Nissan's March sales reach 80,689, the highest performing month in 2012

Nissan has announced March sales topping 80,689 units, making it the best month of the 2012 fiscal year which ended March 31, 2013. Nissan's market share has been steadily growing and gaining momentum, with share in March reaching 4.5 per
cent, up 0.3 percentage points from the prior month and higher from the overall fiscal-year share of 3.8 per cent.

Nissan continues to experience improved results in markets where it has a strong industrial presence. Russia remains a key market for Nissan with sales of 147,546 units in FY12 and a market share of 5.7 per cent - the highest across Europe. The UK also retains its strong performance as Nissan's second-largest market in Europe with more than 120,000 sales and 5.1 per cent of the market, an increase on the previous year's performance. Markets including Austria, Denmark and Belgium experienced highest market shares since 2000, while France, Spain, Great Britain, Italy, Norway and Slovakia saw their best shares since 1995.

March was Nissan Leaf's best-selling month since the 100 per cent electric vehicle was launched in 2011. Sales were up 241 per cent in March 2013 compared to the same time last year, with the number of dealers selling the Leaf also up from 150 to 1,400 in just 12 months across Europe. In total, 1,305 Nissan Leafs were sold in March with Norway, UK and France recording the highest demand for the 100 per cent electric vehicle. Globally, Leaf sales have now topped 58,500 since launch.

This milestone comes on the heels of the start of localised production of a new Nissan Leaf in Europe at the company's record-breaking Sunderland, UK, plant. The new Leaf will have three trim levels, a lower base price and the option in most markets to lease the vehicle's battery, making for an even lower up-front price point.

Other top-performing models included the Sunderland-produced crossovers Qashqai and Juke whose combined sales this fiscal year surpassed half-million with 526,581 units sold. This record-breaking performance is double the volume sold last fiscal year.

"Nissan has continued to steadily grow our European market share despite tough economic conditions, and before our coming onslaught of new products. With an all-new Note and new Leaf debuting in the market place soon, we are confident that our growth trajectory will continue into 2013. With 15 new models in the next three years, our sights remain set on becoming the Number One Asian brand in Europe," said Paul Willcox, Nissan Senior Vice-President for Sales and Marketing in Europe.

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