TOKYO (May 24, 2006)--Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced production, sales and export figures for April 2006..
*Production
April
Nissan’s global production totaled 230,175 units, down 20.5% year-on-year as domestic and overseas production fell.
Domestic production fell 29.6% year-on-year to 87,518 units, due to lower output of the Note and March compact cars and the X‑TRAIL sport utility vehicle.
April overseas production decreased 13.5% from the previous year, to 142,657 units.
US production dropped 19.6% year-on-year to 53,395 units due to inventory adjustments for 2006 models accompanying a shift to 2007 models.
In the UK, reduced production of the Almera compact hatchback and Primera mid-sized car, among other vehicles, pushed production down 18.9% year-on-year to 22,909 units.
Production in Spain decreased 28.3% to 13,303 units year partly due to a cessation in production of the Almera Tino compact vehicle.
In other regions, production increased by 23.7% year-on-year to 30,979 units with production in China jumping 88.8% to 20,589 units.
* Sales
April
In Japan, Nissan’s registrations in April amounted to 34,679 units, down 27.0% year-on-year. Nissan’s market share amounted to 14.3%, down 3.8 percentage points.
Including minivehicles, Nissan’s domestic sales fell 18.5% to 44,008 units due to a reduced number of models. Sales of the new Moco minivehicle released in February, however, were especially strong. Nissan’s market share of domestic sales including minivehicles amounted to 11.2%, down 2.1 percentage points.
Nissan sold 86,720 units in the US in April, down 5.3% year-on-year. The Nissan Murano sport utility vehicle, however, rose to a record and sales of the new Infiniti M45 (Fuga in Japan) showed steady growth.
In Europe, April sales fell 5.2% to 46,665 units amid an overall slowdown in demand in Western Europe.
* Japan Exports
April
Nissan’s exports in April declined 18.2% from a year earlier to 50,417 units.
Shipments to the US fell 16.5% to 17,287 units due mainly to decreased sales of the Infiniti G35 (Skyline in Japan).
Exports to Europe fell 33.2% year-on-year to 6,266 units, with local production of the Navara pickup in Spain from June 2005 resulting in fewer exports of Pickups from Japan
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