Dongfeng Nissan gears up to meet the annual target

Dongfeng-Nissan sets a sales goal of 300,000-unit vehicles for 2007, and the 50-50 joint venture between Nissan Motor Co and Dongfeng Motor Corp is accelerating to provide more new models and more competitive prices with the first half-year sales of 128,168 units.

During the first six months, Dongfeng Nissan's market share jump to 5.88 percent combined with a 29% increase in sales from the previous year. It's now ranking the sixth in the local auto industry, up from the ninth slot one year ago.

As for the whole year 2007, for which Dongfeng Nissan names "take-off year", the company eyes to increase the sales and production by 48 percent, while adding more dealerships by the end of year to establish 310 franchises.

With the whole-year task done by 42.7 percent, Dongfeng Nissan has to take action.

Second half-year

Dongfeng Nissan's flagship model Tiida keeps selling well during the past few months, whose half-year sales tops 61,000 units, while Livina, launched during the Shanghai Auto Show in Apr., receives good market reaction. However, apart from the two models, sales of other models--Teana, Geniss, Sylphy, remain lucrative. Sales of Geniss in May even hit a record low of 620 units.

Dongfeng Nissan lauches the Teana Yu-series on 2nd Jul., with which the company wants to save the sliding sales competeting with Toyota's Camry, VW's Passat and Honda's Accord. Then, ten days later, Dongfeng Nissan put up a promotion on Sylphy along with the campaign on the Teana Yu. More price-cuts will come out, analysts forecasts.

Along with promotions, Dongfeng Nissan also plans to introduce new models. The Nissan SUV Qashqai and X-Trail, which were planned to roll out in 2008, could hit the market earlier. Other sources report that Nissan Maxima and Murano are likely to be introduced from Japan. Currently, the company refuses to tell details about the new products for the second half-year.

The company also takes the luxury brand Infiniti high on its agenda. Sales of the Infiniti G35 sedan started in China on July 1 at prices of between 448,000 Yuan ($59,000) and 478,000 Yuan($63 210). The FX35 sport-utility vehicle is priced from 638,000 Yuan to 678,000 Yuan, while the FX45 SUV costs as much as 808,000 Yuan.