LDV Cub
The badge-engineered workhorse that brought Japanese reliability to Birmingham.
- Power
- 75 bhp
- 0–60 mph
- 27.8 s
- Top speed
- 81 mph
About the LDV Cub
The LDV Cub was a result of a strategic partnership between the British manufacturer LDV and Nissan, serving as a badge-engineered version of the Nissan Vanette Cargo. Built at Nissan's plant in Barcelona, Spain, it offered a compact footprint with a surprisingly high payload capacity of approximately 1,000kg. The 2.3-litre naturally aspirated diesel engine is notoriously slow, once cited by Auto Express as one of the slowest vehicles on sale in Britain, but it gained a reputation for mechanical durability. Its mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout was unusual for its class, requiring the front seats to be tilted back to access the engine for maintenance. Today, it is a rare sight on UK roads, with most examples having succumbed to heavy commercial use or rust.
LDV Cub specs
The LDV Cub produces 75 bhp (56 kW) and 145 Nm (107 lb-ft) of torque. It reaches 60 mph in 27.8 seconds and has a top speed of 81 mph (130 km/h).
| Make | LDV |
|---|---|
| Model | Cub |
| Trim | 2.3 D |
| Years | 1998–2001 |
| Type | Van |
| Body style | Van |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | About 4,700 built |
| Engine | 2.3-litre inline-4 diesel |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 2,283 cc (2.3 litres) |
| Induction | Naturally aspirated |
| Power | 75 bhp (56 kW) at 4,300 rpm |
| Torque | 145 Nm (107 lb-ft) |
| Redline | 5,000 rpm |
| 0–60 mph | 27.8 s |
| Top speed | 81 mph (130 km/h) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1,537 kg (3,389 lb) |
| Power-to-weight | 49 bhp per tonne |
Typical figures for the standard car; options, markets and model years vary. Where our specs come from
LDV Cub rarity in CarSpot
The LDV Cub is a Rare card in CarSpot, with a rarity score of 42 out of 100. Performance cars, typically worth around £50,000 to £100,000. A Rare card is worth 40 XP.
Each model's tier starts from a 0–100 score based on its value plus its power or production numbers. Once enough players have spotted a model, how often it is spotted can move it up or down one tier. How CarSpot rarity works
Rarity is a collectible game mechanic, not an assessment of real-world scarcity or value.
LDV Cub fun facts
- The LDV Cub is essentially a Nissan Vanette Cargo with LDV badges, allowing LDV to offer a smaller van than their Sherpa-derived Pilot and Convoy models.
- To check the oil or perform engine maintenance, the driver and passenger seats must be unclipped and tilted backwards to reveal the engine bay underneath.
- Despite its small size, the Cub featured twin sliding side doors as standard, a feature that was not always common in the compact van segment at the time.
