Nissan to increase Qashqai production capacity in Europe
- £22m investment for additional Qashqai capacity from 2017
- Demand outstrips supply despite record production levels
- Crossover icon to feature autonomous technology from next year
Sunderland, March 23, 2016. After a decade of unprecedented customer demand, Nissan today announces its intention to increase Qashqai capacity and further enhance its position as the best-selling crossover in Europe.
Nissan still cannot keep pace with the continued growth of the crossover market it created with Qashqai, despite record volumes of 300,000 cars every year on Line 1 at the company’s Sunderland Plant, round-the-clock production and a build rate of one car every minute.
Now Nissan engineers are preparing to uncork supply to its European customers by modifying Line 2 in Sunderland to introduce additional Qashqai production, a further investment of £22m/€29m in the plant.
The first additional vehicles are scheduled for production in before the end of 2016, ahead of the next phase in Qashqai’s development in 2017 when it becomes the first Nissan in Europe to feature autonomous ‘Piloted Drive’ technology.
Colin Lawther, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management in Europe, said: “When the first Qashqai came off the line in 2006 it created the crossover segment. Today it remains the benchmark for European customers for its dynamic styling, exciting driving experience and innovative technology.
“Through innovative engineering and productivity improvements, my colleagues in Sunderland have broken production records to keep pace with demand, but our new generation Qashqai has reached a tipping point.
“This additional capacity will give us free supply of Qashqai for the first time, ahead of the launch of a refreshed Qashqai equipped with Piloted Drive technology from next year.”
Nissan currently manufactures the C-segment Qashqai and the all-electric Nissan LEAF, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle, on Line 1 in Sunderland, which operates on a three-shift basis. Line 2 production currently includes the Nissan Juke B-segment crossover, Nissan Note and Infiniti Q30 premium compact, and will continue to operate on a two-shift basis.
Through body welding, paint and final assembly, all production areas of Line 2 at Sunderland require modification ahead of the introduction of Qashqai, after which both production lines will be capable of building vehicles based on the Renault-Nissan Alliance Common Module Family CMF-C architecture. Line 2 will additionally have CMF-B capability following the introduction of the next- generation Nissan Juke.
Nissan is this year celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Sunderland facility, which has grown to become the largest UK car plant of all-time, supporting nearly 40,000 UK jobs and manufacturing one in three of all cars made in Britain.
Thanks to Nissan’s UK-based design and technical centres, vehicles like Qashqai are designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK and exported from Sunderland to over 130 markets.
Qashqai recently became the highest volume model in the history of Nissan’s European manufacturing operations, previously held by another of Nissan’s European icons, the Micra supermini. Nissan’s Sunderland plant continues to produce around 1,200 Qashqais every day, and by the end of February 2016 the total stood at 2,398,134 units. No other car in the history of the UK car industry has gone beyond 2m units in such a short period of time.
Globally, Qashqai is also manufactured in Nissan’s plants in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in the Huadu Plant of Dongfeng Nissan in China.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About Nissan in the UK
- One in three cars built in the UK is a Nissan
- Sunderland Plant currently employs more than 6,800 people
- Nissan's European Design Centre is located in Paddington, London and employs around 65 people
- Nissan's European Technical Centre is based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire and employs around 1,000 people
- Nissan’s sales and marketing headquarters in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire employs around 190 people
About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,600 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. In 2014 Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 675,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, small cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles and electric vehicles, including the Nissan LEAF, the world's most popular electric vehicle with 96% of customers willing to recommend the car to friends. Nissan now offers a strong line-up of 23 diverse and innovative models in Europe under the Nissan and Datsun brands.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2014, the company sold more than 5.3 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.3 trillion yen. Nissan engineers, manufactures and markets the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan manages operations in six regions: ASEAN & Oceana; Africa, Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500, and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault under the Renault-Nissan Alliance since March 1999.
Media Contacts:
Stuart Boyd, Nissan Sunderland Plant
Phone: 0191 418 9384
Mob: 07580 330 850
Email: stuart.boyd@nissan-nmuk.co.uk
Katherine Zachary, Nissan Europe
Phone: +33172672922
Email: KZachary@nissan-europe.com