Nissan South Africa has kicked off 2012 with quite a bang. with the company's smallest bakkie, the Nissan NP200, posting record sales volumes and substantial market share.

The recently expanded NP200 range found favour with a record number of buyers last month, with the competitively priced entry level 1.6 Base proving the most appealing for new owners.

The high January volumes have translated into a mammoth 45.1% market share for Nissan in the sub-one-ton, LCV segment, cementing the NP200 as the new class leader.

This is the first time the brand has enjoyed majority market share since November 2001, in the hey-day of the legendary Nissan 1400 bakkie.

In the same vein as the tough-as-nails Nissan 1400 bakkie - which sold a whopping 275000 units in SA in nearly 40 years on sale - the NP200 is clearly a new "champ" in a modern market.

The Nissan NP200 is available in seven different model guises, with a choice of petrol or diesel power.

With a payload of 800kg and a deep load box (535mm), the Nissan NP200 is exceptionally practical. The range starts with the 1.6 Base - at R115300 - and ends with the 1.5 dCi High at R188100, and all models benefit from a class-leading six-year/150000km warranty.