Nissan GB

EMBARGOED: 11:00, 8^th JUNE 2011

PHOTOCALL: (Prime Minister David Cameron, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Nissan Qashqai) at DOWNING STREET, 16:55, 8^th JUNE 2011

ALL-NEW NISSAN QASHQAI TO BE DESIGNED, ENGINEERED AND BUILT IN BRITAIN

• Prime Minister and Nissan CEO announce plans for investment in next generation of Nissan best-seller
• Major endorsement for Nissan facilities and employees in Sunderland, Bedfordshire and London

London, June 8:  At a meeting today with Prime Minister David Cameron, the president and chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Co., Carlos Ghosn, announced that workers in Britain will design, engineer and build the next version of the best-selling Nissan Qashqai.  

The new Qashqai project will safeguard 6,000 jobs, both direct and indirect through the UK supply chain. It represents a major endorsement of the quality and calibre of British-made products.

The new Qashqai represents a £192 million investment in Britain and is being funded entirely by Nissan. It will build on the success of the current Qashqai which is the highest-volume car produced in the UK with export levels of around 80 per cent.

The first stage of development will see the new version of the pioneering crossover styled at Nissan's European Design Centre in Paddington, London. Once the design is finalised, engineers from the Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield, Bedfordshire will take hold of the project. The completed car will be built in the company's Sunderland manufacturing facility.

Making the announcement outside 10 Downing Street, Carlos Ghosn said: "The UK has been a cornerstone of Nissan manufacturing since 1986, with the Sunderland plant setting important benchmarks for quality and efficiency in Europe and around the world. It's the home of the Qashqai, one of Nissan's biggest product successes. And as Nissan's leadership in sustainable transportation grows, the plant will become one of the pillars of our zero-emission manufacturing."

Nissan's Sunderland plant will produce its one millionth Qashqai later this month and more than 80 per cent of current production is exported to 97 markets worldwide.

In addition, Nissan is also investing £420m in Sunderland plant for the production of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF from 2013 and in a new stand-alone facility to make lithium-ion batteries for both Renault and Nissan vehicles from 2012.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This investment from Nissan is fantastic news and a great demonstration of the strength and vitality of the UK car industry. That future manufacturing and R&D has been secured is a tribute to the skill, expertise and hard work of Nissan's UK workforce.

"It is vital that we have a strong manufacturing base to rebalance our economy and secure sustainable economic growth, and it is this Government's determination that we do all we can to enable businesses to invest, to grow and create jobs.

"I have seen first hand the tremendous work at the Nissan Sunderland plant; this is a great day for them, the whole of the North East and for UK manufacturing too."

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Today's announcement is welcome news that brings further long-term investment in what is already the UK's biggest car production plant. Nissan's Sunderland plant is one of the great success stories of British manufacturing. Development of the Qashqai and other new models will reinforce that."

The current Nissan Qashqai, launched in December 2006, has been Nissan's most successful product to date. Sitting between the style of a traditional hatchback and an elevated SUV, Nissan's Qashqai has captured the car-buying public's imagination and secured a spot in the UK top ten best sellers list.  

The current Qashqai production line in Sunderland has been running around the clock for more than a year to meet global demand, producing an average of 1,200 Qashqais per day. No other car is made in such numbers in the UK, and Nissan is easily Britain's biggest car manufacturer.

Each Qashqai produced has 3,779 parts, of which 83.6% come from one of 224 UK suppliers.

The plant also produces the Nissan Note mini-MPV and the Juke compact crossover.

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Notes to editors:

• Nissan Motor GB sold 95,904 vehicles in 2010 (85% manufactured in the UK)
• Nissan Sunderland Plant was established in 1984 and production began in 1986
• Total plant volume since 1986 stands at more than six million units
• In 2010 81 per cent of production was exported to 97 markets worldwide
• Sunderland Plant currently employs around 5,000 staff
• Nissan's European design centre is located in Paddington, London and employs around 40 people
• Nissan's European Technical Centre is based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire and employs around 500 people

Nissan in Europe

Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 12,500 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan
plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 528,000 vehicles including mini-MPVs, award-winning crossovers, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Nissan now offers 24 diverse and innovative products for sale in Europe today, and is positioned to become the number one Japanese brand in Europe.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokahama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero-emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to Sustainable Mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN