The Nissan NV200 has long existed as a popular vehicle on sale around the world. But back in 2007, when it was launched at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan designed a special version of the vehicle around Alex’s needs as an underwater photographer.
Alex says “this was always a show car and is not intended for production, although it was a fascinating project to be involved with. You can see my photos in the promotional materials around the car and even on the screens in the car. I took all my camera and diving equipment to the Nissan design studio and the materials and design elements of these definitely impact on the choices around the concept car.” Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer at Nissan said “Nissan prides itself on designing its cars to fulfill the needs and requirements of its customers. For NV200 we have taken that guiding principle quite literally and created a vehicle for one specific customer!”
The NV200 van (without the bespoke underwater photography equipment) went on sale in 2009. In 2010 it won the Institite Of Transport Management’s prestigious Van Of The Year award, drawing particular acclaim for its high level of space, comfort and low emissions. Thanks to its ultra-frugal 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine the thrifty van manages 54mpg while emitting only 137g/km of CO2. By the end of the 2013, the Nissan NV200 reached a milestone of 200,000 sales worldwide, and was sold in over 40 countries. The electric variant, e-NV200, has seen strong performance in Europe, with over 42,000 units sold across Europe as of September 2021. It was the best-selling electric van in Europe in 2016 and in 10 markets in 2018. In the U.S., total sales from 2013 through 2021 amount to approximately 143,739 units.
Text and photos courtesy of Nissan. Click the image for a gallery.