- Nissan NT500 : all new mid-duty truck with robust design
- Completely new cabin brings a spacious, comfortable and high quality interior
- New powertrains with a new engine, new gearboxes and new final drive ratios
- GVWs covering 3.5t up to 7.5t and five wheelbase lengths
- Competitive cost of ownership with best-in-class running costs
- 36 month warranty period and easy maintenance program
- Production begins at Nissan’s Avila plant, Spain
Nissan is reasserting its intention to become a key player in Europe’s light commercial vehicle sector with the launch of an all-new and thoroughly modern medium duty truck. The new NT500 tops the brand’s broad LCV line up and promises high levels of driver comfort and effective cost of ownership from a versatile and durable chassis cab. It offers a wide variety of wheelbases with gross vehicle weights (GVW) starting at 3.5 and rising to 7.5 tonnes and it’s available with two different engines, three transmissions and three model grades.
With a modern truck design offering perfect ergonomics, driving comfort and cabin visibility, the NT500 has low running costs and a warranty period of 36 months. Replacing the Atleon in the Nissan LCV range, the NT500’s service maintenance period has been extended from 30,000 to 40,000 kilometres with service-free wheel bearings.
The NT500’s driving position provides unique visibility in the light duty truck segment. A commanding driving position is achieved by placing the cabin above the engine, which combined with wide visibility angles allows the driver to make safe and accurate manoeuvres in small spaces.
The NT500 features an advanced and functional interior with numerous, useful and accessible storage locations creating the roomiest cabin in the 3.5t segment. Bold innovations include a multifunctional display, the advanced NissanConnect navigation system, cruise control and Hill Start Assistance.
The new engine range – two versions of the reliable ZD30 diesel engine with 150 and 177hp – is compliant with Euro6 emissions regulations, while three transmissions are available. The robust new chassis is designed to support straightforward and flawless conversions.
Hideto Murakami, Corporate Vice President and head of the Global Light Commercial Vehicles Business Unit of Nissan Motor Company said: “The wide range of available GVW’s and wheel bases and the ease of converting the chassis into a bespoke working vehicle will appeal to the body-builders, while the highly efficient modern engines and extended service intervals will be valued by operators. Drivers, meanwhile, will appreciate the outstanding comfort and practicality of the thoroughly modern and functional truck-like cabin.
Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President and Chief Planning Officer “With NT500 joining NT400 Cabstar, NV400, Primastar, NV200 and Navara – not to mention the imminent arrival of the pure electric e-NV200 van – there can be no doubt that Nissan has one of the widest and most versatile ranges of commercial vehicles.
“We are also implementing significant improvements to our LCV dealer standards and developing a number of dedicated Business Centers across Europe to ensure the quality of our trucks and vans is matched by the back up service we provide,” Palmer added.
NT500 in detail
The Nissan NT500 is a new medium duty truck aimed at the professional chassis cab market that replaces the former Nissan Atleon truck. It covers the 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes GVW segment and is assembled at Nissan’s Avila plant. This new truck offers the high quality that Nissan customers have come to expect, along with a Euro6 engine range and a wide choice of GVW and wheelbase lengths.
The Cabin
The cabin of NT500 is completely new, from the floor platform to the all metal panels, and has been designed in Spain by NTC -LCV. The new cab is one of the key competitive advantages of the NT500 against its main competitors. The Cab-Over-Engine design, very unusual in the 3.5t to 6.5t sector of the market that normally fit Semi-Forward-Cab, offers a number of key benefits like the tilting cab for eases access to the engine for service operations while also allowing a greater area for cargo within the vehicle’s overall length.
The NT500 has the roomiest cabin in the 3.5t segment, and is as a result extremely comfortable. The new cabin enjoys a thoroughly modern design created to make life for the driver and crew as pleasant and as practical as possible.
The high commanding driving position, meanwhile, not only enhances visibility out of the cab but, coupled to a compact turning circle, also aids manoeuvrability in small spaces while also improving ergonomics. The layout also greatly extends the versatility of the chassis for body-builders.
