Among the highlights of The Work Truck Show, sponsored by the National Truck Equipment Association and held this year in St. Louis, was Nissan’s official entry into the North American commercial vehicle market. Now finalizing plans to bring its first production commercial vehicle to North America in late 2010, the company unveiled the all-new Nissan NV (Nissan Van).
The 2011 Nissan NV will be manufactured in Canton, Miss., and available through a select network of authorized Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers nationwide. Initially, three models will be offered, including the NV1500, NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD, all with a standard roof. A high roof body with stand-up walk through/work cargo area capability will be also available in the NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD.
Powertrain options for the front engine/rear-wheel drive NV include 4.0-liter 24-valve DOHC aluminum-alloy V6 and 5.6-liter 32-valve DOHC aluminum-alloy V8 gasoline engines mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Other standard specs include an independent front suspension with stabilizer bar, solid rear axle with leaf springs and stabilizer bar, engine-speed-sensitive hydraulic re-circulating ball steering system, heavy-duty four-wheel disc brakes with 14.1-in. rotors and four wheel ABS, and 17-in. steel wheels and LT245/70R17 tires.
Designed for a mobile workforce, the NV features a 120.7-in. cargo floor length and 70.3-in. maximum cargo floor width. Standard roof models have a maximum 55.4-in. cargo area height and high roof versions offer a maximum 76.5-in. of cargo room height. The long and wide cargo floor, square-top wheel well housings and nearly vertical sidewalls can accommodate aftermarket storage systems without excessive modification. There are also multiple weld-nut attachment points for mounting shelving and racks. The new vans also feature roof rack mounting brackets so no holes have to be made. Also available is “upfitter pre-wiring” that allows easy access into the electrical system.
The NV planning team employed a wide range of customer research methodologies, including focus groups, on-site visits and concept reviews, to help configure the vehicle for North American users. The research team met with fleet owners and managers, small business owners, aftermarket suppliers and converters in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Dallas, Detroit, New York, Minnesota, Arizona and other markets.
“In recent years, there’s been a migration of van users to light-duty pickups due to the lack of comfort, image and dependability of outdated platforms,” said Joe Castelli, vice president, Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA), “yet many of these truck owners admit they need a van for weather protection, security and the convenience of carrying large items or equipment. As we invested more than five years researching the comfort, style and smart functionality demands that will enable owners to accomplish more throughout their day, customer input was essential.
“It’s been many years since any manufacturer has taken a ‘clean sheet’ look at the needs of owners and operators in this market segment,” Castelli added. “We’ve taken a fresh look at every aspect including styling, powertrain, interiors, cost of operation and ownership, dealership sales and service operations.”
The new 2011 Nissan NV, while the “new kid on the block” in North America, brings with it a well thought out design backed by a long history of Nissan commercial vehicles in global markets.
