ETCM launches 4×2 variant of Nissan Navara
Last week, we told you about the Nissan Navara Calibre, a new 4×2 entry level model of the Nissan Navara pick-up truck. There was no launch event, and we only got to know about it through the Nissan Malaysia Facebook page.
We were planning to give the folks in Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s PR team a friendly ring this morning, but they had already pre-empted us by sending in the official press statement announcing the launch over the weekend. So, the news item was already waiting for us when we got into office.
Dubbed the Nissan Navara Calibre 4×2 Automatic, the new variant comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission and a slightly de-tuned version of the mighty YD25DDTi engine powering existing variants of the Navara.
Don’t be fooled by the ‘de-tuned’ part though. The Navara Calibre still has more than enough to outrun most other pickups in the market. It has 142hp on tap at 4,000rpm, while 356Nm of torque is twisted out at 2,000 revs. Figures for comparison: Mitsubishi Triton 3.2 – 158hp/343Nm, Ford Ranger – 141hp/330Nm, BMW 520d – 177hp/350Nm.
Mated to the engine is a 5-speed automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels. As we noted in our previous article, the gear ratios are identical to the top spec Navara LE auto, but the final drive has been revised from 3.538 in the LE to 3.357 in the Calibre.
We have tested two variants of the Navara, LE auto and SE manual, and found that both seem to have been tuned to greater urban bias rather than outright off-road ability. The Calibre 4×2, with its rear-wheel drive setup and 5-speed auto, seems to be taking this direction further.
In terms of safety, the Navara’s body is designed with what Nissan calls a Zone Body concept, which compartmentalizes the cabin into a Crushable Zone and a Safety Zone that is said to effectively channel collision forces away from its occupants. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) are maintained in the Navara’s list of equipment, although the Limited Slip Differential and dual airbags have been dropped.
“We are confident that the new Navara Calibre 4X2 will receive good response as this new introduction is perfect for those who want a macho pick-up truck with a more affordable price coupled with an even better fuel consumption,” said Dato’ Dr Ang Bon Beng, Executive Director of Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd.
“We also believe that this new variant will attract car buyers who are looking for a good value alternative to a passenger car,” he added.
The Navara Calibre 4X2 is fully imported as a completely built-up unit from Nissan Motor Thailand. It is available in a special Desert Gold colour alongside Supreme Black, Tungsten Silver & Twilight Gray.
The on-the-road price (inclusive of insurance, road tax, registration fee and ownership claim fee) for Peninsular Malaysia starts at RM89,900.00, coming with a 3-year or 100,000 km (whichever comes first) warranty.
Picture: Official ETCM release.
