Nissan NV200

Nissan unwrapped the production version of its new NV200 compact van here at the Geneva Motor Show after first showing a concept version of it back in 2007 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The basic shape and a lot of the body surface details actually survived the transition from concept to production form intact, although some were obviously subdued. Most notable among those are the wheel arches and the wheels they contain. The small wheels on the production version give the compact van a more top-heavy appearance than the concept. Viewed from the front, the narrow width to height ratio exaggerates this effect even further.

Under hood Nissan is offering a lineup of 1.5 and 1.6L gas and diesel engines to drive the front wheels. When used for cargo rather than carrying up to seven passengers, the NV200 can swallow up to 145 cubic feet and 1,700 lbs. When Nissan showed its NV2500 concept for its new U.S.-built light commercial vehicle back in December, it also showed the NV200 concept, which suggests that the NV200 will be sold in the U.S. as a competitor to the Ford Transit Connect as Nissan moves into the LCV segment.