Jobs secured as Nissan announces new model

Jun 3 2008 By Andrew Mernin

Car giant Nissan is to build a new model at its Sunderland plant, securing thousands of jobs.

In the last financial year the firm’s Sunderland factory built a record 374,000 cars and is the UK’s biggest car exporter, selling 80% of its production abroad.

The new model will be produced at the site, which employs 4,700 people, from 2010, the firm said.

The decision was announced during a visit by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the firm’s European Design Centre in London, where he met Nissan president and chief executive Carlos Ghosn.

Mr Brown said: ``Nissan is a global manufacturer with strong roots in Britain and I’m pleased to welcome Nissan’s new investment in the UK.

``The announcement that a brand new car is to be designed and built in the UK is another important boost to our manufacturing industry and builds upon Nissan’s recent commitments to increase investment and jobs at its record-breaking Sunderland plant.

``Sunderland’s success shows what an innovative, talented and highly committed workforce can achieve, and reaffirms the UK’s position as a strong player in the global car industry."

Mr Ghosn said: ``By delivering on tough commitments, our employees at Sunderland have demonstrated our plant can be a globally competitive centre for the production of high-value products."

A spokesman for the manufacturer said the new vehicle will be an addition to the current Nissan range and will take up the manufacturing capacity created when production of the current version of the Micra ends in 2010.

Nissan said it was too early to release an image of the new car, but issued a simple artist’s brush-stroke image of how the model may look.

With just three black strokes, the car appeared to be compact, with sleek lines.

The new car, which is as yet unnamed, will compete in the same section of the market as the current Nissan Micra, a spokesman said.

For more on this story see tomorrow's Journal.