Nissan cars in India Archives

November 6, 2013

Nissan exports its 300,000th car from India

We were guessing Nissan to be planting strategies for Indian market very seriously, but surprisingly we found out that it has kept itself going strong in the neighboring markets with the exports from India. To an evidence, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL) recently flagged-off its 300,000th car for export from Ennore Port Ltd. (EPL) (of India) in the presence of Mr. Kenichiro Yomura , President – Nissan India, Mr. Baskarachar, MD and Chairman, Ennore Port, Chennai, Mr. Hideki Maebashi, Head of Exports and Mr. Atul Shahane, General Manager, Vehicle Exports, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Kenichiro Yomura, President, Nissan India Operations said, “I congratulate our employees at Nissan India on reaching the 300,000 vehicle export milestone. We couldn’t have achieved this milestone in such short period of time without their dedication and commitment. I would also like to thank the Ennore Port authorities for their supporting our export commitment. This milestone underscores our manufacturing capabilities at our world class facility here in Oragadam, near Chennai.”

To make a one known, Nissan initiated its exports from the Ennore port in September 2010 and was the first motor company to use the Ennore port as the export gateway. Calculating a brief, in the period of just three years the Japanese carmaker has crossed the figure of 300,000 lakh units (in export), which we can say is just overwhelming looking at the current market scenario. Regions covered under its hat (from the Indian export) are Africa, Middle East and Europe, grossing the number of more than 100 countries/regions at a take.

Year 2008 earmarked the Nissan for signing its first MoU with Ennore Port Ltd. (EPL) to export its vehicles to various countries. While in July 2013, the agreement between Ennore Port and Nissan was upgraded to include more parking space and priority handling of vehicle units inside the port. This agreement is now made valid for the coming 10 years.

The manufacturing plant of Nissan at Oragadam near Chennai was set up in 2008 by pumping an investment of Rs. 45 billion, toiled over a period of 7 years. Now, it operates in full compliance with the Alliance Global Manufacturing Processes and Quality Standards. On March 17, 2010, the Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. Manufacturing plant (RNAIPL) was inaugurated in a record time of 21 months and remains the cornerstone of the Renault Nissan Alliance’s plans for India and for establishing a meaningful presence in high-growth markets like India – while keeping pace with rapid changes in the world’s auto industry.

April 25, 2013

Nissan to go India Specific for its Upcoming Datsun

As we all know that Nissan is on the spree to capture masses and Datsun meant to its biggest bet in the particular segment, now news came slating it will happen in the way that, Datsun will appear as a separate brand from the umbrella of Nissan, and to be more specific, it will built like a India-specific model from that to cater Indians specially as per their driving needs and different evolving cultures.

Nissan had quite a deep and engraving roots here, but it thinks the customers who prefer Nisan are of the middle class, and an inspiring yet lucrative factor needs to be kept burning inside them, which is a common trait found in this particular segment, so as an outcome Datsun will be kept at a bay from them in the market scenario. This will help to keep the ‘bit up-market’ image of Nissan inflated in spite of reaching even the masses at core.

As slated, India, Russia, Indonesia and South Africa will be the territories who are going to be bestowed by such an assortment, where the five models are in the in the pipeline which is going to make debut in the bespoken countries. Two of the car makes meant will be done out in the initial couple of years and the rest of them to be carried forward in the forthcoming subsequent period. All the models are termed to be specific of their bespoken regions.

Whereas, coming to India spec, Nissan aims to target below the category of Rs. 4 lakh. band, giving a tough competitive blow to the monikers like Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon, Chevrolet Spark and even Tata Nano on some of the exception notes. Rather than following a traditional route, Datsun makers will carve the fast flowing crisps and design on metals, so that buyers may derive value for money equation on its purchase.

The plant of Nissan outside the Chennai will be perfected for its manufacturing bay and Nissan-Hover alliance to work out a new set of dealership, which will be separate from the existing ones, to sell the low cost offerings in market by the deep penetrated routes of network, most probably outside the Metro cities itself.

The first Datsun will make its global debut by the mid 2013 and the market roll-outs to happen in early 2014.

April 5, 2013

Nissan India records growth of 11 % in 2012-13

Nissan and its partner Renault India recorded a better business in the last fiscal when compared to the market leaders like Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Tata and others in terms of growth. The Japanese auto maker recorded an annual growth of about 11 percent by selling a total of 36,975 units compared to the 33,270 units in the fiscal year 2011-12. These result looks quite impressive if you know that last fiscal year was not good in terms of sales for many manufacturers.

Nissan Sunny, the company’s flagship sedan, accounted for highest sale among its other models standing at 24,011 units in the last financial year. Nissan Micra hatch also sold pretty good with 11,454 units. Evalia that was launched back in October 2012 registered sale of about 1,396 units. The rest of the figures come from the sale of other models like X-Trail, Teana, and 370z Sports car. Managing Director and CEO of Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Kenichior said that in the view of the current operating environment it is a good performance.

Despite of the market slowdown, Nissan was able to maintain sale momentum in India and has also continued to pace up their operations in Indian auto market with the long term strategic goals. The company is also working on increasing their dealership network in India. It has been able to increase its dealership network to 95 in last 12 months in order to bring Nissan closer to the people and prospective buyers.

Nissan-Renault is dreaming big and wants to capture about 10 percent of the Indian auto market by 2016. They opened up their manufacturing plant at Oragadam in Chennai back in 2010 and the first vehicle to roll out was Micra in 2011. The plant has allowed Renault and Nissan to produce vehicles locally as a result they were able to bring down the cost and were able to launch 5 vehicles in 17 months. The company rolled out Fluence and Koleos in 2011 and then comes the Dusterm Pulse and Scala in 2012.

