NP300 Nissan Navara scoops the top honour at the International Pick-up Award 2016

• NP300 Navara scoops top honour at the International Pick-up Award 2016
• Production commenced at Nissan’s Barcelona plant this month and arrives in UK showrooms in January 2016
• Judges praised striking exterior and interior, new-to-sector technologies, 2.3-litre dCi engine and impressive payload and towing capabilities

The all-new Nissan NP300 Navara has won the coveted International Pick-up award 2016 at a ceremony in Lyon, France.

Nissan’s recently-launched pick-up fought off stiff competition from  the  Mitsubishi L200 and Ford Ranger with judges praising its superior on-road and off-road capabilities, strong engine performance  and payload capacity.

The new NP300 Navara underwent the rigorous International Pick-up testing process, each being judged for its off-road ability, on-road performance and its value for money. They were also tested on their ability as a workhorse, which included comparing towing capabilities.

The new NP300 Navara delivers new levels of crossover-inspired comfort and refinement while maintaining the Navara’s acclaimed off-road ability, durability and load capacity.

Its robust chassis introduces a host of new features, including an all-new five-link rear suspension for the Double Cab model and an impressive load bed, which is 67mm longer than the previous model.

The wealth of innovative and affordable  technology such Around View Monitor (AVM) and Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), designed to further improve driveability and practicality, are also unique to the pick-up market.

Philippe Guérin-Boutaud, Corporate Vice President Nissan LCV BU, said: “This prestigious award celebrates Nissan’s 80 years of pick-up expertise. Rigorous testing by International Pick-up of the Year jurors illuminated the tough and innovative character of the all-new Navara.”

“Nissan is best known by its customers in Europe as the maker of capable 4x4s and breakthrough crossovers.  This new Navara represents the fusion of those two realms of excellence to deliver a truly breakthrough pickup truck that combines rugged 4x4 toughness with the sophistication and efficiency of a Crossover”, addedPonz Pandikuthira, Director of Light Commercial Vehicles for Nissan Europe.

“It is truly an honour to be selected as the International Pickup of the Year by a panel of the most experienced commercial vehicle journalists across Europe. Thank you to the IPU jurors for this award and for this powerful endorsement of the new Nissan Navara's product excellence”.

All-New Navara production in Spain heralds a new era for Pick-Up truck quality.

• Nissan Barcelona Plant set to launch all-new Nissan NP300 Navara
• €80m investment coming to fruition on renewed production line
• New pick-up is first Nissan LCV to come with new 5-year warranty  

Raising the bar for quality and performance, the all-new Nissan Navara is ready for launch at the company’s Barcelona plant.

Harnessing the 4X4 expertise of Nissan’s Spanish operations, the new NP300 Navara has been fine-tuned for European customers and will be built on a renewed production line in Barcelona.

On a visit to the plant today, Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe, led the traditional Japanese Daruma ceremony to mark the realisation of €80m investment for the NP300 Navara, the quality of which has heralded the launch of a new five-year Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle warranty.

Willcox said: “With 80 years of pick-up heritage, this new NP300 Navara arrives with the off-road ability, durability and loading capacity you would expect from the name.

“What makes the fully-updated Navara truly unique is the driving experience, style and comfort that it inherits from of the Nissan crossover range, like Qashqai, Juke and X-Trail.

“With the expertise of our team in Spain, a totally renewed production line in Barcelona, and our new five-year Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle warranty, Navara is further evidence that Nissan quality has never been better.”

The new NP300 Navara was engineered for Europe in Nissan’s Technical Centre (NTCE) in Barcelona, where the team developed the new 2.3 litre dCi engine and adapted noise and vibration, steering, suspension and brakes for European customers.

The contribution of Nissan’s Spanish team to the new pick-up also includes the manufacture of parts including steering knuckles, brake discs and drums at the company’s Cantabria plant.

Production of the new NP300 Navara for Nissan in Barcelona will be followed by new one-tonne pickup trucks for both Renault and Mercedez-Benz, all of which will also share some common architecture.

Barcelona plant has capacity to produce about 120,000 vehicles annually for the three brands, which would see 1,000 new jobs created once full production is reached.

Frank Torres, Managing Director and Vice President of Nissan Spanish Industrial Operations, added:  “The new product range in Barcelona point to a sustainable future for the plant and takes us towards our goal of producing 200,000 vehicles per year.

“In 17 months we have launched three vehicles successfully in Spain. As the quality output from this plant continues to improve, we are about to start the production of the fourth, the new NP300 Navara.

“Not only will this set a new benchmark for the pick-up market, it signals the beginning of our journey to becoming a premium plant.”