It looks like the Nissan NV200 is quickly “spreading its seeds” around the world. Following the announcement that GM will sell a rebadged NV200 as a 2015 Chevrolet City Express, the Japanese van will also be the basis of a new vehicle for the Indian market called the Ashok Leyland Stile.
Part of the Hinduja Group, Ashok Leyland developed the vehicle together with the Nissan Motor Company in a joint venture. It will be built by Nissan at its Oragadam plant near Chennai, India.
Offered as a 7 or 8 seater model, the Stile features a slightly different design than the Nissan NV200 – which is also sold in India as a Nissan Evalia. The van has a different fascia with completely new headlights and grille, while at the rear, there’s an identical third brake indicator and similar taillights. On the inside, the Ashok Leyland Stile boasts a familiar interior.
The van is powered by Renault-Nissan’s 1.5-liter diesel engine developing 75 horsepower and 185 Nm (136 lb-ft) of torque. The detuned unit is linked to a five-speed manual gearbox. The Stile will also be offered as a CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) model.
Present at the launch event was Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn who said: “This collaboration has accelerated Ashok Leyland sales and increased Nissan’s economies of scale while providing customers with unique products specifically tailored to Indian preferences. Our partnership with Ashok Leyland is an obvious ‘win-win-win’ for both companies and the consumer.”
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References / Photo Credits: Indianautosblog
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