Nissan's New Crossover Icon: In Production
- New generation Qashqai showcased at Nissan Sunderland Plant
- Investment in Qashqai production in the UK tops £500m
- Workforce at Sunderland over 7,000 for the first time, supporting 40,000 UK jobs
Sunderland, UK, January 22, 2014: Redesigned from the ground up, the new generation Nissan Qashqai is now rolling off the production line at the company's record-breaking Sunderland plant.
Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, Qashqai is the best-selling Crossover in Europe and Nissan's best-selling model in Europe, having created a brand new segment on its launch in 2006.
Following widespread acclaim since its unveil in November, the new generation model is now in full production at Sunderland, where a Qashqai is built every 61 seconds on the factory's Line 1.
Hosting a ceremony at the plant today, Nissan's Chief Performance Officer, Trevor Mann CBE, said: "The Nissan Qashqai blazed a trail when we started production in 2006. It invented the Crossover segment, propelled the Nissan brand in Europe to a new level and helped our plant in Sunderland to set new standards in productivity and quality.
"The new Qashqai, with its bold design and segment-leading technology, will once again elevate Nissan to a new level, as the benchmark for the second generation of Crossovers and our flagship model in Europe."
Playing a starring role in a new film made for today's ceremony are members of the Nissan workforce, which has now grown above 7,000 for the first time in the plant's 28-year history, supporting a total of more than 40,000 UK automotive industry jobs in design, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and sales.
The international economic impact of Qashqai now spreads from Sunderland across the world, with £534 million now invested by Nissan in its development and production, supporting more than 224 suppliers in 22 countries, and exporting to more than 130 global markets.
UK Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. David Cameron said: "It's great news that the new model Qashqai is rolling off the production line in Sunderland. Nissan supports 40,000 jobs across the UK, and when you add that to the half a billion pound investment that Nissan have made in this country for this new model, it shows how our long term plan is giving companies the confidence to invest and create jobs in Britain."
Executive Vice President Mann added: "Behind the rise of Qashqai is the operational excellence of Nissan's design, engineering and manufacturing operations. It gives me great pleasure to return to Sunderland today to thank and pay tribute to the many thousands of colleagues at Nissan and in our supply base who have contributed to this success."
The new Nissan Qashqai is built on Sunderland's Line 1, which has been running on 24-hour operations since 2010 to meet demand, and where the 100% electric Nissan LEAF is also made. It is also the first Nissan production vehicle in Europe to be based on the new CMF (Common Module Family) Renault-Nissan Alliance platform.
The striking design behind the new generation Nissan Qashqai will be the subject of a unique event in one of Europe's leading contemporary art galleries.
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The time has come. The new Qashqai – the most advanced crossover ever – has arrived at its secret unveil location and is ready to meet the world. With Nissan innovation and excitement running through every component, it marks the dawn of a bold new era in …