Nissan Tops UK Production for Seventh Year

Press Release

Sunderland Plant Produced on Average 90 Cars/Hour in 2004

Nissans plant in Sunderland has been recognised as the biggest car factory in the UK for the seventh year running.

Figures compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) showed that the plants 2004 total of 319,652 Micras, Almeras and Primeras was around 75,000 units more than the second-largest manufacturer.

And later this year the Wearside workforce will pass another manufacturing milestone when the 4 millionth car rolls off the production line.

Recently, Nissan announced that its Sunderland plant, Europes most productive car factory, had been chosen to build a compact 4x4 crossover vehicle, based on the Qashqai concept, from December 2006.

This car will be the third new model to launched at the plant in just 16 months following start of production of the Micra C+C cabriolet this autumn, and a mini-MPV based on the Tone concept next January.

Added to the current model range, the new cars could see the plants annual production volume increase to around 400,000 units by 2007.

Managing Director of Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd, Colin Dodge, commented: Im pleased that our plant is the biggest in the UK, and that were set to become even busier in the years ahead. This is good news for Nissan in Europe, good news for our plant, and good news for the wider supply chain that supports production here.