Nissan has unveiled a new £52m XL press line at its UK manufacturing plant in Washington, as preparations ramp up for production of the next-generation Qashqai. The investment in the UK further cements the company’s 2016 announcement that it is committed to the UK post Brexit, despite hints to the contrary in the lead-up to the 2019 General Election.
This means that around £400m has been invested in the UK-built Qashqai so far and comes on top of the £100m invested for the launch of new Juke – these sums are part of a planned investment in the plant totalling £1bn over five years. To support certain elements of the £400m investment, Nissan has received support from the UK Government’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The first specially commissioned panels to come off the press were produced during a ceremony which took place on Friday and was led by Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta (below), who said: ‘When the first Nissan Qashqai rolled off the line in Sunderland in 2006 it created a new market segment. Designed, engineered and made in the UK, and more than three million vehicles later, it remains the benchmark, just as our team in the UK continues to set the standard for productivity and quality.’
As part of the ceremony, the whole team behind the press project signed the first panel – a wing for the Juke. March 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of the first Juke to roll off the line in Washington. The all-new version has been made exclusively there since October last year.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
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I used to be a Machine Tool salesman. What an order!!
Great news, However Japanese press, Franco Japanese company. What have us Brits done to our own industry. 50 years ago it would have been British made and owned press and car plants.
If you have a toxic combination of militant unions, clueless management & too many companies lumped together in a short time, then it’s not too surprising.
Add to this the Far Eastern companies becoming big players on the world market, & most of the European makers making more attractive models then things get even worse.
I know the reasons, my father worked for BMC! However it the UK disease allowing industries to fail and those that do succeed sell them off. Where are the new UK machinery manufacturers and volume car manufacturers. Hyundai was set up by a Brit!
You’ve answered you’ve own question there!
Looks like the fears Nissan would close Sunderland have come to nothing. I doubt they would want to close their most successful factory that produces 500,000 cars a year and makes cars people want to buy all over Europe. The reason they cancelled the Infiniti was no one was buying it and it was an expensive car to produce, but large numbers of people want a Qashqai or a Leaf.
The people that work and live up there didn’t believe in Project Fear despite being told by the whole world they were wrong in not being scared into voting the correct way.
Either that or Nissan are playing the long game of sticking things out until we rejoin the EU.
Good news, few comments, speaks volumes…
Not really Ian…..its just that most commentators here wouldn’t know what a press line was if it fell on them.