Nissan NV200 Vanette Available for Order

Japanese manufacturer Nissan announced today the pre-launch sales for the new NV200 van in Japan, a few weeks after the official unveiling of the vehicle at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. Japan will be the first market in which the "next generation global van" will become available, sometimes in mid-may.

The NV200 Vanette will be available in two configurations, the Van DX light commercial van and the Wagon 16S people carrier. The two versions were designed, as the manufacturer says, "to meet the demands of a wide-range of customers for a functional and versatile vehicle that delivers great value-for-money".

The compact van combines layout and packaging capabilities to deliver 4.1 cubic meters of loading space, while the wagon is a seven-seater, offering a more spacious interior with "car-like comfort and features".

The NV200 (New Vehicle) van is powered by a 1.6l HR16DE petrol engine, currently seen in the Note and Qashqai. Displacing 1,598cc, the 16-valve unit develops 153Nm of torque and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The manufacturer promises the engine will offer "excellent driving performance without compromising fuel efficiency, for a low total cost of ownership".

The launch of the NV200 line is part of Nissan's strategy to expand its business into the global small van segment. As Andy Palmer, Vice President Nissan Global Product Planning said prior to Geneva, the "Nissan LCV business is in a phase of expansion even in these challenging financial circumstances."

"The NV200 is our proposal for a global small van. We will launch the NV200 in Japan before summer, in Europe in autumn 2009 and then in China and other markets." Palmer added.