It’s taken 15 years, but finally the original Accolade has been replaced… By something even more worthy of the name, and with standard AWD to boot!
Also, will the six-speed gearbox from the Accolade Sport find its way into the Stria, which deserves it just as much as the Accolade?
April 13, 1999 - We’re here at the 1999 North Gasmean International Auto Show!
As we celebrate 50 years of Nassau vehicles, we’re ensuring that we have the most modern and most desirable lineup available.
1998 saw the release of the new Nifty and Tango small cars. We’ve already unveiled the 2000 Accolade. Now we’re here today to debut more new models that are key to our lineup.
Introduced in 1992, the Nassau Overland quickly became one of the staples of the minivan/MPV market. In seven model years, through 1998, nearly 2 million Overland vans have hit the streets. But, like our Accolade sedan, the current Overland has been passed over by its competition. So we’ve decided to return the favor and blow the competition out of the water by introducing the 2000 Nassau Overland!
We went back to the drawing board for the new Overland and redesigned it from the ground up. The new van has been re-proportioned. The Overland S for 2000 rides the same 110" wheelbase as the previous model, so you get the same amount of interior space; however we’ve moved the front wheels forward, eliminating the large front overhang to make the new model more maneuverable in tight spaces.
Outside, the standard Overland S comes with 15" steel wheels. These cover 4 wheel anti lock disc brakes that are ventilated for increased stopping power. The Overland S is also equipped with a new Electronic Stability Control system.
Inside, you’ll find a well appointed cloth interior with seating for 5. Standard trim includes a Nassau cassette player. Safety is paramount with the Overland and it features one of the most advanced safety systems on the market.
All Overland vans have been upgraded in the power department. Engine size has been decreased from 3.3L to 3.2L, but power has now increased to 170hp. This is thanks to the new, all aluminum Nassau E32-6V engine.
This DOHC V6 engine features VVT technology, allowing the Overland to be one of the most fuel efficient vans on the market. In the Overland S trim, power is delivered to the front wheels via a 5 speed automatic transaxle.
Now, while the Overland S has typically been our top seller, many people feel they need a bigger option. So for 2000, we present the all new Overland XL.
The Overland XL adds nearly a foot to the length of the van, allowing for greatly increased cargo capacity. Upgrading to the Overland XL adds plenty of great features. Outside, a revised front fascia with fog lights and a chrome trimmed rear tailgate add to the already great looks of the new van. Wheels are upgraded to 16" alloys.
Inside, you’ll find a premium leather interior with seating for 5. We’ve replaced the standard cassette deck with a Nassau Hi-Fi CD player with 7 speaker surround sound.
The Overland XL utilizes the same powertrain as the standard model.
For its first seven years, the flagship model of the Overland lineup has been the Overland XL AWD. The buying public loved the option of all wheel drive on their minivan. Recently, some of our competitors have begun adding the option to their new models, showing how far ahead of the curve Nassau is in the minivan market. In order to stay at the top of the game, we’re proud to introduce the 2000 Nassau Overland XL AWD.
Like the previous generation, the Overland XL AWD is virtually identical to the standard Overland XL. However, power is now supplied to all four wheels via a 5 speed manual transaxle.
Pricing for the 2000 Overland lineup will be announced later this year.
April 14, 1999 - Welcome to day two of the North Gasmean International Auto Show!
Yesterday, we unveiled our new Overland minivan lineup. At Nassau we’re not done. We’ve got our foot hard down on the throttle. As we celebrate 50 years, we’re busy revitalizing our entire lineup.
The subject today is our Hornet sport compact. Introduced for the 1995 model year, the Hornet has been one of our most surprising successes. For 2000, we had our engineers completely re-invent our coupe and here’s what they’ve come up with. Here is the 2000 Nassau Hornet S.
The Hornet S for 2000 is better than the outgoing model in every measurable way. Wheelbase has been increased by 1", but overall length has decreased by 4". We’ve also cut nearly 200 pounds from the curb weight. This means that the new car is faster to 60mph (7.3s vs 7.6s), faster through the quarter mile (15.4 vs. 15.8), has a higher top speed (144 vs. 140), and gets better mileage (27.3mpg vs. 25mpg).
Outside, the Hornet S features revised, contemporary styling. Wheels are 16" steel units. The Hornet features ventilated front brake discs, with solid discs in the rear and standard ABS.
Inside, you’re greeted by a standard cloth interior and a Nassau cassette deck.
