Nissan pins hopes on new Almera

MANILA, Philippines - Nissan Motor Philippines Inc. (NMPI) is banking on the newly launched Almera to grow its sales by more than twice this year from the previous year’s.

Lee Ceasar Junia, NMPI vice president for marketing, sales and after sales division told reporters at the launch of the new sedan on Wednesday night the firm aims to sell between 3,500 to 4,000 vehicles this year, much higher than last year’s 1,445 units.

“The Almera will account for bulk of our sales this year,” he said.

NMPI aims to sell 250 units of the all-new Almera per month.

The vehicles will be produced at NMPI’s plant in Santa Rosa in Laguna.

The Almera is the firm’s entry in the B-segment, a category which is seen to have the highest growth potential amid strong demand.

Junia said the Almera, which is designed for the young market or those planning to buy a new car for the first time, is expected to allow the firm to achieve higher sales this year given the vehicle’s elegant design, huge space and affordable price.

The four-door, five-seat sedan which is powered by a 1.5 liter engine features good fuel efficiency and is considered to be the biggest and most spacious in its class.

Considering its features, the Almera offers a very competitive price ranging from P710,000 to P830,000.

Shinichi Koyama, vice president for business management of Nissan Motor Asia Pacific, said at the launch the firm is optimistic that through the newest vehicle offering, the firm would become more active in the domestic market and even in the region.

“With this, we are confident that the new Nissan Almera will greatly contribute in realizing our goal in creating a stronger presence in the region and in the local auto industry,” he said.

Junia said the firm hopes to achieve higher sales this year, driven by demand for its other vehicle models given the country’s positive economic conditions.

“The market right now is very robust. All indicators show the economy is in good health,” he said.

Other vehicles sold by NMPI are the X-trail, Grand Livina, Sentra, Teana, and Serena.