The 'Champion of Africa' is no more. Well, it will be when the last dollied-up 150, complete with some fancy trim and numbered certificates to authenticate their provenance as the last models of a very long line, leave the showroom floors.
Nissan's venerable 1400 bakkie - The Champ, as it became known way back in 1993 as part of one of its many modest makeovers - has been knocked out after a run of nearly 37 years and 275 000 units by the right cross of exhaust legislation.
In its place will come, on October 1 2008, the Nissan NP200 - a bland creation of a "half-ton" truck capable of carrying 800kg over an unusually long wheelbase and with the potential to take Nissan SA into a stratosphere of export trade. Perhaps 60 000 a year to supply Africa and South America - where the NP200 will also be built in Mexico.
It's brought a R1-billion investment to Nissan's plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria to help it take on the well-established Ford Bantam and Corsa bakkies. No pricing is available yet, the only engine certain at the moment is a 64kW/128Nm 1.6 and I was told the bakkie has no connection with the upcoming Sandero entry-level car "except for its throttle cable and its fascia top".
Happily, the NP200's cabin is much bigger than the squash-'em-in one of the 1400; so much bigger, in fact, that you can even recline the two bucket seats. The unit on stage with the 1400 was pretty much a body-in-white; we weren't allowed a close look and most certainly not a drive - much more durability and development work has to be done before launch.
The farewell to The Champ and welcome to the NP200 (hope Nissan comes up with a better name before October!) happened on Thursday afternoon in a tarted-up and blacked-out aircraft hanger at Lanseria airport, north-west of Johannesburg.
Playing for the wake, in a special and rare appearance, were Eddie Eksteen and The Bats, the comedy band that's been around for even longer than The Champ and its forebears.
The Nissan NP200 is a Nissan-engineered product, designed to suit the rigorous demands of the South African market, we were told by Chris Schell, general manager for light commercial at Nissan SA.
"The NP200 will offer the highest levels of reliability and durability and the lowest possible levels of running and repair costs.
It was developed by an international design and engineering team and tailored to South African requirements and will be assembled in Rosslyn, with everything except the gearbox made in SA - which has handled the whole pilot project for the bakkie.
No.1 is a prize
The last 150 of the 1400 bakkie production will be sold with special Heritage Edition badges, bucket seats, nudge and towbars, driving lights but otherwise just as they always were, for R89 100.
No.1 of the series has been set aside as a prize by Nissan SA for the person who writes the best reminiscence story about the Champion of Africa under the theme "Tell Us Your Story " There will be blanket advertising giving details of the competition, including what to do and how to enter.
There's even a special website to which you can upload your stories or send them to Nissan 1400 Bakkie, Private Bag 217 HALFWAY HOUSE 1685.
The iconic Nissan 1400 half-tonner is the longest-serving vehicle in the history of the SA motor industry. "It was the cornerstone on which Nissan's commercial reputation was built in SA," Schell said.
The bakkie had its debut in South Africa in 1971 as the Datsun 1200, evolved into the Datsun 1400 in 1980 and became the Nissan 1400 in 1990. Nissan says their average lifespan was 16 years! "Small-business owners and fleet operators continue to swear by the evergreen 1400 bakkie and were saddened by the news of its farewell," Schell added.
Here are some memorable moments in its life:
1932: First Datsun truck.
1967: First B20 Datsun Sunny truck introduced in Japan.
1971: Datsun 1200 introduced into SA.
1976: Renamed Datsun 120Y.
1980: Datsun 120Y Improved to 1400cc and named Nissan 1400.
1986: Sport and De-Luxe derivatives were introduced.
1989: 100 000 sales achieved.
1990: Introduction to the current Nissan 1400 Standard Bakkie.
1993: Introduction of the Champ derivative.
1995: 150 000 sales celebration.
2004: 250 000 sales celebration.
2008: 275 000 sales - and the final countdown.
2008: Nissan 1400 farewell event/Heritage Edition.