Nissan to invest £37m in new Sunderland production line Published duration 18 June 2015

image copyright Nissan image caption The Infiniti is the latest car to be built at Sunderland

Car giant Nissan has announced it is to invest a further £37m in its production plant in Sunderland.

The cash will create an eighth press line - where car parts including doors and bonnets are produced.

Work is under way on the extension, which will take the Sunderland site to more than 350,000 square metres - the size of 50 football pitches.

Earlier this month the firm announced 300 extra jobs to work on its luxury Infiniti brand.

The new press will be used on the company's existing Qashqai, Juke, Note and all-electric Nissan LEAF vehicles.

Nissan's Senior Vice President, Colin Lawther, said: "This fresh investment is a clear signal of our intent to continue leading in these key areas for the Nissan brand, with our crossover and electric vehicle success founded on the exceptional quality and delivery standards achieved by our workforce here in Sunderland."

The new press line is expected to go into production in 2017.

The Sunderland plant, which opened in 1986, employs almost 7,000 people and produces more than 550,000 vehicles a year.