Nissan plans to drop production and sales of Navara pickup in Europe

The Japanese automaker Nissan affirms that it will be putting an end to the production of the current generation Navara in Europe. This will come into place when the company’s Barcelona plant winds down by the end of 2021. 

As per the official statement, “Production of the current-generation Nissan Navara for European markets will end when our Barcelona plant closes in December 2021.” The statement came out in the form of an email to the press.

The statement also suggests that the automaker is not looking forward to a replacement of the Navara pickup truck with the latest facelifted model. This decision will effectively put an end to the sales of the Nissan Navara in Europe. As reported by Automotive News, Nissan says that the decision was a result of the shrinking market that currently shows decreasing interests for pick-ups, despite the analysts predicting a different outcome.

Further, the company stated, “This reflects the declining pickup segment in Europe and the switch many consumers are taking from pickups to our range of modern and efficient vans."  

Talking of the history of the car that is about to enter the ‘last manufactured’ stage, the second generation of the Navara was launched in 2005. The car was aimed at moving pickup trucks from a niche segment of workhorse vehicles and re-define it to suit a class of broader appeal. 

At the time of its introduction, the Navara was expected to dominate the off-road segment with its five-seat double-cab models that would also be used as a family-oriented car. Overall, the second-generation Navara turned out to be a success in the European market and was a tough competition to top-selling offerings like the Mitsubishi L200, in terms of sales.

Lastly, talking of the current-generation Navara that was launched in 2014, it adapted to a similar 'lifestyle' formula but with a strategic alliance. The automaker partnered with Renault and Mercedes-Benz to help boost sales.

Also read: 2021 Nissan March facelift debuts in Mexico