Next-generation Nissan Navara teased online

NISSAN has posted a teaser image overnight on social media site Instagram of what appears to be the next-generation Navara ute under wraps.

The photo which shows a vehicle covered by a white sheet was posted to Nissan’s official global Instagram account last night with the caption, “There’s a special member of the #Nissan family on the way. Due Date: June 11th”.

The image is almost certainly of the next-gen Navara which is expected to arrive in Australia either towards the end of this year or early in 2015, replacing the 10-year old version currently on sale.

The sheet in the image does little to disguise the new bulky shape of the utility and the LED daytime running lights can be clearly seen skirting the bonnet and bordering the headlights and grille, which will likely be similar to the front treatment of the new Nissan Pathfinder SUV.

For the past two years, Navaras have been built alongside Mitsubishi’s Triton at the Laem Chabang factory in Thailand, however, the construction of a $360 million Nissan plant in Samut Prakarn means the end of the manufacturing relationship between the two Japanese car-makers.

Mitsubishi's ageing Triton ute is also due to be replaced at the end of this year, with either a conventional hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrain expected to be offered 18 months after the launch of the diesel-powered variants.

This next generation Navara will replace the two current models on the market – the D22 which has been around since 1997 and the more modern D40.

Little is known about the twelfth-generation Navara at this stage, but more information about the new version of Nissan's popular workhorse is expected to come to hand soon.

The 4X2 and 4X4 light-commercial utility segment is one of Australia’s biggest selling segments. Nissan sold 861 Navaras in April, with 4x4 versions making up 743 of the total. Toyota remains segment leader with 2574 examples of the Hilux sold in the same month.