Nissan South Africa has confirmed the NP300 Hardbody will go out of production later in 2021 as the Rosslyn factory ramps up for the facelifted D23-generation Navara.
According to Moneyweb, Nissan SA marketing director Stefan Haasbroek confirmed the news this week, while also revealing local production of the refreshed Navara – for both South Africa and export markets courtesy of a R3-billion investment – would be delayed until June 2021 thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Haasbroek said the Rosslyn plant would cease production of the NP300 Hardbody in around November 2021, suggesting the soon-to-be-expanded Navara line-up – which is expected to gain single-cab derivatives as well as double-cab variants across a broader specification range – would fill the gap.
Production of the half-tonne NP200, meanwhile, looks set to continue.
Back in late-2018, the NP300 Hardbody scored zero stars for safety in its Global NCAP crash test, leading to calls for either “remedial action” or for the ageing bakkie to be pulled from the market.
The following year, the head of Nissan Group of Africa said the local arm of the Japanese firm had “absolutely no plans” to discontinue the NP300. At the time, the global vice-president for Nissan’s light commercial vehicle division furthermore suggested there would be a place for both the NP300 and Navara in the market.
The NP300 Hardbody range currently comprises nine derivatives, priced from R309 500 for the entry-level single-cab model to R544 000 for the 2,4-litre double-cab 4×4 flagship.
