The Nissan Motor Company is quietly working on a campaign to overhaul their car line up. Current models, including the Maxima, Altima, and Sentra, soon will be transformed into more luxurious and expensive models while a new car line, the Versa, is welcomed into the fold and sold as the automakers introductory model. So, why this change for Nissan? Will the automakers plans succeed or fail? A lot is hinging on this move by Nissan, perhaps more than meets the eye.
The Nissan motor division has been a good performer in the highly competitive US auto market. With the transformation of the makes name from Datsun to Nissan in the early 1980s to the introduction of a luxury line, Infiniti, in the late 1980s, the Nissan Motor Company has benefited financially and its customers have been receptive to the changes. Still, Nissans line is a perennial third place finisher among Japanese automakers in the lucrative U.S. auto market, easily being outperformed and outsold by Toyota and Honda year in and year out.
The pending changes for Nissans line up are coming about and for the following reasons:
1. The Maximas competition, the Toyota Avalon, was overhauled for the...