Goodbye Nissan NP200 – Final Models Produced in Rosslyn

image by Nissan

This article was written by Alex Shahini

After an impressive 16-year run, Nissan’s Rosslyn-built NP200 has finally ceased production, leaving a massive gap in the South African automotive industry.

There are officially no more unibody half-tonners available for purchase in South Africa since Nissan reported that the 31st of March 2024 marked the end of production for the iconic model which cost just over R200 000 from new depending on trim. More importantly, when it arrived, it took the reigns from the venerated Nissan Champ bakkie which also served as an affordable, entry-level model for the local market and found key popularity with small businesses. It didn’t go down without a fight though, registering a performance of 1 113 units for March, or on par with its typical monthly sales figures.

Regardless, the NP200 is a celebrated milestone within the Nissan fraternity but looking to the future, there is no likely replacement for the next year or two despite the local market showing an appetite of around 10 000 – 15 000 units annually. Rumours unconfirmed with Nissan have alluded to the fact that the Nissan Rosslyn facility may inherit production of a new bakkie from a competitor in the local market but it is unlikely to fill the niche for a unibody single cab bakkie.

From its inception in 2008, when the segment was bustling with rivals from competitors like Ford, GM, Fiat and even Proton, to now, there are a handful of global models that could theoretically cater to the need. Most appropriate for the job would be the South American Fiat Strada and Volkswagen Saveiro which are available in several configurations and trims for their home production markets.

This article first appeared in Carmag.

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