PODCAST: Chery bakkie might be key to Nissan plant takeover

The news that Chery will acquire Nissan’s Rosslyn assembly plant has led to speculation that the Chinese carmaker could soon build its first bakkie at the factory. The Chery bakkie, under the Himla nomenclature, made its global debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in April last year. After initially indicating that this version will only be for its local market, Chery made a U-turn in October by saying this bakkie will be exported after all.

The Beijing Auto Show coming up in April is likely to give a clearer indication of what to expect as the bakkie. It is likely to look different from the Himla showcased in Wuhu, China in April and October last year. In this week’s episode ofThe Citizen Motoring‘sPitstoppodcast, we discuss Chery’s takeover of the Nissan plant.

And look at the prospects of the Chery bakkie being built there. Nissan started building vehicles in Rosslyn around 60 years ago. It receiveda R3-billion upgradetowards the end of the previous decade to gear up for the Nissan Navara.

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Navara is the only vehicle left on the production line after the discontinuation of the NP200 was discontinued in 2023. It was announced in January that Chery SA will purchase the land, buildings and associated assets of the Nissan facilities, including of its nearby stamping plant, in mid-2026.The fact that these facilities already cater for double cabs makes the prospect of Chery building its bakkies there a viable option. Nissan will continue to offer vehicles and services to customers in South Africa, albeit as a full-on importer. New vehicle launches planned for 2026 includesthe Nissan Tektonand Nissan Patrol.

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