Nissan is definitely not happy with the response it is getting from the market but as far as its exports are concerned, Nissan is doing a brilliant job. Nissan Micra, the only small car from the line-up, may not be a successful hatchback here in India but it is clocking appreciable numbers outside the country. During the third quarter of the year 2011 we reported that Micra’s exports were showing a remarkable growth and at the same time the company announced that after the launch of Nissan Sunny sedan, it will start exporting the same as well.
Then, it was not known when the company will start sending shipments but now it has come to our knowledge that Nissan is all set to begin with Sunny exports by 2012 March-end.
image – Nissan Sunny sedan
The Sunny is based on Nissan V-Platform which is shared with its sibling Micra and the latest Renault Pulse hatch. Nissan’s Oragadam facility near Chennai is dedicated to producing Micra and Sunny and has a total annual capacity of 2 lakh units. Nissan is also quite sure that once Sunny starts getting exported, the current capacity of the plant will become insufficient and therefore the Japanese maker will increase the capacity of the plant from the current 2 lakhs to 4 lakhs by March end.
Nissan Motor India Managing Director and CEO Kiminobu Tokuyama said, “We will be exporting Sunny by March-end. Already we were exporting Micra to many countries. Initially, Sunny will be exported to Middle East market,”
Coming to the sales figures, as per Nissan, they have sold 25,000 units of Micra while the Nissan Sunny Diesel has seen 4000 bookings since its launch. By 2012 mid Nissan Evalia MPV will come to the market while its partner Renault is working on a new sedan which in all probability will be based on Sunny.
