Nissan NA Dealerships for Trucks

Washington DC April 16, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that Nissan North America expects as many as a third of its U.S. dealerships will sell its light-commercial vehicles starting in 2010.

Automotive News reports that Nissan's push into new product fields — which may include delivery trucks, airport shuttle buses and commercial pickups — will require dealers to invest in their stores.

The larger vehicles will require industrial-sized service tools, big-vehicle lifts and, in some cases, bigger service shop doors, says Andy Palmer, Nissan's corporate vice president for light-commercial operations globally.

"Some of our dealers already have the necessary facilities through sales of our competitors' vehicles," Palmer says. He says Nissan will look for 250 to 350 existing retailers to raise their hand for the opportunity, although more will be considered.

Palmer said Nissan's entire global commercial line will be considered for the United States. That portfolio consists of 30 vans and trucks of various sizes, each with a gross vehicle weight of less than 8 tons.