Nissan has formally confirmed that the March and Versa will be the first two products, both V-platform vehicles, to come out of the Resende plant. The plant is scheduled to begin production during the first half of 2014. Additional reports indicate the Note will be added in 2015. The plant is expected to have capacity of 200,000 vehicles per annum. Nissan also says that the plant will feature a "green belt" that circles the facility, designed to help neutralize CO2 emissions and reduce the noise levels for the plant's neighbors.
Significance: Brazil has been aggressive in encouraging manufacturing investment, and the country is forecast to see continued growth, despite overall growth in 2013 forecast by IHS Automotive to be flat. Nissan has also appointed new sales and marketing executives to tend to the country's sales progress, just ahead of the plant's production launch and introduction of the Sentra. Nissan's sales in 2013 have earned them only the ninth spot in the top-ten car brands, ahead of Citroen, and none of its vehicles made the top ten. Nissan's best-selling vehicle in 2012 was the March, with 33,151 units sold, followed by the Frontier at 17,917 units. Some of the Brazil production is likely to be exported to Argentina and other South American markets.
