- New Nissan Qashqai named Car of the Year by What Car?
- Nissan Sunderland Plant makes one million cars in two years
Sunderland, January 9, 2014: Demand for Nissan's award-winning Qashqai, the best-selling Crossover in Europe, helped lift output at the company's Sunderland plant above 500,000 units for the second year in succession.
Nissan Sunderland Plant, the largest car-assembly facility in the UK, has produced more than one million vehicles in the past two years amid continued investment and new model launches from the site in North East England.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, Nissan's Vice President for Manufacturing in the UK, said: "Building over a million cars in two years is a further sign of Nissan's growing brand presence in one of the most competitive markets in Europe.
"Exceeding output of 500,000 units for a second year is an even greater achievement given we combined this high volume whilst also starting production of the all-electric Nissan LEAF at the plant, along with the launch of the new Note, and replacing the most popular car we have ever made with the new generation Qashqai."
In 2013, more than 286,000 of the cars built in Sunderland last year were Nissan Qashqais, now in its eighth year of production. Total Qashqai production in the UK now stands at 1,752,232 since 2006.
Production of the new generation Qashqai, which has been named Car of the Year by What Car?, will be marked with a launch event at Sunderland on January 22nd.
"Our workforce continues to set the benchmark for productivity and quality and I would like to thank and congratulate them all on reaching this latest milestone," said Fitzpatrick.
The annual production figures of 501,756 follow a year in which Prime Minster David Cameron visited the plant to mark the launch of the Nissan LEAF, and work began on a plant extension to enable production of the Infiniti Q30 from 2015.
Monthly production broke the 50,000 barrier in October for the first time in Nissan's 27-year history of manufacturing in the UK, with eight different model variants built across the calendar year.
The year ended with the unveil of the new generation Qashqai, the embodiment of Nissan's innovation and excitement and the key driver in the company's goal of becoming the top-selling Asian brand in Europe.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
A photograph is available of Nissan Vice President Kevin Fitzpatrick receiving the What Car? Car of the Year award with colleagues from Nissan Sunderland Plant.
About Nissan in the UK
More than one in three cars built in the UK is a Nissan, which has been Britain's biggest car producer since 1998. More then £3.5bn has been invested in Nissan's world-renowned Sunderland Plant, which started production in 1986 and now exports 80% of production to more than 130 markets.
Other UK operations include Nissan's European Design Centre in Paddington, London, Nissan's Technical Centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and Nissan's UK Sales and Marketing headquarters in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. Through these sites and in UK dealerships Nissan currently employs 11,000 people in Britain, supporting a further 24,000 jobs in UK suppliers.
Current production at Nissan Sunderland Plant includes the Nissan Qashqai, the 100% electric Nissan LEAF, the Nissan Note, Nissan Juke and Juke NISMO.
Also announced for future production at the plant is a new premium compact model, the Q30, under the Infiniti brand.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with approximately 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.
For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Paul James, Nissan Sunderland Plant Communications
Phone: +44 191 418 4197
Mob: +44 7814 851943
Email: paul.james@nissan-nmuk.co.uk
Katherine Zachary, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Phone: +41(0)218225128
Mobile: +41(0)797018516
Email: KZachary@nissan-europe.com