Nissan Qashqai Goes On Production
The Nissan Qashqai, the latest model of the Japaneese house, begins rolling off the production line at December 5th, 2006 at Nissan’s UK plant in Sunderland. Qashqai is a compact crossover, combining the best attributes of a traditional family hatchback with the option of advanced 4×4 capability.
Around 130,000 units should be produced in Sunderland in 2007, alongside with Note, Primera, Micra and Micra C+C. This will potentially increase the Nissan UK total annual production volume to around 400,000 units - a year record for the Europe’s most efficient plant.
Nissan Qashqai represents a total investment of EUR322.8 M and will secure more than 3,000 jobs at the Sunderland plant as well as within the regional supply chain. It has also created around 300 temporary and trainee jobs at the plant.
About 80% of Nissan Qashqai units are planned for export, the majority certainly go for sale in Europe. Although the latest Nissan model will also be shipped to numerous overseas markets such as the Middle East, Australia, South Africa. Surprisingly Japan will join the list thus making it only the second British-built model to be exported to the Nissan’s home market after the Primera of 1996.
From early December 2006 the Qashqai will ramp up to full production volume in just 4 weeks to ensure dealers across Europe are fully stocked to start the car’s sales at the end of February 2007.
Mazda2 Stops at Valencia
Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp. said on Friday it would stop making the Mazda2 subcompact at Ford Motor Co.’s factory in Spain when it launches a new B-segment car next year, and instead consolidate production in Japan.
Mazda, held one-third by Ford, built 36,000 units of the Mazda2/Demio car at the Valencia plant in 2005, accounting for 9 percent of the 400,000-unit-a-year factory.
Ford of Europe spokesman Todd Nissen said the auto maker would ramp up production of existing models to make up the difference, adding that Mazda’s output had fallen to about 7 percent of the total this year.
Mazda said the relocation to its Ujina plant in Hiroshima was aimed at maximising efficiencies through economies of scale by lumping together production of its B-segment subcompact cars.
The yen’s current weakness against the euro would also help boost profits, although analysts say Mazda, which exports most of its cars it sells overseas from Japan, needs to eventually reduce its currency exposure by building more vehicles abroad.
The Ujina plant is now working at 87 percent of its capacity of 504,000 units a year, leaving room for roughly 65,000 units. Last year, the factory built 72,000 Mazda2 cars.
Production of the Mazda2 at the Valencia site, which also makes the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Ka models, began in 2003.
With global sales volume growing rapidly, Mazda is looking for ways to boost output capacity from the current 1.45 million units a year. Mazda has said it would outline such steps as part of a new mid-term business plan to be announced next spring.
By Reuters