Nissan may set up new plant for small car

Japan's Nissan Motors may set up a new plant in India to manufacture an entry-level car that it plans to roll out at the Rs 2.5 lakh price point through a joint venture. 

Kiminobu Tokuyama, MD and CEO of Nissan India, said the company expected "very large" volumes from the new car that would be pitched in the Maruti Alto category. Hinduja group company Ashok Leyland, Nissan's India partner for light commercial vehicles, is one of the companies the Japanese auto major is in talks for the JV. 

Tokuyama refused to identify the other companies Nissan was talking to and said "details are being worked on." 

Nissan has multiple partnerships in India and will launch the Micra compact from its Chennai factory in July. While it has partnered group company Renault for the manufacturing set-up at Chennai, it will sell cars in a marketing and distribution tie-up with Hover Automotive India. The company has also partnered Renault and Indian two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto for a ultra-low cost (ULC) car, while tieing up with Ashok Leyland for LCVs. 

The new entry-level car, that the company will position between its ULC and the Micra, will be yet another partnership for the company. Tokuyama said since the model would be in the heart of the Indian car market that accounts for the majority of sales, targeted volumes are likely to be substantial, thus requiring a new manufacturing facility. 

"A different manufacturing base for this is one of the alternatives," he said, indicating that the car may not be manufactured at its Chennai factory. "As we finalise our strategy for the entry-level car, we will work out the best options." Nissan-Renault's Chennai factory has annual capacity of 4 lakh unit that is expected to be used by both the companies equally for their products. Nissan plans to use the location for making the Micra compact; a new sedan that it plans to roll in by 2011; a multi-purpose vehicle; LCV and one more model. 

Hover is expanding the retail network as Nissan expands its portfolio. It has ten dealerships and hopes to expand this to 80 by 2013, by when it hopes to have a 9 models, including 4 imported.

Nissan Micra to be Made in India

Nissan Motors India is readying to launch a new hatchback in India by early 2010. The small car will be manufactured at their new plant in Chennai. This new plant is expected to be operational from next year.

Nissan India has set up a new manufacturing unit in Oragadam near Chennai in association with the French auto maker Renault. The new facility will not merely cater to the domestic needs but also the overseas demands of models from both the companies.


The unit will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 200,000 cars per year. The factory will then scale-up production to 300,000 cars in about four year's time. It has been revealed that it has become difficult for Nissan and the French car maker, Renault, to make profitable cars in Europe for sale.

The upcoming small car is known as the March in Japan, but the Indian version will be christened as the Nissan Micra. The Micra will be available in both petrol and diesel versions. The Nissan Micra will stand against the Tata Nano.

Initially, it will be the Micra which would be followed by a derivative of the small car and then a sedan which is expected to be launched in 2011. In addition to the Nissan Micra, the company also aims to launch four to five models in next five years in the Indian market.

Currently Nissan Motors sells the completely built units (CBU) of Nissan Teana and Nissan X-Trail in India.

Nissan to launch supermini March in India by 2010

Thanks to the Singur imbroglio and the shifting of the plant site to Sanand in Gujarat, by the time the Nano hits the road in India, its competitors will be much closer to launcing on their versions of small cars.

One such rival is Japanese automobile company Nissan Motor, which plans to launch a supermini, March, in India. According to Nissan the March will hit Indian roads by March 2010 or just 12 months after the Nano's launch.

Speaking to the press Nissan Motor India managing director Shouhei Kimura, ''The small, next-generation car 'March' will be launched in India by 2010 in the 'A' segment category. The car would be manufactured at the company's plant situated at Oragadam in Tamil Nadu, though initially the car would be rolled out from the company's Thailand facility followed by India.

He said the development of an 'A' platform is one of various initiatives taken as part of Nissan's new five year business plan the GT 2012.

Kimura said, ''We would have a total of nine Nissan models by the year 2012 in the Indian market and this car would be one of the new models."

The compny says the March would have a local content of 80 per cent. Kimura said India is one of the five leading competitive countries for manufacturing and exporting the car from Nissan's global manufacturing network.

Last week the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ennore Port in Tamil Nadu from where the company would export cars. (See: Nissan to be first automaker to export from Ennore Port)

Kimura said that by 2011 Nissan would be exporting around 110,000 units, which would include this new model. Primarily the exports would cater to European markets from the second half of 2010.

Nissan also proposes to widen its dealership network in order to sell higher numbers in the country. ''We would increase our dealership network from the present 5 to 55 by 2012," Kimura said.

Kimura declined to comment on the timing of rolling out of the car from the other three countries. He also did not announce the number of cars to be rolled out saying it is too early to say.




The Nissan 'March'

The Nissan March supermini is being produced by Nissan since 1982. Since 1992 the car has also been made in Europe, the US and the UK. Outside Asia mainly in Europe and US it is known as the Nissan Micra. The last time the company gave the March a facelift was in late 2007. The next model is expected to be launched worldwide in 2009.

Starting with the K10 model in 1982 successive March models have been code named K11, K12 and so on.