Power is supplied by the all new Nassau F30-6I V6 engine.
This is the first in Nassau’s F series of V6 engines, which utilize an aluminum/silicon block and heads. This DOHC unit produces 174hp and 186ft-lbs of torque, which improves on the D series engine in the current model. Power is directed to the front wheels via a 5 speed manual transaxle.
We’ve also had our engineers completely re-work the Hornet XF for 2000. Currently, the top of the line model is actually slower than the base model. For the second generation, that will no longer be the case.
The new Hornet XF features all of the bells and whistles of the current model. Outside, a revised front fascia with fog lights and a chin spoiler show that the new Hornet XF means business. In the back, you get a rear spoiler added. In between are 17" alloy wheels, draped over 4 wheel anti lock disc brakes that are ventilated up front.
Inside, you’re surrounded by a premium leather interior with full instrumentation and a Nassau Hi-Fi CD player.
However, the big news is under the hood.
For 2000, the Hornet S and Hornet XF no longer share the same engine. For the Hornet XF, we’ve completely revised the F30-6I and created the F30-6P powerplant.
We’ve added a performance intake, revised the camshaft profiles, forged the internals, and added dual exhausts. This allows the 3.0L V6 to produce 202hp and 200ft-lbs of torque. This also makes the Hornet XF an even better performer, with a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds and a quarter mile time of just over 15 at just under 100mph.
So in conclusion, for 2000 the Hornet gets serious. Pricing will be announced later this year.
It’s odd that the new Hornet and Accolade use the same body (specifically, the smaller version of the A4 body, with the Hornet having just two doors instead of four), so why not just offer AWD on the former, or offer the Accolade as a coupe? Wouldn’t either of those make more sense?
The Hornet and Accolade use a similar* body, but a completely different chassis underneath. The best real world equivalent I can come up with is the early 2000s Dodge Stratus Coupe and sedan. While the cars were similarly styled, the coupe was based on the 3rd generation Mitsubishi Eclipse and the sedan was the 2nd generation Chrysler cloud car platform.
The chassis underpinning the Accolade is made of corrosion resistant steel and uses double wishbones in the front and back. This is an all new Nassau platform. The Hornet uses a 2nd generation version of the chassis underpinning the original coupe, with MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones in the rear. This is also one of our first models to utilize AHS steel in the chassis. In company lore, this platform is not suitable for all wheel drive.
There will be no coupe version of the Accolade or sedan version of the Hornet because as stated before, the mission of each car is different. The Nassau performance model hierarchy is as follows.
The Tango XF coupe, our entry level, cheap, fun compact. The only real performance options are a manual transmission and slightly stiffer suspension. It differs from the regular model by adding ground effects and larger wheels. The engine is not bespoke to this car and is just the larger of the 2 engine options available.
The Hornet XF. Cheap, but not as cheap as the Tango. Utilizes a slightly updated version of an older chassis to keep costs down. Engine is a 3.0L V6 using an AlSi block and heads to keep costs low. This car is aimed at the lower end of the pony/sports car market. Comes in lower and higher trimmed versions.
The Accolade Sport. Our premium sedan and performance king of our regular cars. More costly than the Hornet. Only available with high end options and an all aluminum 3.2L V6.
The Stria. All out performance coupe/convertible with an all-aluminum turbo V6. Our most expensive car.
I must dissagree with that. Fruinia is based in the European market, and thus a manual transmission shouldn’t be a performance option, but the standard.
True. While we are a Fruinian company, we focus on Gasmea as our primary market because it’s where we sell the most cars.
The Tango XF is marketed as a budget performer in both markets, though slightly differently. In Gasmea, the manual transmission is part of that marketing, along with the larger wheels, tighter suspension, and appearance package. In Fruinia, we also focus on the wheels, suspension, and appearance. The transmission is mentioned, but we focus more on the 2.2L engine, which is one of the larger engines available in the class.
June 14, 1999 - Nassau has announced pricing on our three new models available for the 2000 model year.
July 28, 1999 - The Nassau Motor Company has announced that following the conclusion 1999 Fruinian Touring Car Championship season, we will be withdrawing from the series. 1999 will be our 36th and final season.
Over the course of those 36 seasons, Nassau has won 145 races and 9 series championships.
Nassau began racing in the FTCC series in 1964 with the Nassau Bahama coupe. Following that season, our engineers restyled the front of the Bahama to improve aerodynamics and created the Bahama NP, which competed from 1965-1969.
