Nissan Motor Co has developed a new global platform for light duty trucks (LDTs) on which the new Cabstar will be built. The new LDT platform and a platform for panel vans, will replace Nissan’s 11 unique LCV platforms by 2010 to maximise efficiency. Some LCVs will also continue to be built on passenger vehicle platforms.

The new LDT platform was developed by Nissan’s engineering division in Barcelona, Spain in collaboration with Nissan Motor Light Truck Co.’s engineering team in Japan. The platform will support Cabstar first, followed by a new generation of light duty trucks in the future.

“The development and introduction of the new LDT platform demonstrates that Nissan is taking its place in the global commercial vehicle market very seriously. We are confident we will meet the needs of operators and drivers across the globe with the range of products that will be developed on the new platforms,” said Andy Palmer, corporate vice-president, Nissan’s LCV Business Unit.

The new Nissan LDT platform will support Cabstar’s award-winning full cabin over engine (COE) configuration, building on the Cabstar’s reputation for excellent balance between load-carrying capacity and in-town manoeuvrability. “In developing this new platform, we kept our customers in the forefront of our mind and enhanced its ability to support vehicles that provide maximum performance in load capacity, manoeuvrability and cost of ownership,” said Palmer.

Nissan engineers adopted a straight, light, but strong ladder frame design. The combination of COE configuration and a light and durable frame enhances Cabstar’s load performance both in length and weight. This gives the customer the choice between greater load capacity and shorter vehicle length. It also enhances manoeuvrability when driving in cities.