The March / Micra K10 first went on sale the UK in 1983, and met with instant success. In 1990 the March was the eleventh most popular new car in the UK with having sold 50,000 units. It was a popular choice due to its ease of driving, solid build and durable mechanical components.

The second incarnation of the March / Micra was launched in 1992, production baing in Britain and at its Washington plant rather than in Japan. Like its predecessor, it remained a very popular car thanks to its fuel economy. However, it was available with a limited range of engines: 1.0 and 1.3 petrol units.

The car received a facelift in 2000 which saw the 1.3l engine being replaced with a 1.4 unit. This upgrade, after a previous makeover in 1998, enhanced the car's appeal and it was still fairly popular on the launch of its successor in December 2002.



The third generation model of the March / Micra was made at the Sunderland in the UK. It had a wider range of engines, including Renault-sourced 1.2 petrol and 1.5 direct-injection diesel powerplants, and offered an improved driving experience. This stylish, all-new Micra helped Nissan bolster its market share in the supermini space. The March has been among the best-selling 10 cars in Britain among private buyers for virtually all of its production life.

The March / Micra is known for its reliability, excellent build quality, and user friendliness. The K12 model that came out in 1990s received consistently good overall reviews, main criticisms being its lack of headroom and luggage space in the rear. Another criticism that came its way in the UK was from insurance company that rated it as a dangerous car in case of crash in 1988-1995.

However, its safety specification has improved with successive models. The K12 Micra came on top of its class in What Car? magazine's Security Supertest in 2003, passing both entry and driveaway tests and achieving a maximum score for its locking system and immobiliser.

In an independent test, the Micra was found to be more secure that certain BMW and Mercedes models.

In British magazine's What Car?' Reliability Supertest in 2007, Nissan ranked 6th out of 26 manufacturers overall, with the K11 Micra (1998-2002) being its most reliable model.

The next generation Nissan March (W02A) will be unveiled in Feburary 2009. Globally it will be based on a revamped B-platform with a new 1.2-1.3l engine.

It will be built in Japan, UK, Thailand and in Chennai, India in partnership with Nissan shareholder Renault. The company's US plant in Washington will manufacture an entirely new model that will compete in the same market segment as the March/Micra.

Nissan to be first automaker to export from Ennore Port

Nissan Motor India Private Limited today said that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Ennore Port Ltd (EPL) to export its vehicles through Ennore Port in Tamil Nadu. NMIPL, the Indian affiliate of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd, will be the first automaker to utilise the eastern gateway port of India as an export base.

NMIPL will begin exporting vehicles, primarily to Europe, commencing the second half of 2010. Exports are expected to be approximately 110,000 units in fiscal year 2011 and grow to 180,000 units in the future. Exports will include models, such as the next generation of Micra, which will be built on Nissan's new A-platform.

''Ennore Port meets all of Nissan's requirements to export vehicles,'' said Shouhei Kimura, managing director of NMIPL. ''We are looking forward to a cooperative and successful working relationship with EPL to achieve the highest level of on-time delivery at competitive costs.''

Maruti A-Star to be called Pixo & new Alto globally

It’s a new car but will have three different names. For the first time in the Indian automobile history, the same car—made in India—will don three different badges in the global market. Maruti Suzuki, manufacturer of the car, will brand it A-Star in India.

The same car will be contract-manufactured by Maruti for Nissan Motors and called Pixo. And it will be the new Alto for Suzuki Motor Corporation in Europe.

The car will be manufactured exclusively by Maruti Suzuki’s plant at Manesar in Haryana and will be unveiled by both companies at the Paris Motor Show next month at their respective pavilions.

Both Nissan Pixo and Suzuki Alto will compete against Toyota Aygo in the international market while it will be pitted against Hyundai i10, Fiat Palio and Tata Motors Indica Vista in the premium small-car segment in India.

An MSI spokesperson refused to comment and said: “A-Star has nothing to do with Alto, which will continue to be the flagship model of Maruti Suzuki in India. It is a totally different segment.”

2009 Paris Motor Show

Nissan to Present a New View of its Future

A world premiere of a futuristic concept car and of an all-new production car, as well as a heavily revised version of an existing model will be the stars of Nissan’s 2008 Paris Motor Show. All the stars of the show share a philosophy of tackling the reality of mobility in and around the city, today, tomorrow and in the more distant future.

Nuvu
Nissan’s vision for the future of urban transportation is encapsulated in Nuvu, literally a ‘new view’ of the type of car we will be driving in the middle of the next decade. Compact – it’s just 3 metres long – Nuvu is a concept vehicle with unique 2+1 seating. It is aimed at urban dwellers who don’t want to compromise on their personal freedom or their comfort, yet who appreciate that there is a need for a dramatic change in the way we move around our cities.

Nuvu is an electric vehicle, is agile, easy to drive and even easier to park. It represents Nissan’s commitment to electric vehicle technology, considering that Nissan has already announced that it will present a production-ready EV at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, with sales due to start in Japan and North America in 2010.

