Nissan India today unveiled the Micra, its first small car being rolled out from its Chennai facility and signed on Hindi film actor Ranbir Kapoor as the brand ambassador.
"Today is an important and memorable day for Nissan India and our partner Hover Automotive. I am delighted to announce that Ranbir Kapoor is our brand ambassador," Nissan Motor India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Kiminobu Tokuyama said here today after unveiling the Micra, its first made-in-India small car.
Tokuyama added, "Ranbir would endorse all our products and services beginning with the Micra."
The company has already got 400 bookings for the Micra, whose delivery will start next month. The company is planning to roll out 80,000 units of Micra this fiscal, Tokuyama said, adding "the production of Micra will be 80,000 units this fiscal. This will be for both export and domestic sales."
Tokuyama also said, "Nissan India will ship components worth $10 million this year. In 2011, we will export components to the tune of $20 million and by 2012 worth $40 million." The components which are being sourced from various vendors include side air bags, brake pedals and oil pumps, among others.
The domestic arm of the Japanese car major plans to export 1.1-lakh cars from the country by 2011, he said, adding exports would go up to 1.8 lakh units in a couple of years.
He further said the capacity Chennai plant would also be doubled to 4 lakh units from the present 2 lakh but did not divulge details or a timeframe for the same.
"We have just started production and we need to ramp up the pace. Production from this plant would be 80,000 units for both domestic market and exports this year," Tokuyama said.
"Exports at this stage would be greater than the domestic market. But it does not necessarily mean that we are prioritising exports. Both the India market and the emerging markets are important to us," he said.
Nissan is in the process of expanding its dealership network and plans to take the total number of dealers to 100 by 2013, Hover Automotive India Vice-President (Operations) Abhijeet Pandit said. Hover Automotive is the service partner for marketing, sales and dealer development for Nissan India.
"We have 11 dealers now, which will go up to 20 by next month. By this year-end, we are planning 36 dealers and a 100 by 2013," Pandit said.
