The head of Nissan in Australia says he is “constantly” pushing for “alternative”, more powerful engine options for the Navara bakkie.

The Navara is currently offered with a 2,3-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine worth 140 kW and 450 N.m.

Speaking to CarsGuide, Nissan Australia managing director Stephen Lester said he “love to see” another engine slotted into the Navara.

“We’re going to constantly put up our hands for any alternative engines that provide more torque and more horsepower,” he told the publication.

“While we don’t feel like we’ve compromised in any way with the current Navara, as much as the next petrol-head, I’d love to see some of the other engine offerings that we’ve got make it into a Navara and see what happens."

Lester added he would “continue to poke and prod and encourage” the Japanese firm’s head office to create a more powerful Navara.

A report from early in June 2020 suggested a thoroughly facelifted Navara would be on the market before the end of the year. A little while thereafter, a rumour suggested the next-generation Navara was “all but guaranteed” to be offered with a hybrid powertrain.

In April 2019, Nissan South Africa announced it would begin building the Navara bakkie for local and export markets at its Rosslyn plant in Pretoria at some point in 2020 (it's not yet clear what sort of impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on Nissan SA's production planning).

The fresh R3-billion investment will see the Navara added to the production line alongside the NP300 Hardbody and half-tonne NP200, with more volume likely coming South Africa’s way thanks to Nissan's decision to close its Barcelona plant (which also builds the Navara) in the near future.

Original article from Car