Whilst Nuvu is not that car, it does share some of the technology that will feature in the planned production vehicle. The vehicle shown at Paris Motor Show incorporates a witty representation of its green credentials: across its all-glass roof are a dozen or so small solar panels. Shaped like leaves on a branch, the power they generate is fed to the battery using a ‘tree trunk’ within the car as a conduit. Nuvu also uses natural, organic and recycled materials within the cabin.

Nuvu is compact on the outside yet roomy on the inside. Built on a unique platform, it’s just 3 metres long and sits on a wheelbase of 1980 mm but is 1700 mm tall and 1550 mm wide to create a large and airy cabin. These dimensions provide all the interior room needed for the vast majority of city journeys. Nuvu has two regular seats and a third occasional chair that can be folded down when required. But, unlike some two-seater city cars currently on the market, it is a thoroughly practical proposition with an integral luggage area providing sufficient space for a typical supermarket or shopping expedition.

“Nuvu is a concept car, for sure, but it is an entirely credible vehicle,” says Francois Bancon, General Manager, Exploratory and Advanced Planning Department, Product Strategy and Product Planning Division, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “It is light, clean and easy to drive. It is practical and a sensible size, yet it also embodies an element of fun: the future doesn’t look so bad, after all.”

Pixo
Continuing the theme of compact urban motoring, with outstanding green credentials – but this time for the more immediate future, Pixo is an accessible city car which offers low emissions and consumption at an extremely accessible price. Pixo is a five-door, four-seater with a roomy interior and generous luggage space thanks to its efficient design and packaging. It has a lively highly efficient three cylinder 1.0-litre engine. Thanks to its brand new lightweight construction, with resulting benefits in performance, very low fuel consumption and emissions.



Pixo will be among the best value eco-cars in the small city car category.

Pixo is 3565 mm long, 1470 mm tall and 1600 mm wide. It has a wheelbase of 2360 mm. Built in collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation, at state-of-the art facilities in Delhi, India.

Pixo is a brand new four-seater competing in the fast growing A-segment. Unlike some of its immediate rivals, however, Pixo is far from a micro car. It has five doors to ease ingress and egress to and from the rear seats but remains sufficiently compact to be agile to be ideal for city driving.

Unusually in this class, Pixo is also available with a full four-speed automatic, reinforcing its suitability as a town car that’s perfectly capable of longer journeys when needed. Sales start in late spring 2009.

Koito readies new lights for Nano

KOITO Manufacturing Co, the maker of head lamps for Lexus brand cars, is designing lights specifically for ultra- low cost cars as it tries to win more business from Tata Motors Ltd and Nissan Motor Co.

“Koito, the worlds' biggest maker of headlamps, is in the final stages of creating a simpler light that uses half as many parts as its more expensive models,” said the company's president Masahiro Ohtake on Thursday.

Koito and other auto parts makers are reengineering products for use in cars that cost almost half as much as Suzuki Motor Corps Maruti 800, the cheapest car currently on the Indian market. Tata will sell its $2,500 Nano later this year.

Nissan plans to produce a car with the same price by 2011 for India and other emerging markets. “Koito has no choice but to push into this low- cost market as all the carmakers get into the business,” said Kunihiro Matsumoto, a senior analyst at UBS Securities Japan Ltd in Tokyo. Costs wont bump up with Koito using existing technology and cheaper labour.

The parts maker opened a second Indian plant in September in Haryana to be closer to factories of automakers including Maruti Suzuki India, Ohtake said. The company now supplies lights for Tata's trucks. “A low- cost car requires ahead lamp design all its own,” Ohtake said.

Cars at about $3,000 are something that is being talked about on a global level and will become a big business. Koito is 20 per cent owned by Toyota Motor Corp. Tata unveiled the Nano in January and will begin selling the model later this year. The firm may export the car after three years, Ratan Tata, the Tata's chairman, said in January.

Nissan, France's Renault SA and India’s Bajaj Auto said on May 12 that they would build a$2,500 car in India to go on sale in 2011.

Toyota also plans to build a new low cost small car in India in 2010. Toyota's new factory will be near Bangalore. Koito already supplies headlamps to Toyota from its facility in Chennai. Koitos Indian operations are in joint venture Lucas TVS.

India’s passenger car sales, which doubled in the past five years, are set to triple to three million vehicles annually by 2015, according to the Indian government. Global sales of small cars will rise to 8.5 million vehicles by 2020 from 5.2 million last year, said Michael Wynn- Williams, a London based analyst at consulting company Global Insight Inc. Stanley Electric.

Koito faces competition from Stanley Electric, which in February raised its stake in Lumax Industries, India's largest maker of automotive lighting, and a supplier to Tatas Nano. Stanley owns 46.3 per cent of Lumax, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Lumax makes headlamps for Tatas Indica Xeta hatchback, Safari Dicor sport- utility vehicle (SUV), Sumo Victa SUV and Ace truck, according to it's website.

Tokyo- based Stanley started transferring technology to Lumax in 1984 and began investing in the company in 1994. Koito plans to increase research and development to five per cent this fiscal year to 21.9 billion yen. Research spending as a percentage of estimated sales of 474.6 billion yen will be little changed at 4.6 per cent, according to the company.