1964 Bahama
1965 - 1969 Bahama NP
For 1970, we entered our brand new Raider NP coupe into competition. We dominated the series, winning 16 of the 20 races and the series championship. Following the 1970 season, 8 cylinder engines were barred from competition, forcing us to return to a revised Bahama NP coupe for 1971. We found success again in 1972 and 1973, winning 18 races and back to back championships.
1970 Raider NP
1971 - 1973 Bahama NP
The Raider nameplate returned to competition in 1974. The straight 6 powered Raider SE was our entry from 1974 through 1977. Unfortunately we found little success with the new car, winning just 2 races over the next 4 years.
1974 - 1977 Raider SE
In 1978 new rules were enacted, limiting engines to 4 cylinders. Luckily we at Nassau were ready for this and entered our 2 door Tango Turismo hatchback into competition. What we weren’t ready for was how much of a step the competition had on us in the development of 4 cylinder engines. We raced the Tango Turismo for 6 seasons between 1978 and 1983 and recorded just 3 victories.
1978 - 1983 Tango Turismo
We got back to the winners’ circle in 1984 when we introduced our all new Nassau Laguna Turbo model. There were some growing pains, as this was our first turbocharged car. We won 1 race in 1984.
1984 - 1988 Laguna Turbo
Our biggest sustained period of success came from 1985 through 1992 with the Nassau Laguna Turbo and later, the Nassau Laguna NP. Over this 8 year stretch, we recorded 84 victories and 6 series championships.
1989 - 1993 Laguna NP
The Laguna NP soldiered on through 1993, winning 6 more races. Due to minimum production requirements, the Laguna Turbo returned for the 1994 season and won 4 more races.
1994 Laguna Turbo
The end of production for our Laguna hatchback meant we had to switch models for the 1995 season. We entered our Tango XF coupe. The Tango XF was never designed with racing in mind and we won just 2 races from 1995 through 1996. The Tango XF continued on as it was our only model to meet series requirements. After going winless in 1997 and 1998 many of our teams left for other automakers.
1995 - 1997 Tango XF
Currently winless in 1999 and with only a factory supported 2 car team, Nassau has made the hard decision to withdraw from the series following the current season.
1998 - 1999 Tango XF
So this truly is the end of Nassau’s racing heritage. Unless, of course, the Stria can be entered into a GT category of some sort - but will it happen? Probably never, but it would be a great shame if Nassau disappeared from the racetracks of the world for good, and the only way to avoid that would be with a racing version of the Stria.
August 25, 1999 - The final 1999 Nassau Overland XL AWD has been sold. Let’s take a look back at the all wheel drive, extended version of our minivan.
Introduced in 1991 for the 1992 model year, the Nassau Overland XL AWD was our flagship minivan. This was our first vehicle equipped with all wheel drive. With the 3.3L V6 under the hood, the Overland XL AWD helped establish Nassau as one of the key players in the minivan market. The top of the line model was typically our best selling and had its best year in 1997. That was the only year that over 100k all wheel drive models were sold.
Due to the aging styling and increased competition, the first generation Overland is being retired and will be replaced by a new model next year.
Overland XL AWD Sales
1992: 37,827
1993: 52,359
1994: 61,296
1995: 76,770
1996: 87,302
1997: 102,550
1998: 93,991
1999: 55,239
Total: 567,334
September 28, 1999 - The final 1999 Nassau Accolade Estate has been sold.
Introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year, the 2nd generation Accolade Estate built on the success of the 1st generation. From 1984 - 1989, the wagon version had been our best selling Accolade model. That didn’t change for the 2nd generation. With the exception of 1993 - 1994, the Accolade Estate was our best selling midsize model.
With a 150hp 3.0L V6 under the hood, the Accolade Estate established itself as one of the cornerstones of the midsize market. As time moved on and styles changed, sales began to fall. Originally slated to be replaced in the mid 90s, the Accolade soldiered on. With a replacement finally ready to go to market, the 2nd generation comes to a close.
Accolade Estate Sales
1990: 77,800
1991: 82,658
1992: 38,936
1993: 28,961
1994: 30,883
1995: 29,367
1996: 27,223
1997: 45,684
1998: 39,480
1999: 31,219
Total: 432,211
October 30, 1999 - Nassau has sold the final 1999 Nassau Accolade SE, Overland S, and Overland XL. Let’s take a look back at these three models.
