QUINCY, Mass., May 25, 2011 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In the midst of its own recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Nissan is reaching out to the storm-battered Southeastern United States with special pricing and more flexible financing on its vehicles. Nissan’s Japanese recovery efforts continue, with increased production at its repaired factories helping to meet demand at U.S. Nissan dealers like Massachusetts-based Quirk Nissan.
Many of Nissan’s employees got a close-up view of the tornado devastation and related flooding in late April. Nissan America’s headquarters and two of its factories are based in Tennessee, with another residing in Canton, Mississippi. In a show of support for its communities, Nissan is offering anyone who had a vehicle destroyed or damaged its $1,500 employee discount off dealer invoice pricing, as well as the ability to delay up to three vehicle payments in accordance with Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.’s Payment Delay Plan. The offers will be available to residents of storm-hit counties listed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kentucky.
Nissan also offered direct aid to the affected communities, donating $115,000 to the American Red Cross to help provide food, clothing and shelter to people displaced by the storms.
“Nissan has a close connection with the ravaged communities in the South and has seen the devastation and the challenges people will face as they try to rebuild,” said Paul Butts, general manager of Quirk Nissan. “In this time of need, Nissan is working to help affected families get back on their feet and recover from these disasters. Many of them lost their vehicles due to damage or flooding, so getting them mobile again is the first step toward normal life.”
In Japan, all Nissan factories have returned to full operation and production is increasing. The automaker expects that any delays in the near future will be related to the availability of parts from its suppliers, not the capability of its factories. Production output for Nissan fell 52.4 percent in March due to the earthquake, which was less than Toyota and Honda, whose output fell about 62 percent.
The ramped-up activity by Nissan in Japan will mean improved production of the all-electric Nissan LEAF at the automaker’s Oppama plant. With many deliveries on hold due to the earthquake, Nissan is working to catch up on its backlog of pre-orders. Even with these delays, Nissan sold 1,044 LEAF electric cars in the U.S. through April. The automaker expects that number to swell past 10,000 units in the United States before year’s end.
“The LEAF is a great engineering success story for Nissan, and it won’t be long before the vehicle becomes a regular sight on the road,” Butts added. “Nissan is doing everything they can to get the LEAF in the hands of everyone who wants one. Once they’ve caught up with demand, we’ll have the LEAF in our showroom, and that’s an exciting prospect for fuel economy-minded Massachusetts Nissan customers.”
Launched last December, the Nissan LEAF uses an 80 kW AC synchronous motor coupled with a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery to offer a top speed of 90 mph and a range of nearly 100 miles, all while producing zero emissions. The new vehicle contributed to an overall U.S. year-over-year sales increase of 12.2 percent for Nissan. The Nissan Rogue SUV saw a record April, with U.S. sales up 28.1 percent.
About Quirk Nissan:
Quirk Nissan, the premier Greater Boston Nissan dealer, is focused on providing superior value and service in every aspect of the automobile purchase and ownership experience. Quirk Nissan offers a full line of new Nissan vehicles, as well as an extensive selection of pre-owned cars, SUVs and trucks, and is known for the honesty and integrity of its sales, service and parts staff. For more information, call 877-647-7861, visit their website at www.quirknissan.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuirkNissan or stop by their dealership at 600 Southern Artery, Quincy, Mass.
Media Contact:
Jim Smith, of Quirk Automotive Group, 781-843-4800