Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) unveiled yesterday the all-new Nissan NV, the first entry in the company's new Nissan Commercial Vehicle lineup in North America, at the National Truck Equipment Association's (NTEA) annual Work Truck Show. 

During the press conference and live Web cast, Nissan Americas Chairman Carlos Tavares and Joe Castelli, vice president, Nissan Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, provided details on Nissan's commercial vehicle strategy in North America and offered the first look at the Nissan NV line of commercial vans.

"Today, we're introducing a tool to help entrepreneurs and owner-operators work smart and more productively.  Created and built in America with Nissan's quality and reliability, the NV is a breakthrough in commercial van design," said Tavares. "And the new NV is only the beginning.  Nissan will bring a convincing lineup of commercial vehicles to North America, along with a high quality network of dealers across the U.S."

The 2011 Nissan NV (Nissan Van) is scheduled to launch in late 2010.  It will be available in three models, NV1500, NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD, and in two roof configurations - Standard Roof and High Roof. The NV is the first High Roof commercial van to offer rugged body-on-frame construction. High Roof models allow most users to walk and stand in the cargo area.

The NV's design combines a full-length hood with access to the engine for service and maintenance, along with signature Nissan styling cues such as large headlights and vertical grille. The tall, wide doors offer easy access to the cab and cargo areas.

Inside the NV cab is a roomy comfortable interior with wide, supportive seating, an expansive instrument panel and ample driver leg space. The passenger seat includes a segment-exclusive fold-down feature, creating a convenient worktable. An available center console offers innovative storage compartments and space to hold binders and a laptop computer. Other convenient storage spaces include a wide overhead console (available with High Roof models) and large door pockets.

The NV also has a long, wide cargo floor, square-top wheelwell housings and nearly vertical sidewalls. Along with maximizing cargo space, the sidewalls accommodate aftermarket storage systems without excessive modification. The cargo area features a full-length inner panel to prevent cargo from denting the vehicle's outer skin. There are also multiple weld-nut attachment points for mounting shelving and racks.

Powering the rear-wheel drive Nissan NV is a choice of two powerful yet fuel-efficient engines - a 4.0-liter V6 and 5.6-liter V8. Both are mated to a standard 5-speed automatic transmission.

"The Nissan NV means business," said Castelli.  "We've got a rugged chassis, ample power and fuel economy, a comfortable cabin and a huge cargo capacity.  We're meeting the needs of commercial van owners and operators with innovation and a shared vision."

The new Nissan NV line will be manufactured at Nissan's Canton, Miss., assembly facility.