Restore The Roar: Nissan Soars In The Americas

Nissan To Boost Americas Production Capacity To More Than 2 Million Units In 2014

Production increases, new plants driving growth

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- By early 2014, Nissan's production capacity will eclipse two million units in the Americas, driven by recently added capacity at its U.S. plants, as well as new facilities in Mexico and Brazil.

Site of new Nissan campus in Brazil

In response to strong growth opportunities throughout the region and in an effort to isolate the company from volatility in global currencies, Nissan is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in the Americas region with an investment of more than $5 billion USD in new plants and increased production volumes. To support this aggressive growth and expansion, the company is adding more than 10,000 jobs across the region, with much of the hiring complete or underway.

Nissan has been the market share leader in Mexico for 50 consecutive months and will be further bolstered there by an all-new $2 billion USD manufacturing complex, supplier park and quality proving ground in Aguascalientes, which is nearing construction completion. During the initial phase of its development, the new complex will support production of up to 175,000 units annually of Nissan's 'B' platform products and complement Nissan's two existing Mexican manufacturing facilities in Aguascalientes and Cuernavaca.

Construction is also in progress for an all-new $1.5 billion USD manufacturing complex in Resende, Brazil, which will have annual capacity for 200,000 'V' Platform vehicles with production slated for the first half of 2014. The first plant of its kind for Nissan in South America will provide much-needed production volume to support Nissan's goal for market share growth in Brazil. In 2012, Nissan was the top-growing automaker in Brazil for the third consecutive year.

In addition, production of 4-cylinder gasoline engines for Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz models will begin in early 2014 at an all-new Renault-Nissan Alliance powertrain plant in Decherd, Tenn. The project is a joint venture with Daimler, with an installed capacity of 250,000 units per year.

Americas Region Production Capacities

Canton, Miss. Vehicle Assembly Plant - 450,000
Smyrna, Tenn. Vehicle Assembly Plant - 550,000
Aguascalientes, Mexico Vehicle Assembly Plant - 380,000
Aguascalientes II, Mexico Vehicle Assembly Plant (2013) - 175,000
Cuernavaca, Mexico Vehicle Assembly Plant - 316,000
Resende, Brazil Vehicle Assembly Plant (2014) - 200,000
Curitiba, Brazil Vehicle Assembly* - 32,000

*Production at Renault facility. Capacity figure is based on actual CY2012 production.

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance is a five-part ebook essay series that begins with The Great Collapse, the fall and rise of Michigan manufacturing. A free preview is available by clicking here.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community tells the story of how Grand Rapids reinvented itself while the rest of Michigan was crashing around it. A free preview is available by clicking here.

Nissan Creates "Taxi of Tomorrow" For New York City

Nissan's "Taxi of Tomorrow" is going to be on the streets of New York in the fall of 2013.  It is designed specifically for the streets of New York, the conditions of New York and the people of New York.

Nissan designers have even figured out a way to discourage the honking of the taxi's horn by upset drivers.

Nissan developed the new taxi, which is based on the NV200 compact cargo vehicle, to suit the specific demands of the more than 600,000 people who ride in New York City taxicabs every day.

Manufacturing of the taxi  The Nissan taxi will roll off the line looking as if it's ready to be hailed. Preparations to launch production of the taxi in Cuernavaca entailed the challenge of modifying the production line to integrate exclusive taxi characteristics without affecting production volumes and while maintaining award-winning quality records. The Paint Shop added the exclusive New York taxi yellow color and new elements to achieve a perfect under-floor seal. The plant also added an exclusive afterline to complete taxi-specific manufacturing processes such as bodylines, side door windows and the vehicle's panoramic roof.

New York's "Taxi of Tomorrow" Designed from the inside out using input from New York taxi drivers, medallion holders, fleets and passengers, the Nissan taxi features more content tailored specifically to the unique needs of New York City cab service than ever before.

Nissan created its own "New York Avenue" at its Arizona proving grounds to replicate harsh conditions of New York City streets to rigorously test the NV200 taxi so that the suspension can be tuned specifically to NYC road conditions. Additionally, Nissan hired New York City cab drivers to drive test vehicles around the city, collecting data which was then used to refine the vehicle. In total, these drivers logged more than 155,000 miles – enough to cover every street in Manhattan more than 300 times.

Standard interior features and passenger amenities include:

• Ample room for four passengers and their luggage, offering substantial improvements over current taxi models
• Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles, providing easy entry and exit 
• Transparent roof panel, presenting unique views of the city
• Opening side windows
• Independently controlled rear air conditioning
• Active carbon-lined headliner to help neutralize interior odors
• Overhead reading lights for passengers and floor lighting to help locate belongings
• A mobile charging station for passengers, including a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports
• Breathable, antimicrobial, environment-friendly, durable and easy-to-clean seat fabric, simulating the look and feel of leather
• Flat, "no hump" passenger floor area for more comfortable ride

Other notable vehicle features:

• Proven 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, engineered to enhance the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet
• 150,000 mile powertrain warranty
• A low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that indicate when the vehicle is honking, so the horn is used less frequently
• A 6-way adjustable driver's seat featuring both recline and lumbar adjustments, even with a partition installed
• Unique driver's seat material and stitching to promote improved airflow
• USB auxiliary audio input and charge port for driver
• Standard navigation system with integrated rearview backup monitor
• Hearing loop system for the hearing impaired
• Driver and passenger intercom system

In addition, important safety features of the Taxi of Tomorrow include:

• Only taxi ever to be safety tested and certified with full taxi partition
• Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, and seat-mounted airbags for the front row
• Standard traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control
• Sliding doors to lessen risk of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by doors opening unexpectedly
• Lights that alert other road users that taxi doors are opening

Restore The Roar: Manufacturing Renaissance is a five-part ebook essay series available through Amazon and Vook.com. It tells the story of the fall and rise of Michigan's manufacturers and the new entrepreneurs leading the renaissance.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is the story of how the people of Grand Rapids created a cluster of prosperity that came to be called, Medical Mile, during the worst decade Michigan had ever seen.

Last Chance Mile: The Reinvention of an American Community is available wherever books are sold online, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes, as well as on the shelves of brick-and-mortar stores like Barnes & Noble-Woodland Mall, Schuler Books & Music- 28th Street and West Coast Coffee on Monroe Center, Grand Rapids, Michigan.