Nissan has announced plans to build a new car to rival the Ford Focus. The new model will be produced at its Sunderland plant, creating 1125 UK jobs.
The new, and as yet, unnamed model and a B-segment car - rumoured to a replacement for the Nissan Note - based on the Invitation concept shown at this year’s Geneva motor show will be built along side the Qashqai, Qashqai+2, Leaf and Juke. Combined, the two new models will generate more than 3000 UK jobs at Nissan and its supply base within the next two years.
Nissan is investing £127millon in its Sunderland plant - supported by a £8.2 million government grant - and plans to manufacture a 550,000 cars per year. The addition of the new car will see both production lines working around the clock for the first time in the plants 26-year history.
Speaking from Yokohama this morning, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: “It is fantastic news that Nissan will be building their new hatchback model in the UK. It's proof of the strength and vitality of the British manufacturing industry that leading companies like Nissan are expanding their production in the UK.â€
Details including the name, pricing, engine line-up and equipment levels will be released closer to the car’s sales launch in 2014. The new hatchback marks Nissan’s return to the mainstream C-segment in Europe after the Almera ended production in 2006.
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Re: Nissan’s new Focus rival announced
Quite. I saw a number of those things driving around in Australia when I was last there and thought that no-one in Europe would ever settle for anything like that.
As much as I love visiting Australia and New Zealand, they do have some awful cars (plus some extremely handsome ones - Holden Commodore). Try taking a bog-standard Avis car at Auckland or Sydney airport, and you'll see what I mean.
Re: Nissan’s new Focus rival announced
I too miss the Primera since Nissan started becoming obsessed with SUVs. Always found it an interesting design. But even Renault has sadly left that segment.
Re: Nissan’s new Focus rival announced
I currently have a 53reg Primera 2.2dCi estate that was traded into me with 113K on the clock. Apart from the tinny sounding doors and some real cheap plastics I am impressed with it. Been driving it now for a week and it feels like it has done 53K not 113K. I appreciate that crossovers are all the rage and Nissan has done well, but I find them compromised and with two small kids I need the space of a 'real' estate car and not a jacked up hatchback. God bless manufacturers who still build 'normal' segment cars! Come on Nissan bring back the Primera!