The 1990 - 1999 Accolade SE was the “base” model of our midsize sedan. While this was the entry level model, it still came standard with a premium leather interior and a DOHC V6 engine. Sales were initially strong, but began to fall after 1991. After a brief uptick in 1997, sales hovered around the 20k mark. The Accolade SE is being dropped for the 3rd generation model, as the Estate will be the new entry level car.
Accolade SE Sales
1990: 58,607
1991: 63,547
1992: 29,753
1993: 21,435
1994: 23,836
1995: 19,515
1996: 18,725
1997: 31,510
1998: 22,759
1999: 20,946
Total: 310,633
The 1992 - 1999 Nassau Overland S was our entry level and best selling minivan. Equipped with a standard cloth interior and the same 3.3L V6 from the higher trimmed models, the Overland S helped establish Nassau in the minivan market.
Sales rose continuously until 1997 and then began to taper off, as new and more advanced models began to roll out from competitors. The 2nd generation Overland goes on sale for the 2000 model year.
Overland S Sales
1992: 95,295
1993: 116,504
1994: 126,996
1995: 123,056
1996: 144,506
1997: 183,415
1998: 147,685
1999: 104,002
Total: 1,041,459
The 1992 - 1999 Overland XL was our mid-range minivan. This, along with the all wheel drive model, were longer than the base model, which allowed for more cargo space. Throughout its life, the Overland XL was typically our lowest selling van, though it still brought in more sales than our midsize sedans.
Overland XL Sales
1992: 27,753
1993: 34,129
1994: 40,955
1995: 47,703
1996: 59,868
1997: 77,444
1998: 66,073
1999: 51,425
Total: 405,350
November 29, 1999 - The final 1999 Nassau Hornet XF has been sold.
The Nassau Hornet XF was introduced in 1994 for the 1995 model year. Taking over for the Laguna, the Hornet ditched the 4 cylinder turbo for V6 power.
Sales were strong for each of the 5 model years. In order to keep up with the competition, the Hornet XF is being replaced by a 2nd generation model for 2000.
Hornet XF Sales
1995: 47,818
1996: 50,129
1997: 57,739
1998: 48,132
1999: 41,354
Total: 245,172
December 28, 1999 - The final 1999 Nassau Hornet S, Accolade Sport, and Accolade Elite have been sold.
The Hornet S was the base model of our compact sport coupe. Introduced in 1995, this was predicted to be the volume model for our sports car. Interestingly, the more expensive Hornet XF managed to outsell it every single year. For the 2000 model, there will be more distinction between the two trims, with each getting a different engine.
Hornet S Sales
1995: 37,567
1996: 41,438
1997: 50,537
1998: 46,308
1999: 38,567
Total: 214,417
The 1990 - 1999 Nassau Accolade Sport was our performance midsize sedan. Powered by a 232hp 3.3L V6, the Accolade Sport was our quickest model produced since the end of the muscle car era and helped establish Nassau as a player in the midsize market. An all new all wheel drive model takes over in 2000.
Accolade Sport Sales
1990: 19,825
1991: 22,181
1992: 28,476
1993: 30,160
1994: 31,233
1995: 22,969
1996: 21,991
1997: 16,169
1998: 12,506
1999: 10,101
Total: 215,611
The Accolade Elite was introduced with the sedan’s 2nd generation in 1990. While the Accolade was already a premium sedan, the Elite model was aimed squarely at the luxury market. Overall, the plan succeeded.
Sales rose and fell as the economy gained its footing during the 1990s and the car had its best year in 1997, when over 30k were sold.
Accolade Elite Sales
1990: 23,336
1991: 25,584
1992: 18,163
1993: 20,367
1994: 24,047
1995: 24,670
1996: 27,029
1997: 30,652
1998: 24,448
1999: 23,034
Total: 241,330
And thus ends another decade of sales successes for Nassau. Yes, the Accolade overstayed its welcome, but it delivered on its promises throughout its lifespan. And for rear-drive fans lamenting the loss of the Raider, there’s always the mid-engined, turbocharged Stria…
January 5, 2000 - The world has not ended. Y2K turned out to not be a problem at all. Things are good. Nassau is rolling along and now has three new models on sale. With the exception of the Stria and the NT100 Redwood and Provo XL, our entire lineup is now less than 3 years old. We’ve gone modern overnight.
But first, let’s look back at our final year in motorsports.
Motorsports Review
Fruinian Touring Car Championship
Another hotly contested year comes to a close. This time it was former Nassau driver Anton Gustav taking home his 4th career championship in a Blake B2400.
