Show full PR text Nissan CEO expects strong growth in Indonesian auto market

- Carlos Ghosn details Indonesian investment and the launch of Datsun -



Production capacity to grow to 250,000 by 2014

33 billion Japanese yen investment

Nissan strongly supports Indonesia's green car program

Return of the Datsun brand



JAKARTA (20 March 2012) -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced measures to strengthen its production base and sales presence in Indonesia. Total capacity will increase to 250,000 annually by 2014, with the workforce expanding to 3,300, and sales outlets are planned to increase to 150 by 2015.



On March 19, CEO Carlos Ghosn met Indonesia president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and reiterated Nissan's commitment to the nation's motorization.



"Nissan is bringing new jobs and new vehicles to Indonesia," said Ghosn. "We are going to expand our production capability and offer a new and exciting product line here."



The new plan announced today will make Nissan's Cikampek site, located 80 kilometers outside of Jakarta, one of the largest production facilities in the ASEAN region for Nissan.



In 2011, 890,000 vehicles were sold in Indonesia, for the first time making the nation ASEAN's largest car market. Nissan is in line to achieve its sales objectives of 60,000 units for fiscal year 2011. Indonesia total industry volume is estimated to increase nearly double by 2017 compared to 2010, largely driven by the introduction of the Green Car program now being drafted by the Indonesian government. Nissan strongly supports the program and looks forward to its speedy ratification.



While talking to the media, Ghosn announced the return of the Datsun brand, Nissan's third global brand, alongside Nissan and Infiniti. Datsun will provide sustainable motoring experience to optimistic up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets. Datsun represents 80 years of accumulated Japanese carmaking expertise and is a important part of Nissan's DNA. Datsun vehicles will start sales in India, Indonesia, and Russia from 2014.

It turns out the rumors were true: Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has officially announced the resurrection of the company's storied Datsun nameplate. The company will use the brand to strengthen its foothold in emerging markets from Indonesia to India and Russia , offering buyers inexpensive, fuel-efficient vehicles with loads of content ride out of the box. Last year, Nissan sold 60,000 units in the quickly growing Indonesian market, and the company aims to see that number swell to 250,000 units by 2014. That may seem ambitious, but total industry volume is set to balloon to nearly double its current size 890,000 units per year by 2017 according to analysts. Datsun now marks the third brand in the Nissan stable alongside Infiniti . The automaker retired the Datsun nameplate in 1981 after reestablishing itself in the States as Nissan. With a new focus on low cost, small-displacement hardware geared toward emerging markets, we sadly don't expect to see the Datsun name reemerging on our shores any time soon. Hit the jump for the brief press release.