Nissan Motor Co. will soon offer an array of nine vehicles in India, including five locally built, since which aims to catch up with rivals in the fast growing market, the head of its Indian operations said.
"I'm often asked the Nissan had ample time to enter India," India CEO of Nissan Motor Mr.Kiminobu Tokuyama, told Reuters at the Delhi Auto Show, where Nissan is not an official exhibitor.
"And I always say: It's not too late."
No 3 automaker in Japan currently imports only a small number of cars in India, just to see about 400 X-Trail SUV and Teana silks last year.
But he is scheduled to begin producing a new compact car in its first Indian factory in May, with production volumes expected to exceed local volumes Honda Motor Co. next year as plans to turn India into an export base for supply more than 100 countries.
The plant in Chennai, co-owned by the French partner Renault SA, plans to roll out 110,000 units of cars, Nissan new global compact in 2011, mainly to Europe, expanding that to 180,000 "in the near future," said Tokuyama.
Nissan did not disclose how many of the small cars that will build for local consumption. But Tokuyama said Nissan would at least match its overall market share of around 5.5 per cent in India as soon as possible.
The new compact car that will replace the March / Micro subcompact in Europe, the first will be available as a hatchback, adding a sedan version next year and other body later. Diesel models are also in the pipeline.
Renault said a day earlier that it would also offer a model based on the same "V" platform for global compact car, Nissan aims to make the most of their global partnership.
Nissan will offer two models built locally in India, which said Tokuyama likely include a light commercial vehicle (LCV) co-developed with Ashoka Leyland Ltd. LCVs for the Nissan badge is also produced in the Chennai plant, he said.
The nine meters model does not include the ultra-low cost car to be designed and built by Bajaj Auto Ltd. and marketed by Renault and Nissan.
"We have not decided the car will have an emblem of Nissan," said Mr.Tokuyama.
To boost sales, Nissan plans to expand its dealer network to 55 by 2012 from the current seven, Tokuyama said.
Nissan and Renault's foray into India was interrupted by the crisis, with Renault to put your investment in Chennai plant on hold in 2008 to save money.
But the Renault this Tuesday it will resume investments in India by announcing plans to build the facility and cars premium Koleos launched in Delhi Auto Expo in Chennai plant next year.
The Renault-Nissan alliance is also looking to acquire parts of India for its factories around the world.
Tokuyama said Nissan had 97 local suppliers for their vehicles in Brazil, covering 85 percent of the components.
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