Nassau’s final campaign was no different than the previous few years as we failed to reach victory lane. With the end of the 1999, 36 years of Nassau racing comes to an end.
FTCC Final Standings:
10th - Thom Franklin (Nassau Performance)
15th - Max Browne (Nassau Performance)
Sales Review
After 3 years of sales over 1 million units, we dropped back to the 900k range as we saw inventories of our Overland, Accolade, and Hornet dry up. Luckily, we were better prepared for this than we were in 1997 and the drop wasn’t quite as abrupt.
We managed to stay above the 70k/month sales number until December, when inventories on all three cars had been cleared.
After nearly 6 years of constant gains, we saw a small downturn in the economy this year. Nassau has created a very diverse lineup and we are now no longer worried about the ebb and flow of the economy. Our cars range from cheap compacts to expensive exotics and everything in between.
For the 1999 model year, Nassau recorded 969,068 sales. This was down 125k from last year. With tooling complete for our new models, we expect to have a big year in 2000.
612,820 - Gasmea (-13%) - Top Seller: Tango R
253,715 - Fruinia (-9%) - Top Seller: Tango R
102,533 - Archana (-9%) - Top Seller: Tango S
Sales were hardest hit in Gasmea, as they are the primary market for all three models we’re replacing. Since Fruinia and Archana are more focused on our smaller cars, sales didn’t fall quite as much.
Sales for the Nifty S fell slightly in its second model year. We finished 1999 with 108,986 units sold.
The slight loss in sales for the Nifty S was made up for by an increase in sales for our Tango lineup. The three Tango models combined for 359,280 sales.
The biggest increase was seen by the base Tango S sedan. Total sales this year were up to 102,173.
The volume model, the Tango R wagon had a very slight increase as well, up to 228,594 units.
The 2nd generation Tango XF continues to be more popular than the 1st generation model, selling 28,513 units this year.
The final year for the 1st generation Hornet saw sales fall, but this was more due to lack of inventory than an outdated vehicle. Sales this year finished at 79,921 units.
The Hornet S dropped below 40k for just the 2nd time in its model run, finishing with 38,567 sold.
The Hornet XF ended with 41,354 units sold.
The final year for the 2nd generation Accolade saw sales fall to their lowest number since 1989, the final year for the 1st generation of the car. Total sales for 1999 were 85,300.
The Accolade SE sold 20,946 in its final model year.
The Accolade Estate, which is being replaced next year, was the top seller. We sold 31,219.
The Accolade Sport saw its sales decline continue, as numbers are now half of what they were just 3 years ago. The 1999 model recorded 10,101 sales.
The Accolade Elite didn’t see quite the sales drop as the other models. Perhaps this car was so ahead of its time in 1990, that it’s still at least on par with the competition 10 years later. We sold 23,034.
Sales for our Stria sports car took a dive for the first time. For a car as advanced as it was when it hit the market, it’s concerning to see sales drop this much this quickly. We sold just 6,414 this year.
The Stria S, which we expected to be the sales leader, continues to struggle. We barely broke the 1k mark for 1999, selling 1,090 units. This was thanks in large part to a 10% price drop.
The Stria C convertible saw sales fall as well, though not as sharply. We sold 5,324.
Sales of our NT100 chassis remained flat this year. A small decline for the Redwood pickup was offset be gains by the Provo XL SUV. Total sales were 118,501.
The Redwood fell slightly to 33,170 units.
The Provo XL is starting to become very popular, despite mediocre reviews. Sales increased to 85,331 units.
Sales of the Overland lineup fell as inventories dried up and customers began waiting for the new model. Total sales across the line reached 210,666 units.
The Overland S sold 104,002 units.
The larger Overland XL didn’t see quite as much of a drop, selling 51,425 units.
The flagship Overland XL AWD sold 55,239 in the final year of the 1st generation.
Sales Breakdown
228,594 - Tango R (Even)
108,986 - Nifty S (-4%)
104,002 - Overland S (-30%)
102,173 - Tango S (+7%)
85,331 - Provo XL (+2%)
55,239 - Overland XL AWD (-41%)
51,425 - Overland XL (-22%)
41,354 - Hornet XF (-14%)
38,567 - Hornet S (-17%)
33,170 - Redwood (-2%)
31,219 - Accolade Estate (-21%)
28,513 - Tango XF (+3%)
23,034 - Accolade Elite (-6%)
20,946 - Accolade SE (-8%)
10,101 - Accolade Sport (-19%)
5,324 - Stria C (-30%)
1,090 - Stria S (-70%)
January 7, 2000 - We’ve finally received a slightly delayed January issue of EngineFad magazine.
