The Ashok Leyland-Nissan joint venture will re-launch the Dost passenger van that was debuted in select markets three months ago. The vehicle was withdrawn as it was found not to be in compliance with certain ARAI specifications. These rules stipulate that the vehicle body has a margin of 5kg over or under the weight certified by the government automotive testing body.
Autocar Professional learns from a source that there was inconsistency in the cabin weight. Since the cabin of the Dost passenger van was outsourced to three vendors, there were some challenges to keep a strict check on the vendors meeting the specs consistently.
After conducting a strict review, Ashok Leyland-Nissan has apparently decided to now go with two vendors for the cabin. The Dost passenger van is now scheduled to be launched this month. While the Dost cargo vehicle has been a success, the company is keen to replicate this with the passenger carrier version. With the rectified version, it should not face any regulatory hurdles.
Photograph: The Dost passenger van will try to offer the cost- value proposition like the cargo version.