Nissan to build new premium car in Sunderland

The confirmation announcement said the decision to build in the UK represented "a substantial investment of around £250mn into the facility and is expected to secure a further 1,000 jobs at Sunderland and across the UK". Colin Dodge, Nissan executive vice president (pictured with the Infiniti Etherea), said: "This milestone, our first premium product to be manufactured at Sunderland, reconfirms our commitment to UK manufacturing and the ongoing success of the plant, which is moving up the value chain. "Just as important, the new Infiniti, which will be exported around the world, is being developed with help from our London design centre and our European Technical Centre at Cranfield." The premium entry compact Infiniti model is expected to be produced from 2015, allowing Nissan to compete within the heart of the premium segment for the first time. When production begins, Infiniti will become the first new car brand to be manufactured in the UK on this scale in 23 years. UK production of Infiniti is expected to create an additional 1,000 jobs across the country, including 280 new jobs at the Sunderland plant, with a capacity to produce 60,000 Infiniti models a year. The announcement coincides with the news that this year, the plant will produce more than half a million cars for the first time, thus becoming the first UK manufacturer to achieve this milestone. During 2012, employment on site passed 6,000 for the first time and global exports from the plant now exceed five million units. Because of capacity limitations at Sunderland, securing the new Infiniti will mean that a C-segment hatchback, previously announced for the plant in April, will be manufactured elsewhere. Sourcing for this vehicle will be decided and announced at a later date.