The cover story is a feature on the all new Volante Vera V12 supercar. The all wheel drive, mid engined Vera has been officially verified to have a top speed of 240mph, making it the world’s fastest production car.
There is a comparison test between this year’s mid size sedan offerings. Coming out on top was the new for 2000 Whitaker Gazelle. Our Accolade finished 2nd in the comparison, due mainly to its higher cost.
ZAC has released their new C Series luxury coupe and sedan. This is the first new car released by the company since the completion of their merger with Albright Motors.
Lutz had a tough year in 1999 as they saw profits shrink considerably. The company is being hurt by their lack of ability to field a competitive minivan. Increased competition in the pickup market has also affected their bottom line.
The big news from this issue for Nassau is that we apparently have a mole. There is an article with an interview from an “unidentified insider” at Nassau regarding our Stria sports car.
Per the article, the huge decrease in sales last year has caused a planned update to the car to be cancelled. A heavily revised Stria was originally planned for a debut at the 2000 Fruinian Motor Show in February, featuring a 6 speed manual transmission and with a larger twin turbo V6 displacing 4 liters. However, cost overruns doomed the project from the start. Originally only supposed to be a new engine and transmission, the decision was made to switch to an AHS steel chassis. The new, lighter chassis required big changes to the suspension. Interior changes were then also added to keep up with the new competition.
That would have been fine on its own, but after seeing sales of the car plummet in 1999, our accountants came to the conclusion that there would be no possible way to make a profit on the new car. The current plan is to keep producing the current Stria for another 2 or 3 years, with no replacement currently planned.
Axing the Stria - the last-ever RWD Nassau by 2000 - makes sound financial sense but would deprive the brand of a flagship halo model line, although the high-performance trims of the Hornet and Accolade will still keep enthusiasts from being left in the lurch. But ultimately, we will be sad to see the Stria go - it was, and still is, the only mid-engined Nassau for now; even so, it seems to be getting long in the tooth as it nears the end of its lifespan.
As for cars from brands other than Nassau that were featured in this thread… Atlas/Albright seems to be based on the Chrysler group (hence their flagship, the Ace, closely resembling a first-gen Viper, which was featured in the TV series of the same name, and most likely inspired Aces High), Lutz is similar to Ford (which explains why the Stallion is equivalent to the Mustang), Whitaker is somewhat inspired by General Motors, and ZAC’s merger with Albright echoes Mercedes buying Chrysler back in '99. Is this reference deliberate, or purely coincidental?
The Stria will continue on for another 2 - 3 years, but after that there are no plans for a new model. The problem with upgrading the current model became cost. It started with just a new transmission. Then it was decided the car needed more power to continue to compete, so a slightly larger (4.0L) V6. Then the advent of AHS steel meant we could have a lighter, stiffer chassis. Then if you’re doing all of this, you might as well upgrade the interior too. So a small planned upgrade of the transmission turned into a financial nightmare and ultimately led to the cancellation of the project.
As for the other car makers in this thread, yes, they are based on real automakers. In reality, some of Nassau’s stuff is based on Chryslers of the past. Albright Motors is based fully on Chrysler with Atlas being their Dodge brand. Lutz is Ford and Whitaker is General Motors, more specifically Chevrolet. ZAC is Mercedes based as well. I’ve thrown a couple other small automakers in there as well. Viking is based on Volvo. The other makers, such as McNamara, Blake, Martini, and Volante are kind of wild cards and not specifically based on a single brand.
April 11, 2000 - Welcome to the North Gasmean International Auto Show! With all of the new models we’ve unveiled recently, you may be surprised to see a presentation from Nassau here in Detroit. While it’s true that just 3 years ago, we debuted a revamped compact and subcompact car line, last year we introduced a new compact coupe, midsize sedan, and minivan; there is another model we have to address.
Recently, we’ve found great success with our NT100 chassis Provo XL SUV and Redwood pickup. However, as competition increases and we receive feedback from customers, we’ve decided to make some changes to our lineup. We’re here today to show those changes to the public.
We’ll start with our mid-size pickup truck. Production on our Redwood pickup will end after the 2000 model year and taking its place will be our completely revamped Nassau Nevada pickup. The changes for the new Nevada start with the chassis. Our new pickup will be made with AHS steel, allowing for a bigger payload and towing capacity. New, cleaner front end styling makes the Nevada one of the most handsome pickups on the market.
