Nissan-Renault Automotive India today started construction of its Rs 4,500-crore passenger car plant in Chennai and that it shall move its manufacturing operations for its small car, Micra to India from Sunderland, UK by the year 2010. Nissan-Renault is shifting the Micra production as they need to take care of the volumes and pricing of the car. This is one of their largest selling models. Nissan also plans to bring its cross-over SUV Murano to India next year. Nissan shall use ‘A’ segment platform for more small cars after using it for Micra which would be atleast three other models.

Nissan-Renault is a 50:50 joint venture between Nissan and Renault to manufacture passenger cars in India. The company has a minimum investment plan of Rs 4,500 crore. Last month, the Nissan-Renault alliance entered into a joint venture with two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto to develop, produce and market a low-cost car priced at $2,500 by 2011. While Suzuki has a 50 per cent share of the market, Renault and Nissan have lagged behind rivals in expanding their footprint in India. Renault has a 2.2 per cent share. Other automobile manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford Motor and Volkswagen have announced a combined investment of $6 billion for India, where car sales are expected to double by 2013.

 

Renault Nissan project starts : Micra and Murano might come soon

Renault Nissan

innovation, creativity, gorgeous mockups and visionary talk.

The following list of Top 10 electric vehicles contains examples of cars that emphasize practicality, others that are race cars on steroids, and still others that are glorified golf carts. Even though a few on this list may not ever actually hit the American road, all are fascinating, and one may even end up in your garage before the decade is out — if you have the money and the early-adopter patience. Hit Continue and see what the future may hold.
 

1. Tesla Roadster
This $100,000 two-seater packed with 6,831 laptop batteries is now shipping in limited numbers. Originally, the 2,700-pound vehicle could zip from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, but since then its problematic transmission has been limited to one gear only, reducing that acceleration to a 0 to 60 time of 5.9 seconds. Tesla Motors promises to replace that makeshift transmission with a new unit as soon as it’s developed; meanwhile, Tesla says it will roll out 1,000 cars this year, with the waiting list into next year already full.
 

Although the heat these past few days is concentrated on the Renault-Nissan & GM issue, Carlos “The Jackal” Ghosn continues his revitalising plan of Nissan as the Japanese company announced it would release a new family of global cars over the next two years with sales of the first variant to start in China in 2006.
The Livina Geniss, the name of the Chinese variant, will be the first Nissan car ever to be released in China ahead of other global markets. Like the other models in this new global family, the Livina Geniss has been designed and engineered at the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Japan and will be built on a Renault-Nissan Alliance common

platform. Among others, the Geniss may very well form the basis for a mid-size MPV or Hatchback in Europe.

Nissan Executive Vice President Carlos Tavares Comments: "This new family of global cars represents a substantial investment for Nissan. We expect the Livina Geniss and the other variants to become significant contributors to Nissans growth in China and other key global markets".
 

Nissan Geniss: New global car to start it’s career in China

Nissan dévoilait officiellement son premier hybride hier au salon d’Orange County en Californie. Cette version hybride de l’Altima a le même moteur 4 cylindres que la version standard, couplé à un moteur électrique lui donnant le luxe d’une puissance de 198cv. Le bénéfice de ce moteur électrique est bien entendu, outre sa pollution zéro, les économies de carburant inhérentes à son utilisation lui permettant une autonomie de 1127km avec un plein de 75 litres.