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By John McCormick / Autos Insider
San Francisco, CA - As if Detroit automakers don't have enough to worry about with the apparently unstoppable Toyota juggernaut, now Motown has Nissan banging on the door.
This month in San Francisco Nissan is setting out its plans for growth around the globe to waves of international media. For the US contingent the presentation was made just as Nissan North America reported that its sales last month, including the Infiniti luxury division, were up 28 percent compared to May 2003.
The sales boost underlined the fact that Nissan has transitioned from the recovery phase we have witnessed over the last few years, to a period of expansion based on a host of new products. The May sales figures included much better figures for the Titan full-size pick-up, whose initial slow market reception had been taken as an encouraging sign of weakness by some in Detroit.
If the Titan keeps up its May sales rate it will be on target for an annual total of around 100,000 units, which Nissan claims was the original target. That's hardly in the Ford F-series or Chevrolet Silverado class, but not to be written off either. Not every Nissan or Infiniti model has been a shining success - the quirky Quest minivan has met a lukewarm reception - but overall the picture is promising. Nissan also derides a recent newspaper report that company CEO Carlos Ghosn has had to step in to revitalize US operations. Ghosn's current oversight role in America was planned last year before the new models went on sale, say insiders.
NISSAN THINKS IT'S A WINNER
San Francisco, CA - As if Detroit automakers don't have enough to worry about with the apparently unstoppable Toyota juggernaut, now Motown has Nissan banging on the door.
This month in San Francisco Nissan is setting out its plans for growth around the globe to waves of international media. For the US contingent the presentation was made just as Nissan North America reported that its sales last month, including the Infiniti luxury division, were up 28 percent compared to May 2003.
The sales boost underlined the fact that Nissan has transitioned from the recovery phase we have witnessed over the last few years, to a period of expansion based on a host of new products. The May sales figures included much better figures for the Titan full-size pick-up, whose initial slow market reception had been taken as an encouraging sign of weakness by some in Detroit.
If the Titan keeps up its May sales rate it will be on target for an annual total of around 100,000 units, which Nissan claims was the original target. That's hardly in the Ford F-series or Chevrolet Silverado class, but not to be written off either. Not every Nissan or Infiniti model has been a shining success - the quirky Quest minivan has met a lukewarm reception - but overall the picture is promising. Nissan also derides a recent newspaper report that company CEO Carlos Ghosn has had to step in to revitalize US operations. Ghosn's current oversight role in America was planned last year before the new models went on sale, say insiders.
NISSAN THINKS IT'S A WINNER
