JOURNALISTS have flown to Malaga to be the first to try out the brand new Nissan NV400 heavy van.
Along with the NV400, the van was joined by the NV200 with an impressive new 1.5-litre dCi engine under its bonnet, and the whole LCV range formed the Nissan LIVE experience.
First up was a product presentation shown on a large screen allowing the journalists to relax in the comfort of the new vans, and was followed by a unique display by 12-times world trials champion Dougie Lampkin.
The journalists had to use Nissan LCV products to create a pathway for Lampkin to get from one side of Malaga airport’s car park to the other.
Test drives taking in both busy Malaga’s city streets and winding mountain roads followed, and allowed the guests to drop in to the GT Academy.
Two Nissan Cabstar trucks – a short-wheelbase tipper and a long-wheelbase dropside – dressed in Nissan 370Z-like Academy livery were entrusted into the hands of the journalists to set fastest times around a specially-designed course.
Under the expert tuition of instructors, the journalists were impressed by the truck’s manoeuvrability.
The timed event was also filmed by Skybot and captured the journalists’ hard work – and bad driving – and gave them the opportunity to make their own bespoke videos if they so wished.
The overriding impression of the new van was a positive one. Journalists liked the NV400’s front-end that was designed at Nissan Design Europe in Paddington, and found the van to be a strong contender in the competitive LCV sector.
The new dCi engine fitted in the NV200 also impressed, with journalists remarking it has made an already excellent van just that bit better.
Check back to Nissan Insider soon for a full round-up of press reviews.