-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: How do you normally pay for purchases in stores?
Goodbye Nissan NP200
- Thread starter TopAuto
- Start date
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
cr@zydude
Honorary Master
Build the single cab Duster. While the double cab would be brilliant, they're probably worried about losing Navara double cab sales.
Alternatively, restart Sandero production in SA and build a new NP200 out of that. Nissan doesn't have a Micra in SA anymore, so the Sndero wouldn't compete with a Nissan hatchback.
Alternatively, restart Sandero production in SA and build a new NP200 out of that. Nissan doesn't have a Micra in SA anymore, so the Sndero wouldn't compete with a Nissan hatchback.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Nissan to slash global workforce, cut production by 20%, as profits plunge
Nissan is set to cut its global production capacity by 20% and reduce its workforce by 9,000 staff members in a bid to mitigate its current downturn in sales and profits.
“Facing a severe situation, Nissan is taking urgent measures to turnaround its performance and create a leaner, more resilient business capable of swiftly adapting to changes in the market,” Nissan said in a statement.
Nissan announced on Thursday that its consolidated operating profit decreased by 303.8 billion yen (R34.9bn) to 32.9bn yen (R3.7bn) in the first half of 2024.
Through this turnaround plan, Nissan aims to reduce its fixed costs by 300 billion yen (R33.9 billion). It will also deepen its strategic partnerships with its Alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi as well as Honda, with which it has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further explore vehicle electrification synergies.
In a bid to lead by example, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida and other senior executives have agreed to take a 50% pay cut.
On the product front, Nissan said it would accelerate the introduction of electric vehicles in China, as well as plug-in hybrids and e-Power hybrids in the US. The company also wants to reduce its product development lead time to 30 months.
The Japanese carmaker’s turnaround actions will be monitored by a new Chief Performance Officer, who will be appointed from December 1.
It’s unclear how this turnaround plan will affect Nissan’s South Africa’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Gauteng.
Nissan SA already cut its workforce by around 25% earlier in 2024 after it was forced to discontinue the popular NP200 compact bakkie due to its global model cycle ending and the lack of a suitable replacement model.
The plant currently produces around 1,000 Navara bakkies per month, of which just over half are exported to a growing number of export markets on the African continent.
Nissan is set to cut its global production capacity by 20% and reduce its workforce by 9,000 staff members in a bid to mitigate its current downturn in sales and profits.
“Facing a severe situation, Nissan is taking urgent measures to turnaround its performance and create a leaner, more resilient business capable of swiftly adapting to changes in the market,” Nissan said in a statement.
Nissan announced on Thursday that its consolidated operating profit decreased by 303.8 billion yen (R34.9bn) to 32.9bn yen (R3.7bn) in the first half of 2024.
Through this turnaround plan, Nissan aims to reduce its fixed costs by 300 billion yen (R33.9 billion). It will also deepen its strategic partnerships with its Alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi as well as Honda, with which it has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further explore vehicle electrification synergies.
In a bid to lead by example, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida and other senior executives have agreed to take a 50% pay cut.
On the product front, Nissan said it would accelerate the introduction of electric vehicles in China, as well as plug-in hybrids and e-Power hybrids in the US. The company also wants to reduce its product development lead time to 30 months.
The Japanese carmaker’s turnaround actions will be monitored by a new Chief Performance Officer, who will be appointed from December 1.
It’s unclear how this turnaround plan will affect Nissan’s South Africa’s Rosslyn manufacturing plant in Gauteng.
Nissan SA already cut its workforce by around 25% earlier in 2024 after it was forced to discontinue the popular NP200 compact bakkie due to its global model cycle ending and the lack of a suitable replacement model.