Director for sales and marketing, Hover Automotive India (the national sales company for Nissan India), Mr. Nitish Tipinis said that the company is still in the growth phase despite of the market slowdown just because of their stronger customer presence which has helped the company to keep the consistency of their sale target. He further said that Nissan will be rolling out new products throughout the year to meet the demand and aspirations of the customers. The growth is real appreciation for Nissan India as the market slowdown has forced several auto makers to downgrade their sale target but Nissan with the positive sale result has reasons to get happy. The growth rate also shows that the company is increasing its presence among the masses and the opening on new dealership will help it to reach out to a wider audience.

October 9, 2012

Nissan to Locally Fabricate Small Car for Indian market

Nissan, one of the three major car manufacturers in the Japanese market, is making plans to fabricate a compact car made completely in the Indian market. Nissan’s Indian arm, Nissan Motor India, is speedily fortifying its research and development (R&D) division for the reason.

International firms comprising Toyota and Ford, and Indian market giant Maruti Suzuki have already done this with products made chiefly in the Indian market. Work on models like the Etios Liva, Etios, Figo and Ertiga, respectively, was accomplished in the nation, keeping Indian users in intellect.

Mr. Takayuki Ishida, managing director and chief executive, Nissan Motor India, stated that they have already hired 3,000 individuals for the research and development (R&D) division.

And, a few of the workforce is formulating that vehicle for users together with the company’s technical centre. Their existing ability permits them to build up some ingredients of the car. They are capable of doing slight modifications in the car at the present. Step by step, their potentialities will step-up.

The company’s entry-level car in the domestic market right now is the premium hatchback Micra valued at Rs 4.21 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Nissan possesses six products on offer, comprising three completely imported vehicles.

Earlier this year, the company made declaration about the launching of a novel brand Datsun in the year 2014. It would be an affordable brand serving clients in the Rs 2-4 lakh cost group. The company will stay a relatively premium brand in the country.

“I can not speak particularly about this but by the coming 4 to 5 years when the research and development (R&D) capacity dramatically amends, I think we have a chance (to make that car). We can anticipate some growth from the R&D group, making use of the country’s data, for a compact product. At the moment, we have not finished the studies regarding it but, potentially, I think we have an excellent chance,” added Mr. Ishida.

Products set up in the Indian market have confirmed to be top sellers not just in the Indian market but in overseas markets in addition. The Etios from Toyota Kirloskar Motor, for example, is on course to market 20,000 vehicle units in the South African market by 2012 end even as the company prepares to start shipments to the Brazillian market.

Likewise, Ford Figo, the entry-level hatchback made in Chennai is shipped to South Africa, North Africa and Mexico amongst 50 abroad markets. Ford, the US-based car manufacturer that has manufacturing plants in several regions of the world, makes the Figo only in the Indian market.

Nissan is seeing related victory with the innovative small car. The Japanese firm, which currently exports two-thirds of its production from India, is also talking about making India a larger base for production and export.

“We have a positive chance to turn India the manufacturing base. We require thinking on developing the Indian market, how we can please India’s rising demand and even outer demand from India,” added Mr. Ishida.

Ishida stated that both Renault and Nissan, which make use of one another’s expertise for car fabrication and model selection, could also use research and development resources for the novel compact car in the coming time.

It is, but, not comprehensible if the novel car would be sold under the Nissan or the Datsun badge.

April 29, 2012

Nissan India Export Figure crosses 1 lakh mark for the Fiscal Year of 2012

The Datsun brand of Nissan Motors is set to be launched in the entry level segment of the Indian automobile market very soon. With Datsun brand the firm expects to increase the volume of sales to add profit to the firm. Nissan has come up as one of the major contenders in the automobile market of passenger cars in India. The affordable car of Nissan India, the Datsun, has brought special attention to the firm with the announcement of its launch. In the fiscal year of 2012, for the very first time, the sales figure of the Nissan cars has gone over the mark of 1 lakh units that made the firm preside over the chair of one of the top exporters of the mid-sized sedans from the car market of India.

Nissan India sits on the third position in the chart of car exports of the passenger segment with a 20 per cent of its market share for the fiscal year of 2012. On the top two positions above Nissan are the Hyundai with 48 per cent market share and Maruti with 25 per cent of share in the car exports of passenger segment. With a figure of 33,286 units of cars sold in the domestic market, Nissan India has witnessed a precise increase in its figure of export sales with a rise of 1,00,909 units from the former 46,153 units of car. Nissan Sunny, the mid-sized sedan of the firm has performed very well in both domestic and foreign markets. The export of the Nissan Sunny model that commenced in January 2012 has helped the firm in a big way to cross the sales mark of 1 lakh units. Till the end of March 2012, the total export figure of Nissan Sunny had reached to 46,135 units.

The Micra hatchback of Nissan too has been doing very well when it comes to exports of the Nissan cars. This compact vehicle did not do much sales in the domestic market, but it did achieve a sales figure of 86,675 units in the offshore markets in the fiscal year of 2012 while in the previous year the figure was a mere 46,135 units.

As per Mr.Ishida Takayuki, the Managing Director, Nissan India, “The firm is looking forward to acquire a wider base for exporting its cars which is made in India while it will also be exploring new opportunities for further offshore markets to export cars made in India. The business target of Nissan Motors India will remain the same, to become the number one player in the car market of Indian automobile industry.”

Previously the Hyundai Accent and Hyundai Verna were the competing sedans with the other car manufacturers that used to get in a lot of sales volume through the exports. But since some time now, Nissan Sunny has come up as the top most selling sedan in mid-size segment when it comes to export figures.