Tokyo -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today released production, sales and export results for February. Overseas and global production were at a record for the month.
Production
Nissans global production in February totaled a record 316,404 units, up 10.8% from the same month a year earlier.
Japan production rose 7.0% to 148,764 units due to strong sales of new models launched since last September.
Overseas production climbed 14.4% to a record 167,640 units. In the US, production jumped 22.7% to 77,185 units thanks to strong sales of the Altima mid-size sedan and the new Pathfinder sport utility vehicle, among other models. Production in Mexico rose 24.9% to 32,502 units due to strong sales of the Sentra and the Platina compact cars.
In the UK, slower sales of the Micra compact car (March in Japan) pushed production down 8.6% to 26,121 units.
In Spain, production climbed 21.2% to 14,091 units due to strong sales of the Pathfinder and the commercial vehicle Primastar.
Sales
Nissans Japan registrations in February rose 6.5% compared to a year earlier to 80,905 units due to strong sales of new models launched since last September. Sales of compact cars were especially strong in February, with the Note, Tiida, Cube and March among the top ten best-selling passenger cars in the country. Regarding existing models, sales continued to be especially strong for the Elgrand minivan, which had a 2.5-liter model added in December.
Nissans share of domestic registered vehicles in February grew 1.6 percentage points to 22.6%.
Including minivehicles, Nissans domestic sales for February rose 9.5% to 89,908 units. The companys share of that market rose 1.7 percentage points to 17.0%. Nissans minivehicle sales were led by the Moco, which climbed 48.9% to 6,328 units.
In the US, sales increased 10.1% to 82,412 units, a record for the month of February. Nissan brand sales rose 11.2% to 72,625 units due to strong sales of the new Pathfinder released in October 2004, the Titan full-size pickup truck and the Frontier mid-size pickup. Infiniti brand sales increased 2.9% to 9,787 units.
In Canada, sales fell 1.4% to 4,617 units. Sales in Mexico rose 6.9% to 18,861 units.
In Europe, slower sales of the Micra pushed sales down 6.9% to 34,542 units.
Japan Exports
Nissans exports in February rose 7.7% compared with the same month last year to 64,272 units, with shipments to North America advancing 13.9% to 21,704 units. Exports to Europe increased 7.2% to 10,934 units, exports to Latin America rose 11.2% to 5,714 units and exports to Oceania gained 3.2% to 5,603 units. Exports to Asia fell 14.3% to 9,319 units.
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