- With bad news dominating the headlines, Nissan is trying to reassure frustrated U.S. dealers.
- In a memo, the company said they’re working on a turnaround plan that will drive sales and improve stability.
- Sales have dropped significantly in the United States, but dealers have an assortment of new models to look forward to.
Nissan is asking its U.S. dealers for “patience and understanding” as the company faces a number of headwinds. These problems have dominated the conversation as of late and one senior official reportedly said the company only has “12 or 14 months to survive” without a new investor.
That’s alarming talk and dealers are understandably anxious. To help calm their nerves, Nissan Americas Chairman Jérémie Papin reportedly sent a letter addressing the situation on November 30.
More: Nissan Slashing US Production By 17% As It Fights For Survival
The memo was seen by Auto News, which is reporting that Papin told dealers “We are working diligently to implement turnaround actions” that will bring “stability and future value.” The letter reportedly went on to say that Nissan will focus on improving their product lineup, growing sales, and right-sizing things.
While Nissan’s problems aren’t as obvious as those at Stellantis, a look at the sales chart will point you in the right direction. In 2013, Nissan sold 1,131,965 vehicles in the United States. A decade later, that number dropped to 834,097 units. At the same time, Infiniti sales went from 116,455 to 64,699 for a decline of nearly 45%. Those are steep drops and Automotive News reports the average profitability of U.S. dealers has sunk to its lowest level in nearly 15 years.
Thankfully, there are a handful of positive developments as Nissan has introduced the redesigned Armada, Kicks, and Murano. The Frontier, Sentra, and Rogue have also benefited from recent updates, giving the automaker a relatively fresh lineup.
More: Nissan Slashes 9,000 Jobs, Sells Mitsubishi Shares, Delays New Models
However, Nissan missed the boat on hybrids and plug-in hybrids which were embraced by rivals such as Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. To address this oversight, Nissan will reportedly launch a plug-in hybrid Rogue in 2025. It will reportedly be followed by an e-Power variant and then a range-extended version. The latter is slated to have a hybrid powertrain and a roughly 30 kWh battery pack.
The focus on the Rogue isn’t surprising as it’s Nissan’s most popular vehicle in America. The company sold 47,996 of them during the third quarter, which put the Rogue well ahead of the Sentra (34,704) and Altima (26,783).
