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Nissan feature

In 1999 Nissan formed a global alliance with Renault, which has seen it rocket into the ranks of the world's top automotive groups.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Nissan operates in Japan, North America and Europe and during the financial year ending March 2007 it recorded revenues of £44.4 billion.

Last year, Nissan announced that it intends to grow its light commercial vehicle business in Europe over the next two years. Cab-over-engine and light-duty trucks will be new additions to its range and it will also reinforce its traditional van line-up with "innovative products".

Furthermore, Nissan has announced plans to set up Van Competency Centres in all its dealerships to ensure that customers are serviced by dedicated van personnel.

In 2007, Nissan's Primastar won the award for Best Medium Van in the Van Fleet World Honours list.

The Primastar was modified last year to incorporate the latest range of Euro-IV engines and a six-seater model of the van was also added to the range to create greater versatility.

Van Fleet World editor, John Kendall, said: "The original vans may be almost six years old, but with the latest changes the design remains fresh and modern."

The Primastar is a mid-sized panel van, which has a six-speed gear box, low running costs and is built in the UK and Spain.

Nissan says that its target with this van was to build a "stylish, yet practical workhorse" with a bevy of convenience features that enhance drivability and are also Euro-4 compliant.

These vans feature a choice of 2.0 dCi (90 or 115 PS) or 2.5 dCi (150 PS) engines, which are all Euro 4 compliant.

Most recently, Nissan launched the NP300, which is the latest edition to the firm's 'Good-to-Go' range.

It debuted at the Birmingham NEC's Commerical Vehicle Show last month and has been made available in three styles: the single cab; the king cab and the double cab.

The single cab model will be able to carry three adults and is designed to serve as a durable pickup for self-employed owners, working in physical jobs.

King cab NP300s will provide front seating for two people, as well as secure storage space and can accommodate a further five passengers on its rear bench seats.

The double cab is a longer version of this van and has four conventional doors and rear windows, with a payload of 1080 kilograms (kg)

One of Nissan's larger, more practical vans is the Interstar, which is an "extremely versatile" vehicle that comes in three lengths, heights and payloads.

Having been modified over recent years, the Interstar now features a larger variety of storage areas, including a double roof compartment.

A reviewer for Yahoo! Cars wrote of the van: "The Interstar's body can be specified in various combinations of three wheelbases and three roof-heights.

"If you plan on testing the load bay's dimensions with extremely long, tall or wide objects, the biggest Interstar is the Long wheelbase/high-roof."

Other features of the Interstar are a sic-speed gearbos, a three year warrenty, the choice of three Euro-4 compliant enginges and a panel van model available in three lengths and heights.
 
Meanwhile the Nissan Kubistar is one of the most compact light commercial vehicles the firm makes. At just over four metres long, it has one of the longest cargo bays and ABS and EBA breaking provisions as well as remote control locking, as standard.

The van is the result of an alliance between Nissan and Renault, and has evolved from the Kangoo into a "user-friendly car-derived van".

It is powered by Euro 4 compliant 1.2 petrol (75 hp) or 1.5dCi diesel engines. Two refrigerated version of the Kubistar are now available under Nissan's 'Good-to-Go' range, which feature a two-metre cubed chiller and offer a payload of 510 kilograms.

The Nissan Cabstar is another favourite with light commercial vehicle customers, boasting low running costs. The latest models boast a ten per cent increase in internal dimension, even though external dimensions have only increased by four per cent.

Buyers can choose from three differenet Euro-4 compliant engines, three wheelbase lengths and two cab types.

The van won the ultra light Truck prize at the Professional Van and Light Truck Awards in 2007.

Judges were impressed with the Cabstar's mix of high-load capacity and its maneuverability, while offering the driver a comfortable ride.

They commented: "This steady and reliable little workhorse benefited greatly from a new and larger cab last year to ensure that it stayed at the top of the shopping lists of those seeking a hard working ultra light truck."

