Stretch targets for Nissan's six-year business plan

There's at least a year and a half left to run for Nissan's GT2012 business plan, but the car manufacturer has already announced a follow-up, starting immediately.

The new plan is grandiosely named Nissan Power 88 for the explicit target of increasing global market share and company profitability by eight per cent each. Not only is Nissan setting itself a market 'land grab' on a scale not seen since the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, it means to do so in record time.

Such is the scope of Nissan's plan, Volkswagen's talk of being the number one brand globally by 2018 practically pales in comparison. Intended to run six financial years (from now until 2016 inclusive), Nissan Power 88 is directed at improving brand positioning, sales and sustainability.

The company anticipates that the new strategy will yield gains for the company's customer satisfaction levels, largely as a consequence of new product rolled out rapidly over the course of the six-year plan. Nissan expects there will be a new product reaching global markets every six weeks for the six years — amounting to a 92 per cent coverage of markets and segments.

“Nissan Power 88 is the roadmap for our company’s profitable growth,” said Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn (pictured). “We will accelerate our growth, bringing more innovation and excitement to our products and services as well as cleaner, more affordable cars for everyone around the world, in line with the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century.”

Among other initiatives integral to the plan will be a commitment to building 1.5 million electric vehicles, providing 'mobility for all' and introducing 90 new advanced technical ideas. The 'mobility for all' idea ties in with Nissan and Renault's existing work with Dacia and Samsung developing small cars and commercial vehicles for emerging markets. Sales growth will be based to a large extent on finding volume for the company's global light commercial range, with Nissan claiming it will be the largest manufacturer of LCVs by the conclusion of the plan.

China will loom large on the radar for Nissan, with the company aiming to build 1.2 million vehicles there for a 10 per cent market share. In the world's largest market and elsewhere around the world, Nissan will build its global retail network from 6000 to 7500 points of sale during the plan's tenure. Nissan will also establish a new 200,000-unit plant in Brazil to take advantage of one of the other rapidly developing 'BRIC' nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China).

Ambitiously, the company's Infiniti luxury brand will be deployed through 70 markets — including Australia — and sales will expand to 10 per cent of global market share, from the 150,000-unit volume currently the case to 500,000 units.

“Nissan Power 88 is a demanding business plan, but our company has a proven track record of achieving challenging objectives,” said Mr. Ghosn.

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