The plant currently produces around 1,000 Navara bakkies per month, of which just over half are exported to a growing number of export markets on the African continent.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Nissan Magnite Move Panel Van (2025) Price & Specs
The Nissan Magnite Move panel van will soon launch in South Africa as an indirect replacement for the NP200 half-tonne bakkie – and we’ve unearthed local pricing…
Though Nissan South Africa says it’s still working on a genuine successor to the NP200 half-tonne bakkie, the Japanese firm’s local division will soon launch an indirect replacement in the form of the Nissan Magnite Move panel van.
As a reminder, production of the NP200 wrapped up back in March 2024, bringing down the curtain on what was Mzansi’s last surviving half-tonne bakkie. In a bid to fill this space in the light-commercial vehicle segment, several automakers have since created small panel vans based on passenger vehicles – and now Nissan is poised to join the fray.
Based on the recently launched facelifted version of the Magnite small crossover, the new panel-van derivative will debut the “Move” badge in SA. From what we understand, the Magnite Move is based on the 1.0 Visia variant, meaning it employs a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine sending 53 kW and 96 Nm to the front axle via a 5-speed manual gearbox (with a claimed consumption of 5.9 L/100 km).
So, what will it cost? Well, according to our information, the Magnite Move 1.0 Visia Panel Van will be priced at R224 900, making it the cheapest derivative in Nissan SA’s current range (for reference, the entry-level Magnite passenger vehicle comes in at R246 200, while the base NP200 was priced at R245 300 before its axing).
Interestingly, the Magnite Move is also the most affordable option among SA’s growing crop of passenger vehicles converted to panel vans, undercutting models such as the Hyundai Grand i10 Cargo (from R249 500), Renault Triber 1.0 Express (R266 999), Kia Picanto 1.0 LX Runner (from R284 900), Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX1 Panel Van (R296 999), Kia Sonet 1.5 LS Runner (R319 995), Hyundai Venue 1.2 Premium Cargo (R321 500) and Renault Kiger 1.0 Turbo Express (R334 999).
What else do we know about the Nissan Magnite Move? Well, with the rear bench ditched, this panel van’s load bay measures 1 300 mm long, allowing it to swallow a claimed 690 litres of cargo. From what we understand, the official payload capacity will come in at 250 kg (quite some way under the old NP200’s 800 kg rating).
How much does the Nissan Magnite Move cost in SA?
Nissan Magnite Move 1.0 Visia Panel Van – R224 900
It’s our understanding that the price above includes Nissan’s 6-year/150 000 km warranty. It’s not yet confirmed whether a 3-year/30 000 km service plan is part of the deal.
The Nissan Magnite Move panel van will soon launch in South Africa as an indirect replacement for the NP200 half-tonne bakkie – and we’ve unearthed local pricing…
Though Nissan South Africa says it’s still working on a genuine successor to the NP200 half-tonne bakkie, the Japanese firm’s local division will soon launch an indirect replacement in the form of the Nissan Magnite Move panel van.
As a reminder, production of the NP200 wrapped up back in March 2024, bringing down the curtain on what was Mzansi’s last surviving half-tonne bakkie. In a bid to fill this space in the light-commercial vehicle segment, several automakers have since created small panel vans based on passenger vehicles – and now Nissan is poised to join the fray.
Based on the recently launched facelifted version of the Magnite small crossover, the new panel-van derivative will debut the “Move” badge in SA. From what we understand, the Magnite Move is based on the 1.0 Visia variant, meaning it employs a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine sending 53 kW and 96 Nm to the front axle via a 5-speed manual gearbox (with a claimed consumption of 5.9 L/100 km).
So, what will it cost? Well, according to our information, the Magnite Move 1.0 Visia Panel Van will be priced at R224 900, making it the cheapest derivative in Nissan SA’s current range (for reference, the entry-level Magnite passenger vehicle comes in at R246 200, while the base NP200 was priced at R245 300 before its axing).
