The Interstar boasts the biggest volume in its class and is powered by a state-of-the-art common rail turbo diesel engine coupled to a six-speed gearbox.

But the brightest sparkle, according to the manufacturer, is the Interstar'svalue for money which makes it a business partner with excellent productivity.

"The Interstar is a high performance stylish tool for efficient delivery that provides peace of mind reliability and highly competitive cost of ownership," says Gerhard Fourie, Nissan SA's general manager for product marketing.

"The Interstart has leading cargo capacity, can handle anything, is designed to meet any requirements and boasts unrivalled performance, style and efficiency," says Fourie.

Features of the new panel van include ABS and air bag protection, three-point inertia seat belts for the driver and both occupants of the front twin bench seat, head rests for all occupants and air conditioning as standard.

The big cargo volume, combined with the Interstar's low and flat cabin floor and huge cargo doors, permits standard-sized pallet to be loaded directly into the vehicle by forklift.

Two models are being made available from October, a standard roof medium wheelbase version and a high roof long wheelbase unit. Volume capacities are 10,8 and 13,9 cubic metres respectively, and interior heights of 1,9 m and 2,1 m allow workers to stand up inside.

Cargo can be stacked from the floor to the roof, held in place using nets anchored to any combination of up to eight points. The load floor has an anti-skid rubberised coating.

The cabin itself is nothing short of an "office on wheels". A dash-mounted gear lever gives more legroom for the driver and middle-seat passenger, and ample storage spaces for maps, delivery notes, route schedules and cold drinks are found all over the cabin, allowing a relaxed office atmosphere. According to Nissan SA even the fully adjustable driver's seat "redefines comfort" thanks to integrated arm rests than can be folded down for long-distance comfort, or completely out of the way for easy access.

Service intervals for the new Interstar are 15?000 km with a three year/100?000 km warranty.