Nissan feature

In 1999 Nissan formed a global alliance with Renault, which has seen it rocket into the ranks of the world's top automotive groups.

Headquartered in Tokyo, the firm operates in Japan, North America and Europe and during the financial year ending March 2007 it recorded revenues of $88.8 billion (£44.4 billion).

Last year the firm announced that it intends to grow its light commercial vehicle business in Europe over the next two years, by launching new products.

Cab-over-engine and light-duty trucks will be new additions to its range and it will also reinforce its traditional van line-up with "innovative products".

Furthermore, Nissan has announced plans to set up Van Competency Centres in all its dealerships to ensure that customers are serviced by dedicated van personnel.

Nissan would do well to focus on their van products, given their success in this sector which was recognised when the firm's Primastar won the award for Best Medium Van in the 2007 Van Fleet World Honours.

The Primastar was modified last year to incorporate the latest range of Euro-IV engines and a six-seater model of the van was also added to the range to create a greater versatility.

Van Fleet World editor, John Kendall, said: "The original vans may be almost six years old, but with the latest changes the design remains fresh and modern.

"Inside, there is great attention to drivers' needs in the cab. Stowage is plentiful, the driving position is still arguably more car-like than any of its rivals and the subtle changes have left the excellent dashboard largely unchanged, retaining the ergonomic layout and great modern design."

Nissan's history in the van market goes back to the 1930s when it was producing light commercial vehicles for the Japanese army.

In recent times the firm has formed successful partnerships to further itself in this market.

For example, between 1993 and 2002 Nissan and Ford partnered to market their "consumer-friendly" minivans, the Mercury Villager and the Nissan Quest.

These vans were virtually identical, bar a few aesthetic differences, and were marketed with the aim of persuading the general public that owning a van for domestic use could be a practical idea.

Most recently, Nissan launched its latest NV200 2 van at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show on April 18th in China.

The NV200 is aimed at small business professionals and its noted for its striking storage pod, which slips out like a tray from the rear of the van.

When the van was first unveiled last year, in testing stages, Shiro Nakamura, senior vice-president and chief creative officer at Nissan explained the thinking behind this model.

He said: "A light commercial vehicle has a specific job to perform, but that's no reason to design a purely rational vehicle with no warmth.

"For NV200, function becomes the aesthetic. Our concept is a highly efficient tool but one with a human touch."

The pod loading area is designed for ease of use, as it slides out, allowing easy access to storage compartments.

Furthermore, the front passenger seat can swivel backwards to face a computer table, meaning the van can double as a mobile office.

A larger, more practical Nissan van is the Interstar, which the firm says is an "extremely versatile" vehicle, that comes in three lengths, heights and payloads.

Having been modified over recent years, the Interstar now features a larger variety of storage areas, including a double roof compartment.

A reviewer for Yahoo! Cars wrote of the van: "The Interstar's body can be specified in various combinations of three wheelbases and three roof-heights.

"If you plan on testing the load bays dimensions with extremely long, tall or wide objects, the biggest Interstar is the Long wheelbase/high-roof."
 
Meanwhile the Nissan Kubistar is one of the most compact light commercial vehicles the firm makes, at just over four metres long.

However, it has one of the longest cargo bays and ABS and EBA breaking provisions as well as remote control locking, as standard.

The Nissan Cabstar is another favourite with light commercial vehicle customers and won the ultra light Truck prize at the Professional Van and Light Truck Awards in 2007.

Judges were impressed with the Cabstar's mix of high-load capacity and its manoeuvrability, while offering the driver a comfortable ride.

They commented: "This steady and reliable little workhorse benefited greatly from a new and larger cab last year to ensure that it stayed at the top of the shopping lists of those seeking a hard working ultra light truck."

It seems that Nissan has got the market cornered from every angle and, if it is to be believed, will be launching a range of products over the next few years that will serve to further its position in the market.