Nissan has announced plans to construct a $2 billion manufacturing complex in Aguascalientes, Mexico, as part of the automaker’s effort to significantly expand sales in North America over the next few years.
The new facility, which will be Nissan’s third plant in Mexico, will be able to churn out 175,000 units annually when it comes online in late 2013. It will build vehicles based off Nissan’s “B” platform, which underpins U.S.-market models including the Cube, Juke, NV200 and Versa hatchback.
With the ever-fluctuating yen impeding Nissan’s ability to profitably export cars from Japan to North America, the new plant should be a cost-effective source of additional production as the automaker strives to achieve its ambitious goal of increasing U.S. sales by 54 percent within the next three years.
“Mexico is a key engine for Nissan’s growth in the Americas,” said Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. “Together with our new plant in Brazil, this new manufacturing facility in Aguascalientes is an important pillar in our strategy to ensure that Nissan has the capacity it needs to increase sales volume and market share across the Americas.”
