Invasion Of The Midget-Mobiles
Nissan wants to invest “the Americas” with three new low-cost subcompacts, made in Mexico by their Aguascalientes factory that can crank out 300,000 units a year. The cars are based on the Nissan’s V-platform. The Nissan March (known outside Asia as the Nissan Micra) is currently being made in Thailand and re-imported to Japan. It sells there for around $10,000.
According to The Nikkei [sub], Nissan will start making a March/Micra hatchback early next year in Mexico. A sedan and a MPV will follow by 2013. If demand exceeds the capacity of the Aguascalientes factory, Nissan’s Cuernavaca plant can lend a helping hand.
According to the Nikkei, Nissan will sell 20 percent of the three new cars in Mexico and the remainder “throughout the Americas.” Supposedly, they are looking south first, where “booming economic growth is expected to lift income levels in Central and South America,” and where “affordable subcompacts are wheeling into the spotlight as entry cars for first-time buyers.” A free trade agreement between the U.S., Chile and other neighboring nations, helps. Of course, Nissan also casts an eye further north, because “demand for gas-sipping subcompacts will grow in the U.S. as a result of tighter emissions standards.”
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Comments
Join the conversation
WOW, a new country is born: Mexcio Looks nicer than the previous gen Micra.
This is good news for the USA because this is all they will be able to afford in the near future...The useless and bratty taxtaker parasites will be driving Mercedes in the neo-Feudalism brave new world in the USA where the taxtakers live better than the taxpayers.
SV, I disagree. I think that a seriously sub-$10,000 car would have no credibility with buyers. They expect the Sentra to be stripped out at $10k. But for less than $10k? I think buyers would avoid it. Also, anything smaller than the what's already for sale is too small. Americans are too tall or too fat or too afraid to drive something small.
Ugh the choice of word you use for this article affect the readers thoughts and stuff. Midget is a negative word, kinda like rename the estate tax to the Death Tax. Or making something sound impending, Global warming, and change it to something nicer such as climate change. It's much better to use a neutral word. Such their size... super sub compact? >_> ---- And yes I think there's a market for these cars. If people buy smart then well shoot they'll probably buy this one. If they're cute as the mini the girls probably going to get it too.