Nissan China JV sets challenging 2009 target

Shanghai, December 12 (Gasgoo.com) Nissan Motor's Chinese joint venture (JV) with Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Dongfeng Motor Company, has said that it faces a tough challenge to meet its 2009 sales target in the Chinese passenger car market, reported Reuters.

Vice-president of the JV, Toshiaki Otani, told journalists that he personally targeted passenger vehicle growth of 14.5 percent in 2009, which he said would be "very challenging" to achieve.

He added that it would require the addition of between 40,000 and 50,000 sales next year. He anticipated China's vehicle market would grow a maximum 5 percent next year, after slowing to 7-8 percent this year.

Dongfeng Motor is expecting sales of 345,000 passenger vehicles this year, a 27.4 percent increase over 2007, he said. The venture sold 276,891 vehicles from January to October, up 27.39 per cent on year. That's compared with 9.47 per cent industrial growth.