With sales of the Nissan Note set to begin in Japan in early September, the car-maker’s plant in Sunderland will produce models for Europe, which are planned for release in 2013.
The new global compact car was revealed at a world premiere held in Yokohama, Japan, but will be adapted to suit a European market.
Sunderland has a capacity to produce up to 100,000 units of the new Nissan Note following a £125m investment in the plant to modify an existing line and purchase new tooling.
There are 400 new jobs being created at the site as a result of the new model, most of which will be taken on when manufacturing begins later this year.
The Sunderland plant will produce a large amount of components for the Nissan Note on site, including the suspension, while also investing in a casting plant to make cylinder heads.
The new hatchback includes Nissan’s advanced Around View Monitor (AVM), which helps to take the stress out of reversing and parallel parking in tight spaces, is included for the first time in a compact car.
Two new engines will be available to customers in Japan, including the new supercharged HR12DDR (DIG-S) and the HR12DE.
The newly-developed three-cylinder supercharged, direct injection DIG-S engine provides improved fuel efficiency, achieving 25.2 km/l.
There is no date set in place for when the European-modified Nissan Note will be unveiled.