The cabin provides an advanced and functional interior benefiting from a large number of innovations including the latest NissanConnect, fully automatic climate control, cruise control and practical storages. There are roomy door pockets, two roof shelves, up to three glove boxes – two in front of the passenger and the third in the central console – two chilled cup holders, a bottle holder with capacity for three 1.5l bottles behind centre seat, a mobile phone holder next to a 12v socket and A4 storage slots. An additional convenience feature is the functional shelf in the back of the central seat that can be folded down.
Standard equipment lists across the three grades are generous with every model benefiting from keyless operation, electric exterior mirrors, front fog lamps and wheel covers. A suspended driver’s seat is available as an option.
Mid grade versions add a double DIN radio/CD player with USB and Aux-in sockets and steering wheel controls as well as driver’s airbag, fully automatic climate control and cruise control with speed limiter. Top versions add the NissanConnect navigation system and a passenger airbag.
A series of option packs are available to enhance the available equipment while the chassis frame is available also in a reinforced version for the heaviest missions.
The exterior cabin design ensures NT500 slots easily into Nissan’s current LCV line up with the company’s familiar brand ‘face’. The double V-strut grille flanks the Nissan logo, while distinctive front end lighting includes large turn indicators, daytime running lamps, fog lamps, height markers and turn repeaters mounted in the door mirrors.
Engines and transmissions
The new NT500 is powered by the two new versions of Nissan’s ZD30 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine delivering 150hp and 177hp. Both now meet Euro6 emissions regulations and both use a timing chain. Three different gearboxes are available: six-speed manual, six-speed manual + Servoshift (new) and six-speed robotized (new).
Versions from 3.5t to 6.5t are powered by the 150hp (110 kW) engine which has a single turbocharger and develops 350Nm of torque. It is coupled to a six-speed manual transmission and drives the rear wheels.
The 7.5t model is powered by a high performance engine with twin turbocharger (two stage system), developing 177hp (130kW) and 540 Nm of torque. This engine is available with the new six-speed transmission in either manual with Servoshift – a pneumatic assistance to make the gear changes more rapid, easier and more comfortable for the driver – or an automatic transmission (robotised). Both engines have Exhaust Gas recirculation (EGR) Diesel Particles Filter (DPF) and use Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to lower emissions.
The new ZD30 engines now allow extended service intervals for an overall lower cost of ownership. Oil changes and new oil filters are now needed only every two years or 40,000 km. The accessory belt has also had its life extended to 40,000 km while the need to grease the wheel hub bearings has been eradicated altogether.
The truck warranty is now extended from 12 to 36 months period as with the rest of Nissan’s range.
Brakes
NT500 offers significant advances in brake technology compared with the outgoing Atleon. The 7.5t versions now use a Full Air Brake System. Pressing the brake pedal opens the brake valve, sending compressed air from the tank into the brake chamber where it presses the piston. This system is the same that is generally used on Heavy Duty Trucks and is made accessible to the LCV market by the NT500.
VDC
NT500 is fitted with Stability Program (ESP), Hill Start Assistance, Traction Control (TCS / ASR), ABS+EBD and Brake Assist (BAS).
Model range
NT500’s versatility is reflected in the wide range of GVWs and wheelbases. There are five different GVWs – 3.5t, 3.5t HD, 5.6t, 6.5t and 7.5t – and five different wheelbases, ranging from 2,800mm to 4,300mm. Maximum overall vehicle length is 8,231mm. The 6.5t and 7.5t replaces the Atleon 8.0t version adding more possibilities of choice to customers.
At the top of the range, the 7.5t version is available with four wheelbase lengths – 3,100mm, 3,500mm, 3,900mm and 4,300mm and with the choice of manual or robotized transmission.
Optional equipment includes twin rear wheels and the chassis comes complete with body-builder connectors to ease effective conversion.
Customers
NT500 will be the ideal choice of small and medium fleets operating in the construction, distribution and agricultural industries and looking for a truck up to 7.5t GVW, suitable for tough missions and with the most competitive cost of ownership.
With optimised running costs, improved handling and driving characteristics, equipment levels, quality and overall looks, NT500 will start a new era for Nissan in the mid-duty truck segment.
“NT500’s arrival to top our wide Commercial Vehicles range proves that Nissan is deadly serious about the LCV market and that we are intent on being a key player,” added Andy Palmer.