Interestingly, the Magnite Move is also the most affordable option among SA’s growing crop of passenger vehicles converted to panel vans, undercutting models such as the Hyundai Grand i10 Cargo (from R249 500), Renault Triber 1.0 Express (R266 999), Kia Picanto 1.0 LX Runner (from R284 900), Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX1 Panel Van (R296 999), Kia Sonet 1.5 LS Runner (R319 995), Hyundai Venue 1.2 Premium Cargo (R321 500) and Renault Kiger 1.0 Turbo Express (R334 999).
What else do we know about the Nissan Magnite Move? Well, with the rear bench ditched, this panel van’s load bay measures 1 300 mm long, allowing it to swallow a claimed 690 litres of cargo. From what we understand, the official payload capacity will come in at 250 kg (quite some way under the old NP200’s 800 kg rating).
How much does the Nissan Magnite Move cost in SA?
Nissan Magnite Move 1.0 Visia Panel Van – R224 900
It’s our understanding that the price above includes Nissan’s 6-year/150 000 km warranty. It’s not yet confirmed whether a 3-year/30 000 km service plan is part of the deal.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Three big reasons why South Africa’s bakkie and light commercial vehicle market fell by 12% in 2024
After narrowly missing the milestone of returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, South Africa’s new vehicle market declined by 3% in 2024 and this was largely led by a decline in light commercial vehicle sales.
A quick recap: Naamsa reported recently that 515,712 new vehicles were sold in 2024. Passenger cars, at 351,302, were up by 1.1%, while light commercial vehicle sales, at 133,254, fell by 12%.
But did sales of traditional one-tonne bakkies really take such a big knock in 2024?
It’s a mixed picture. While the three biggest players, the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max, were once again among the five top selling vehicles overall, Hilux sales (at 32,656 units) fell by 12.6%, but the Ranger (25,533) and D-Max (19,153) climbed by 3.6% and 1% respectively, and the Mahindra Pik-Up and Nissan Navara also saw modest gains.
However, if we delve deeper into the numbers, it becomes evident that there were two other big culprits in the 2024 LCV sales decline: minibus taxis and Nissan NP200.
Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealer’s Association (NADA), explained that the pullback of SA Taxi Finance, which prompted other financial institutions to follow suit, led to a sharp decline in taxi sales, which fell from their usual monthly average of well over 1,000 units per month to just a few hundred since March.
The Toyota Hi-Ace, which dominates the minibus market by an overwhelming margin, saw its sales volume drop by 55.9%, from 16,465 units in 2023 to just 7,265 in 2024.
The demise of the locally-manufactured Nissan NP200, which was discontinued in April, also contributed to the LCV deficit, with its year-on-year sales halving from 12,721 to 6,544 as the final units hit dealers during the course of the year.
Its departure has killed off the half-tonne bakkie segment, leaving a gaping hole in the market that may not be filled for years. This absence of product will continue to weigh down on the LCV market.
After narrowly missing the milestone of returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, South Africa’s new vehicle market declined by 3% in 2024 and this was largely led by a decline in light commercial vehicle sales.
A quick recap: Naamsa reported recently that 515,712 new vehicles were sold in 2024. Passenger cars, at 351,302, were up by 1.1%, while light commercial vehicle sales, at 133,254, fell by 12%.
But did sales of traditional one-tonne bakkies really take such a big knock in 2024?
It’s a mixed picture. While the three biggest players, the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max, were once again among the five top selling vehicles overall, Hilux sales (at 32,656 units) fell by 12.6%, but the Ranger (25,533) and D-Max (19,153) climbed by 3.6% and 1% respectively, and the Mahindra Pik-Up and Nissan Navara also saw modest gains.
However, if we delve deeper into the numbers, it becomes evident that there were two other big culprits in the 2024 LCV sales decline: minibus taxis and Nissan NP200.
Brandon Cohen, Chairperson of the National Automobile Dealer’s Association (NADA), explained that the pullback of SA Taxi Finance, which prompted other financial institutions to follow suit, led to a sharp decline in taxi sales, which fell from their usual monthly average of well over 1,000 units per month to just a few hundred since March.
