Nissan NV200 Van Makes European Debut in Barcelona

Nissan will debut today the van version of its NV200 for the European market at the 2009 Barcelona Auto Show. Spain is of particular importance for the Japanese manufacturer, as the NV200 will be built at the Barcelona plant starting November this year. Sales of the van in Europe are expected to debut in October 2009, but the first batches of the van will come from Japan.

“We are delighted to display the Van version of NV200 at this year’s Barcelona International Motor Show. It is a vehicle that will have a strong association with Barcelona once production starts at our factory here later this year,” Simon Thomas, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Nissan Europe said in a release.

The van is powered by two engines, one using diesel and the other petrol. The petrol version is Nissan's aluminum 1.6l HR16 engine, developing 108 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque. The unit, similar to its diesel counterpart, is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The diesel unit is a 8-valve 1.5 dCi, developing 86 horsepower and 200 Nm of torque.

Being a van, the most important feature of the NV200 is the loading capacity. It can house two standard Euro pallets in the cargo area at a time. Thanks to what Nissan calls the lowest floor in its class, cargo volume has been increased to 4.2m3. The NV200 can carry some 770 kg at any given time.

“The NV200 offers outstanding cargo space and class-leading cost of ownership. It also offers new references for performance, for maneuverability, drivability and load accessibility as well as an attractive design. With these credentials, NV200 is the smartest choice for entrepreneurs who use their vehicles in a busy urban environment,” Thomas added.