Nissan’s new car promises 1,000 jobs

The new medium-sized model will be built in Sunderland in 2014, bringing an additional 225 jobs to the factory and 900 at component companies supplying Nissan.

The move follows an announcement last month that the North East plant will also produce a compact car based on the so-called Invitation concept model from next year.

The two new models will result in more than 3,000 jobs being created in the UK automotive sector within the next two years – 625 at Nissan and the remainder across the supply base.

Once recruitment for both models is complete, the Sunderland plant’s workforce will stand at a record 6,225, supporting annual production of more than half a million models.

Nissan said the new hatchback, which will be named closer to its sales launch, marks the car maker’s return to the mainstream medium segment in Europe.

The announcement was made yesterday by Prime Minister David Cameron and Nissan chief operating officer Toshiyuki Shiga, during a visit to Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama, Japan.