You could say that Nissan’s workhorses are equally as iconic to the company as their 4WD sports cars. The C22 Vanette is still very popular for businesses and is still begin produced in Malaysia. Though most contractors still love the Hilux more, the basic Nissan Frontier is popular choice as a workhorse and remember how many small businessmen used the Nissan AD Resort as their workhorse and family vehicle at the same time? Such is the versatility of stationwagons but somehow the Malaysian car-buying public has forgotten about this bodystyle.
The old Nissan 1400 single cab pick-up truck also served its buyers well and up until recently it was still sold in South Africa, which gives it a total lifespan of 37 years. It can now finally retire with the unveiling of the new Proton Arena-style Nissan NP200 utility vehicle based on the Dacia Logan pick-up. The front rides on MacPherson struts while the rear has a H-type torsion beam.
It has a modern engine that’s vastly different from the 1400′s old carburetted 1.4 litre engine. Instead, a 85 horsepower 8 valve 1.6 litre engine is used, with 128Nm produced at 3,000rpm. This is quite weak for a 1.6 litre but Nissan has shortened the first three gears of its 5-speed manual to give the NP200 better acceleration and more pulling power away from a stop when fully loaded up to its maximum payload of 800kg.
It tailgate supports up to 300kg of load, and the load-bed has 16 anchorage points comprising of 4 bed surround fasteners, 2 safety hoop hooks and 6 rings on the bed floor. Load area is 1,200 litres while the load length is 1.8 meters.
The interior features a 300 litre storage compartment behind the two seats. It has a power steering and an optional radio. In South Africa no air conditioning is available but there is a heater and a 4-speed fan. No ABS or airbags either but future high spec version for other markets may feature all these creature comforts and safety equipment.
Look for more photos of the NP200 after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
cool colors and nice structure.
Much much cooler than the Arena, if TC brings it here sure sell like hot cakes, provided the pricing is right.
thats 1 fugly looking pick up….
mr.ferrari said,
October 3, 2008 @ 6:59 pm
Sure thing.
one important feature for a pickup is rear wheel drive, so that you get more traction with more load on the bed or when towing…this should be front drive like arena so not so good for the job at hand
i like cars like dat…
Yeah yeah,Potong Arena get a new siblings..Arena,you will never walk alone…keke… =p
no worries, the Navara coming.
by then, it will probably whip Hilux’s ass.
but this car is ugly leh……
geezz… for some reasons i prefer Proton Arena than this one…
arena is better designed than this ‘thing’. will arena neo will ever go into production? it looked very nice.
the designer of this car should be shot
Shot mean what?