Infiniti gears up for UK production

Dec. 19 – Yokohama – Infiniti, Nissan Motor Company’s premium car brand, confirmed on Wednesday that it will manufacture vehicles in Europe for the first time at the award-winning production base in Sunderland, United Kingdom.

Infiniti's Etherea concept car

The announcement represents a substantial investment of around £250 million ($406 million) and is expected to create a further 1,000 jobs at Sunderland and across the UK.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd Executive Vice President Colin Dodge said the announcement is a milestone for Infiniti, the Sunderland plant and the company’s wider UK presence, with production of a new compact premium model slated for 2015.
“We are going to build an Infiniti compact premium car in the UK for the first time. This is the first time we’ve had a car which is, suitable for Europe and that we’re producing in Europe. So it’s a big milestone for the plant,” said Dodge.
“It’ll create hundreds of jobs in the plant, and it’ll take the total employment level inside the factory to 6,100. There will be hundreds of jobs for UK suppliers as well,” Dodge added.

Nissan Motor Company EVP Colin Dodge

The new Infiniti, which will be exported around the world, is being developed with Nissan Motor Company’s London design center and our European Technical Center at Cranfield.
Infiniti will also become the first car brand to begin production on this scale in the UK in 23 years.
Production of Infiniti is expected to create an additional 280 new jobs at the Sunderland plant, with a capacity to produce 60,000 Infiniti models per year. The new model will be inspired by Infiniti’s Etherea concept car.
The announcement coincides with the news that this year, Nissan’s Sunderland plant will produce more than half a million cars – the first UK manufacturer to achieve this milestone.
During 2012, employment on site passed 6,000 for the first time and global exports from the plant now exceed five million units.