auto at extra cost) and the 4x4 system is supported by ABLS (Active Brake Limited Slip), Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.
A cautious evolution rather than anything radical the NP300 does look ‘sleeker’ and should succeed the current range smoothly. Moreover, if Iberian production is not on, Nissan could do what the others (mostly) do and import from Thailand – they drive on the left there too so (for the UK) the steering wheel’s in the ‘right place’ already.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales.
But people familiar with the situation imply that the NP300 is engineered for world-wide production and could be built in Catalunya after all. Moreover, it would be “perfectly rational” to suppose that a successor to the Pathfinder could be built on the same chassis. A business case has to be made out, however, for the kind of investment required to produce the 'new' Navara in and for Europe where the pick-up sector of the market is much smaller than for North America and Asia-Pacific.
Unsurprisingly – following VW’s Amorok, Ford’s latest Ranger and Isuzu D-Max – the emphasis of the NP300 is on driving refinement, comfort, ease of use and economy. The new body structure is both lighter and stronger it is claimed – the new chassis and traditional rear leaf-sprung beam axle have been strengthened to withstand a more punishing work regime. Despite a lower, sleeker roof-line, ground clearance is higher and the reduced body-mass/frontal area contributes to greater fuel economy.
Double and King-Cab (two-plus-two seater) are offered together with 4x2 or 4x4 variants, and the loading area is larger too. Engines are improved versions of existing 2.5-litre four cylinder diesel and petrol engines. The diesel is likely to be the only one on offer here and higher boost has been obtained from a turbocharger with electrical actuator. At last, the manual gearbox is six-speed (with a seven-speed auto at extra cost) and the 4x4 system is supported by ABLS (Active Brake Limited Slip), Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.
A cautious evolution rather than anything radical the NP300 does look ‘sleeker’ and should succeed the current range smoothly. Moreover, if Iberian production is not on, Nissan could do what the others (mostly) do and import from Thailand – they drive on the left there too so (for the UK) the steering wheel’s in the ‘right place’ already.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales.
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