Nissan, which employs 5,900 people at its factory in Sunderland, sold 11,000 fewer cars in November than the same time last year.
Although market share remained the same, the reverse in car sales across Europe was sharp, falling from 60,000 to 49,000.
In the UK and Russia, where Nissan has a strong industrial footprint, year-to-date sales are up 15.7% and 5% but the automotive market is taking a dip in the final few months of the year.
Despite this, Nissan’s factory in Sunderland is on course for a production record, as it manufacturers the flagship models like the Juke SUV, which sold 5.2% more cars this year, and Qashqai, which registered a small sales increase due to gains in the UK.
The Sunderland plant made 800 more cars in November than in the previous year and is just 2,000 cars short of the 480,000 production record for 2011 with December’s figures still to come.
