Reference Auto

The success of the Micra has prompted Nissan to bet big on India, and in the latest move, it has unveiled a sketch of its new Global Sedan, which will be manufactured in India. The Global Sedan will be the second car after the Micra to be made under the so-called versatile ‘V’ platform.

The new Global Sedan will be first showcased at the Eighth China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition in December 2010.

The new Global Sedan will be rolled out first in China and will come to India around the middle of next year. It will be made at the company’s facility at Oragadam, near Chennai.

Managing director and CEO, Nissan Motor India Pvt Ltd (NMIPL), Kiminobu Tokuyama, said “Following the success of our first locally made car — the Micra — we are pleased to reveal the first sketch of the second car that will be produced in India. We are confident that the new Global Sedan, based on the versatile ‘V’ platform, will delight the Indian customers. The model will be launched in India in the second half of 2011.”

Nissan Motor India logged sales of 1,256 cars in September. This includes 1,183 Micras, against a minuscule 57 (total sales) in September 2009. The company has already sold 3,293 Micras in 75 days since its debut in mid-July.

Recently, the auto major started exporting its first made-in-India car Micra to Europe by sending the first consignment of 3,866 cars via Ennore Port near Chennai. Nissan is bullish on its exports and hopes to sell over 110,000 Micra in over 100 countries in the Europe, West Asia and Africa this fiscal.

In order to meet the burgeoning domestic demand, Nissan has tweaked it schedules, ramping up production. Currently, the order book for Micra stands at 4,500.

The Micra has provided a lifeline to Nissan like never before. But to see sales of its Global Sedan surge amid intense slugfest from other auto giants, Nissan will have to plan an aggressive ad campaign, ramp up dealership network and price it very very competitively.