The Toyota Hi-Ace, which dominates the minibus market by an overwhelming margin, saw its sales volume drop by 55.9%, from 16,465 units in 2023 to just 7,265 in 2024.
The demise of the locally-manufactured Nissan NP200, which was discontinued in April, also contributed to the LCV deficit, with its year-on-year sales halving from 12,721 to 6,544 as the final units hit dealers during the course of the year.
Its departure has killed off the half-tonne bakkie segment, leaving a gaping hole in the market that may not be filled for years. This absence of product will continue to weigh down on the LCV market.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Small car-based panel vans: how well are they selling in SA?
Touted as alternatives to the since-departed Nissan NP200, just how well are small passenger-car-based panel vans selling in SA? A look at February 2025’s figures…
The demise of the Nissan NP200 may have signalled the end of the half-tonne bakkie segment in South Africa, but it also sparked an upswing in the number of small passenger-car-based panel vans on the local market. So, just how well are these models selling?
Well, we sorted through the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) sales statistics for February 2025 in a bid to find out. For the record, we found sales figures for as many as 8 models – most of which were launched locally over the past year, once the NP200’s fate had been confirmed – operating in this space.
Of course, there are other compact models in the LCV segment that may well have gained some of the market share once held by the NP200 – we’re looking at you, Suzuki Super Carry (107 units in February) and Eeco (231 units in February) – but here we’re going to focus specifically on passenger-car-based iterations.
Interestingly, Chery Auto SA reported zero registrations of what is the segment’s 9th contender, the Tiggo 4 Pro Panel Van, in February. In addition, Volkswagen Group Africa has yet to launch its latest challenger, which will be based on the Kariega-built Polo Vivo and likely revive the “Xpress” badge when it hits the market in the 3rd quarter of this year.
SA’s small car-based panel van sales for February 2025
1. Nissan Magnite Move – 247 units
2. Hyundai Grand i10 Cargo – 128 units
3. Kia Picanto Runner – 7 units
4. Hyundai Venue Cargo – 6 units
5=. Kia Sonet Runner – 4 units
5=. Mahindra XUV 3XO Panel Van – 4 units
7. Renault Triber Express – 2 units
8. Renault Kiger Express – 1 unit
Touted as alternatives to the since-departed Nissan NP200, just how well are small passenger-car-based panel vans selling in SA? A look at February 2025’s figures…
The demise of the Nissan NP200 may have signalled the end of the half-tonne bakkie segment in South Africa, but it also sparked an upswing in the number of small passenger-car-based panel vans on the local market. So, just how well are these models selling?
Well, we sorted through the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) sales statistics for February 2025 in a bid to find out. For the record, we found sales figures for as many as 8 models – most of which were launched locally over the past year, once the NP200’s fate had been confirmed – operating in this space.
Of course, there are other compact models in the LCV segment that may well have gained some of the market share once held by the NP200 – we’re looking at you, Suzuki Super Carry (107 units in February) and Eeco (231 units in February) – but here we’re going to focus specifically on passenger-car-based iterations.
Interestingly, Chery Auto SA reported zero registrations of what is the segment’s 9th contender, the Tiggo 4 Pro Panel Van, in February. In addition, Volkswagen Group Africa has yet to launch its latest challenger, which will be based on the Kariega-built Polo Vivo and likely revive the “Xpress” badge when it hits the market in the 3rd quarter of this year.
SA’s small car-based panel van sales for February 2025
1. Nissan Magnite Move – 247 units
2. Hyundai Grand i10 Cargo – 128 units
3. Kia Picanto Runner – 7 units
4. Hyundai Venue Cargo – 6 units
5=. Kia Sonet Runner – 4 units
5=. Mahindra XUV 3XO Panel Van – 4 units
7. Renault Triber Express – 2 units
8. Renault Kiger Express – 1 unit
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Can one of the Chinese make a version of this? Surely somebody sees this potential market. Or maybe somebody has already?
Last edited: