YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan is expanding its series of Autech-modified vehicles in Japan to meet the needs of customers who want sporty, high-performance models with enhanced quality and comfort.
The models will be unified under the AUTECH sub-brand, starting with today's unveiling of the new Nissan Serena AUTECH minivan.
The new brand will share a foundation of sporty driving performance with Nissan's existing NISMO sub-brand. While NISMO road cars are focused purely around sports – drawing on Nissan's motor sports DNA – AUTECH will emphasize premium craftsmanship, with top-quality materials and immaculate attention to detail.
"Nissan will offer different core values through our two sub-brands, NISMO and AUTECH," said Takao Katagiri, president and chief executive officer of both Autech Japan and Nissan Motorsports International. "We'll continue offering a variety of programs to help our customers enjoy their Nissan vehicles even more."
Autech-modified vehicles have until now been marketed under the Axis, Rider, Bolero and Mode Premier grade names. They will now be unified under the AUTECH brand.
Nissan announced plans in April to expand its range of NISMO road cars. The company has already introduced the Nissan GT-R NISMO, Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO, Nissan Juke NISMO, Nissan Note NISMO and Nissan March NISMO, as well as the Nissan Serena NISMO, which was launched on Nov. 21.
Like NISMO, the AUTECH brand will also be rolled out based on Nissan's model lineup. Through the two sub-brands, Nissan will bring the excitement of its high-performance models to as many customers in Japan as possible.
Nissan is also introducing its NISMO Heritage program today, which supports owners of Nissan performance cars by offering new replacement parts for some heritage models. The project is carried out by Nissan, Nissan Motorsports International and Autech Japan (NISMO Cars Business Unit), with the support of suppliers.
As the first step, the NISMO Heritage program will begin offering parts for the R32 Skyline GT-R in Japan on Dec. 1.
About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2016, the company sold 5.63 million vehicles globally, generating revenues of 11.72 trillion yen. In fiscal 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.OV.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with a core operating profit margin of 8% and cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.OV.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has a global workforce of 247,500 and has been partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999. In 2016, Nissan acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the world's largest automotive partnership, with combined annual sales of more than 10 million vehicles a year.
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