Nissan Cutting Quest, QX56 For Commercial Models

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Nissan is switching production at its Canton, MS factory from the Quest minivan and Infiniti QX56 SUV to light commercial vehicles (LCV). USA Today reports that the commercial-grade trucks will start rolling off the line in 2010, and that Nissan has yet to decide if the outgoing Quest and QX56 will be replaced. "When we get to the end of each vehicle's cycle, we look at the market" and decide the fate of each vehicle, says Nissan spokeswoman Frederique Le Greves. "The decision has not been finalized. The intention is to continue them, but we don't know where we will manufacture them." Parse the PR-speak, and you get "maybe we'll replace them if minivan and SUV sales pick up." Canton will continue to produce Titan pickups and Altima sedans, while the $118m production switchover takes place. New LCVs will be built for the US market in the eight-ton gross vehicle weight class, powered by 50-state emissions control compatible Cummins turbodiesel engines.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • 210delray 210delray on Apr 09, 2008

    So I assume the Armada lives (twin of QX56)?

  • Jthorner Jthorner on Apr 09, 2008

    This sounds like a reasonable move, taking resources out of shrinking markets were Nissan is a weak player. Time will tell if the move to increase light commercial vehicles Nissan sales will pan out. They are not a factor in the US market right now.

  • PRNDLOL PRNDLOL on Apr 09, 2008

    The QX56 was a rare example of a junky piss-poor fat-ass pig truck built by a Japanese automaker, and i welcome its demise.

  • Bfg9k Bfg9k on Apr 10, 2008

    The Nissan Forum concept minivan would be a great replacement for the Quest, sans the microwave in the dash. I always liked the effort Nissan made to add some style with the Quest, too bad it came off so weird looking.

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