Nissan Q1 China sales rise 9% to 144,603 units

Shanghai, April 13 (Gasgoo.com) Nissan Motor Co's vehicle sales in China rose by 9 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier to 144,603 units, according to a Dow Jones Newswires report, citing company's China-based spokeswoman Anna Hsu.

The Japanese auto maker is targeting 4.6% auto sales growth this year to 570,000 units. Nissan sold roughly 37,000 passenger cars in March in China, marking a 36 percent growth from a year earlier.

China's passenger vehicle sales rose 10.3 percent in March from a year earlier to 772,400 units, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

China's total auto sales hit a monthly record of 1.11 million vehicles in March, exceeding U.S. sales for the third straight month, as tax cuts and subsidies for small car purchases boosted the Chinese auto market demand.