Nissan production, sales and export results for March 2001 and 12 months ending March 31, 2001

Tokyo -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced today production, sales and export figures for March 2001 as well as the period from April 1, 2000 through March 31, 2001. For March 2001, global production was down 7.2%. Total unit sales in March for the three main regions of Japan, North America and Europe were stable with a slight increase of 0.8%.

1. Production

Nissan's global production in March was down 7.2% from a year ago to 228,191, the second consecutive year-on-year decrease.

Nissan's domestic production in March totaled 124, 434, down 5.8% from a year ago. This decrease was the result of the company's effort to reduce inventory. However, production levels for the four new models launched in Japan in the past fiscal year remain strong.

Nissan's overseas production in March 2001 totaled 103,757 units, down 8.8% from March 2000.

Production in the U.S. fell 37.4%, as the company successfully reduced inventory levels in the slowing market. Mexican production remained strong with a 9.7% increase on strong sales of Tsuru in Mexico.

In other regions, March 2001 production decreased 7.0%

For the past 12 months, Nissan's global production rose 8.8% to 2.6 million units, the first year-on-year increase in three years. As the company has focused on localizing production, domestic production declined slightly, down 1.7%. Overseas production has risen 22.1% with gains in every area.

In North America, US production rose slightly by 1.4% for the 12-month period while Mexican production leaped 54.6%. In the U.K production rose 15.9%, and in Spain it jumped 46.1% for the period.

2. Sales

Nissan's domestic sales for March 2001 rose 1.1% to 110,960 units. Sales for new models continued to be strong including the Primera, Cima, X‑TRAIL and Bluebird Sylphy. Nissan's domestic market share in March was 19.1%, the same level as last year.

Nissan's sales in the U.S. declined by 0.5% from March 2000, while the total market declined 4.2%. Nissan's sales in Canada rose 21.6%, and sales in Mexico jumped by 29.2%.

Nissan's sales in Europe declined 4.9% from March 2000.

For the 12 months ending March 31, 2001, Nissan unit sales in the three main regions (Japan, North America and Europe) increased 2.5%. With the lack of any new product in Japan in the first four months, Nissan domestic sales totaled 732,582, down 3.6% from the same period ending March 31, 2000. Sales of the four new models in the second half of the year continued strong.

Overseas sales jumped 7.9% in North America for the 12 months. Driven by new model launches U.S. sales increased 4.4% despite a significant decline in the overall market. A strong economy drove Mexican sales increase 20.5% over the same period in the previous year and the launch of the new Sentra in Canada supported a sales increase of 24.7%.

In Europe sales improved by 2.0% for the past 12 months with the introduction of the new Almera and Almera Tino and strong SUV sales.

3. Exports

Nissan's exports in March increased 0.3% to 44,814 units, the first year-on-year increase in seven months,

with strong exports of the Sunny to Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

However, as the company has instituted efforts to localize production and the U.S. market has slowed, exports for the past 12 months have declined 1.2% to 604,866 units.