Nissan is hoping to raise sales at its Chinese ventures at least 64 percent by 2012 as the country's surging economic growth boosts demand for cars and trucks.
The ventures will add 10 car models and five commercial vehicles in the next four years with the aim of lifting sales to more than 1 million units a year, Kimiyasu Nakamura, president of venture Dongfeng Motor Co., said Wednesday in Beijing.
Nissan Motor Co. will also open a $144 million light commercial-vehicle plant in China in 2010 to boost capacity in a country that may surpass the U.S. as the world's biggest auto market by 2015. Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn is focusing on China and other emerging markets to counter a slowdown in the U.S. and Japan, Nissan's two biggest markets.
"Nissan is enjoying positive growth momentum in China as it is paying more attention to the country," said Ricon Xia, an analyst at Daiwa Associate Holdings Ltd. in Shanghai. "Its product lineup in China is competitive and it will do better this year than last year."
Nissan, Dongfeng Motor and Dongfeng Automobile Co. will fund the new light commercial-vehicle plant, which will have a capacity of more than 120,000 vehicles a year.