Inside, the admittedly spartan interior of the Redwood gives way to a much improved Nevada. We concentrated on making our pickup a nice place to be. The results are a standard cloth interior with seats that feature more padding than the outgoing model, as well as a much more ergonomically designed dashboard.
We’ve also replaced the automatic transmission with a new 5 speed gearbox with overdrive. We’ve also made some changes under the hood.
For the first time in nearly 20 years, we’ll be selling a Nassau vehicle with V8 power! The Nassau C51-8I is a 5.1L iron block, AlSi head, 32 valve V8 engine which produces 267hp and 301 ft lbs of torque. This makes it much more powerful than the 4.0L V6 in the previous pickup. It’s also more efficient, returning over 14mpg.
Our Nevada pickup now offers compact size with full size performance.
But let’s say you’re in the market for a pickup truck, but don’t want it just for work. You want a family vehicle that can haul big loads and big items on the weekends but can also be a comfortable daily driver for the commute to work. Well, Nassau has you covered with an all new vehicle. Presenting the 2001 Nassau Nevada Sport!
The Nassau Nevada Sport is the ultimate sport utility vehicle. Featuring a quad cab design with 4 doors, the Nevada Sport seats 5 in comfort. The rear doors of the cab open toward the rear, allowing for easier entry and exit in tight parking spaces.
Inside, the interior is the same as the standard Nevada pickup, though the cassette player has been replaced with a Nassau Hi-Fi CD player. Powertrain options are the same as the standard pickup.
In recent years, the Provo XL has proven to be a big hit for Nassau. But even as popular as our premium SUV has been, it has received its fair share of criticism. Much of that criticism has been the styling - that we didn’t differentiate it from our pickup trucks enough. We’ve sent the Provo XL back to the drawing board as well and we’re now ready to show what we’ve come up with.
The 2001 Nassau Provo XL! We’ve dramatically changed the styling for the new model, going with a slotted grille design. This allows us to separate the premium Provo XL from the standard Nevada.
Inside, the revamped interior design makes its way to the Provo XL, though cloth has been replaced by leather and black plastic with wood grain. The Provo XL still seats 5, just like the current model. We have revamped the sound system. We’ve taken the Nassau Hi-Fi CD player found in the Nevada Sport and added a 6 speaker surround sound system with an equalizer.
Power is provided by the Nassau C51-8I V8, adding to the premium feel of this vehicle. However, in this application, the engine is mated to a 5 speed automatic transmission.
All three of our new vehicles will go on sale for the 2001 model year. Pricing will be announced later.
Nice to hear that you have brought back the V8 in your lineup. With a little tuning, that engine could be an ideal choice for a reborn rear-drive Raider - if you ever decide to bring the nameplate back.
September 1, 2000 - We have announced pricing for our new NT150 trucks.
October 30, 2000 - We have sold the final 2000 Nassau Redwood pickup truck. Let’s take a look back at our first real entry into the pickup market.
The Nassau Redwood debuted in 1995 for the 1996 model year. This was the 3rd pickup truck to be produced by Nassau, following the 1979 - 1981 Runabout and the 1989 - 1996 Bandito Pickup. However, for the Redwood, we went all out, developing this as a pickup from the start.
Powered by a heavy duty 4.0L V6 engine, which produced 201hp, the mid-size pickup actually bested much of its competition.
Sales were steady over the life of the truck, reaching their peak in 1998 when we sold nearly 34k. The Redwood is being replaced by the Nevada pickup for 2001, which rides on a new, stronger version of the same chassis and has a more powerful V8 engine.
Redwood Sales
1996: 27,786
1997: 32,256
1998: 33,980
1999: 33,170
2000: 27,079
Total: 154,271
November 8, 2000 - We have sold the final first generation Nassau Provo XL SUV. Let’s take a look back at our premium mid-sizer.
The Nassau Provo XL debuted along with its platform mate in 1995 and went on sale in 1996.
Sales were initially good, but would skyrocket over the next few years. They peaked in 1999, when 85,331 Provo XL SUVs were sold. From reviews and customer feedback, we determined that the SUV didn’t differentiate itself enough from our pickup. The work-grade image of our truck hurt the premium image we were going for with the Provo XL. For the new model debuting in 2001, we’ve tried to make the vehicles appear as differently as possible.
