Pickups to the four!
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• Nissan has launched its new Pickup range for the UK. The basic 4x2 is available now; its stablemates will follow on 1 August. The range comprises a 4x2 with a Single Cab or 370mm extended King Cab; and a 4x4, with the King Cab or a four-door Double Cab.
Nissan expects the UK version of its King Cab to be the biggest seller of the range. By deleting the rear jump seats, Nissan has won Customs agreement that the King Cab Pickup is a goods vehicle for the purposes of reclaiming VAT; unlike the five-seater Double Cab variant.
CM has driven the 4x4s which, although they are lef thand drive, differ only slightly from the UK spec. On a trunk-road drive in a part-laden 4x4 King Cab, the Pickup's refinement immediately impressed us. The ride from the independent front torsion bar and leaf-sprung live rear axle suspension was good on all the surfaces we encountered, and noise levels never caused raised voices, even at the local motorway limit of 82mph (130Itm/h).
Much of this refinement is due to the flexible engine and gearbox mounts, which also account for the disconcerting movement of the gear levers. The assisted steering provided excellent sharpness and feed back, and overall handling was good. Grip was excellent on both wet and dry asphalt.
A short unladen drive revealed none of the suspension problems which afflict some empty pickups. Vented front discs and rear drums easily satisfy braking needs, although ABS will not be available in the UK.
The 2.5-litre IDI turbo-diesel provides strong performance if the engine is kept spinning. At low revs it's virtually lifeless, but at around 1,800rpm the power floods in. We have misgivings over this kind of power delivery off-road, but the five gears cope well on the move.
The Pickup's off-road perfor mance was impressive. Ride quality on a poorly surfaced forest track showed careful attention to
spring and damper rates, while traction was helped by the standard limited-slip rear cliff. On a serious off-road route the Pickup made light of a slimy 1-in-1 (50%) slope in 3L— and managed the same climb in 2L towing a trailer with an 800kg load. Automatic freewheel front hubs are standard.
The Pickup's styling is a touch brash, with a bold Nissan family grille and chrome bumper.
The interior is nicely trimmed, with restrained cloth for the comfortable seats. Equipment includes a rev counter, engine immobiliser and a decent stereo, but airbags and electric windows are not available.
Overall, the new Nissan Pickup has made choosing a
Japanese pickup even more difficult, with all of the major products being similarly priced and having their own individual strengths and weaknesses.
Nissan's main strength is its VAT-friendly extended cab, but that inappropriate torque curve could be a stumbling block.
• Mitsubishi has launched the Double Cab version of its 1200 pickup, and it looks good—but the firm expects most sales to be in the leisure market. Some 1.5-million crew-cab pickups were sold in the US last year and with this in mind Mitsubishi UN is launching a high-spec "4 Life" dual-purpose work/leisure variant with a wide range of approved accessories.
But don't write off the Double Cab as a toy: the lower-spec CL model should prove popular for commercial users, with a four-wheel-drive system which can be engaged on the move, automatic freewheel hubs and a lockable rear cliff. Payload is 1,025kg, it will take a braked trailer of 2,700kg—and it costs E800 less than the Nissan.
L200 Double Cab revisions include different front end styling from the single-cab model, and Mitsubishi claims that it is much better equipped than the Asian-spec ''grey import" models sometimes seen here: it has side-impact bars, heavy-duty suspension, body underseal (with a six-year anti-perforation warranty) and a different gearbox.
A brief drive confirmed that it is comfortable, powerful, surprisingly refined, and pretty good off-road. It should prove stiff competition for the Nissan. SPECIFICATIONS: vutsubis-. LL.V 2 Double-Cab 4x4 pickup Engine. 2 5-litre lour-cylinder turbo-diesel Power: 98hp (73kW) at 4 00Orpm. Torque: 240Nm (1771141 at 2 000rern GVW 2 830kg. Paylooc: GL 1 0251Lo..: 4 Life 1 005kg. Price (inc-VAT(: GL, £17 o"0 4 Life £10 105.
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Specifications
Price (ex-YAT) Engbe
tirl Single Cab 4x2 King Cab
£10,675 £11,175' 2,494cc 4-cyl IDI diesel.
Power: 82hp (61kW) @ 4,300rpm. Torque: 163Nm (120Ibft) 42,200m. 44 King Cab 4x4Double Cab
£14,300 £18,500' (inc VAT) 2,494cc 4-cyl IDI charge-cooled turbo-diesel. Power:103hp (76kW) g 4,000rpm. Torque: 245Nm (180Ibft) @ 2,000rpm.
Unladen weight (claimed) GCW
Axle weight, front Axle weight, rear Loadspace
"prices to be confirmed
2,570kg 2,570kg 2,740kg 2,740kg
1,450kg 1,470kg 1,770kg I 11004
4,070kg 4,070kg 5,040kg 5,040kg 1,100kg 1,100kg 1,300kg I 1,300kg 1,100kg 1,700kg 1,800kg 1,800kg 2,235x1,465mm 1,865x1,390mm 1,865x1,390mm I 1,395x1,390mm