Provo XL Sales
1996: 58,664
1997: 75,078
1998: 83,340
1999: 85,331
2000: 53,325
Total: 355,738
January 3, 2001 - 2001. This year, we finish our most recent cycle of vehicle updates that started in 1997 with the Nifty. With our new NT150 trucks going on sale, our engineers will have at least some time to relax until we call upon them again.
Our reputation dropped slightly this year as we did see some issues with early production models of the new Accolade and its all aluminum V6. Prestige increased quite a bit with the new models. This year we pulled in a profit of $1.7 billion.
Numbers are down from our best year ever in 1996, but remain pretty steady over the course of 12 months. The only dip is from running out of our NT100 trucks in October.
We saw the economy take a bit of a slide this year, which probably hurt sales of our new Accolade sedan. We’re hopeful of a quick recovery.
For 2000, Nassau recorded 950,527 sales, down nearly 20k from the previous year. New models gaining traction more slowly than expected and a lack of truck inventory are the primary causes for the drop.
605,092 - Gasmea (-1%) - Top Seller: Overland S
255,708 - Fruinia (+1%) - Top Seller: Tango R
89,727 - Archana (-12%) - Top Seller: Tango S
Sales in Gasmea were most affected by the lack of trucks, though our new minivans have proven to be a big hit. It appears as though Gasmean families are no longer interested in smaller cars, as Tango sales dropped. Fruinian sales rose slightly thanks to the new Overland, which nearly doubled the sales of its predecessor. Archanan sales fell flat, thanks in part to our Accolade now requiring premium fuel for trims above the estate model.
Sales of the Nifty S remained flat from the previous year, coming in at a total of 108,076.
The 3rd year of our 4th generation Tango saw sales fall across all three model lines. Sales for all models totaled 283,173.
The base Tango S sedan recorded 94,624 sales.
The volume model, the Tango R wagon saw sales fall to 162,766 units.
The Tango XF continues to be successful. Sales fell, but not as much as other models. Total sold for 2000 was 25,783.
The new Hornet was a bit of a surprise. Better than the outgoing model in every measurable way, the new model fell flat in the market, selling just 53,385 total units.
The base Hornet S is where we lost most of our sales, coming in with just 19,687 sold.
The Hornet XF struggled as well, selling just 33,698 units.
The new Accolade was a tricky model to pin down this year. Sales were up from the final year of the old model, but not in the way we expected. We sold 87,453 total.
The base Accolade Estate, which we expected to be the volume car, recorded just 21,633 sales. This is in line with the former Accolade SE, but down from the old wagon model.
The Accolade Sport model was the biggest surprise, as it appears to now be the volume car. We sold 49,126.
Sales of the Accolade Elite were down from the previous generation, which we attribute in part to a down economy. We sold 16,694.
Sales of the Stria remained relatively stable, though the mix of those sales changed. We sold 6,057 of our mid engined sports car.
The Stria S coupe sales we underwhelming when the model was introduced in 1995 and now that the cars it was designed to compete again are being replaced by newer models, we’re having trouble shifting inventory. For 2000, we sold just 606 coupes.
However, the Stria C convertible appears to still be en vogue. Sales actually increased this year to 5,451 units.
The final year of our NT100 trucks went well. We sold 80,404.
The Redwood pickup sold 27,079 units.
The Provo XL was hardest hit by the end of production and lack of inventory. We sold 53,325 this year.
Our new Overland is a hit! Even with what some call “controversial” styling, we managed to sell 331,979 vans this year. That’s up over 100k from last year and the second best sales year for our van ever.
The base Overland S saw sales increase to 122,760.
More people decided to move up to our larger models this year. The bigger Overland XL saw sales more than double to 116,477 units.
And more people also decided that they like the piece of mind our all wheel drive van offers. The Overland XL AWD sold 92,742.
Sales Breakdown
162,766 - Tango R (-29%)
122,760 - Overland S (+18%)
116,477 - Overland XL (+126%)
108,076 - Nifty S (-1%)
94,624 - Tango S (-7%)
92,742 - Overland XL AWD (+68%)
53,325 - Provo XL (-38%)
49,126 - Accolade Sport (+386%)
33,698 - Hornet XF (-19%)
27,079 - Redwood (-18%)
25,783 - Tango XF (-10%)
21,633 - Accolade Estate (-31%)
19,687 - Hornet S (-49%)
16,694 - Accolade Elite (-28%)
5,451 - Stria C (+2%)
606 - Stria S (-44%)
*Peace of mind
