Nissan to Manufacture new Kicks Crossover Vehicle

Jan 11, 2016

Chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Co, Carlos Ghosn, announced the brand’s development of a crossover to be sold across the world, with it initially being introduced in the Latin American markets in 2016. The model draws its inspiration from the Kicks Concept car that was debuted during the 2014 Sao Paulo Motor Show, and will keep the Kicks name when it actually hits production.

The Crossover will be produced at Nissan’s Resende Industrial Complex in Rio de Janeiro State after it opened in 2014. Currently, the plant produces the March and Versa. After it begins production of the Kicks, Nissan plans to take on 600 employees and begin a second shift in Resende facility.

“Nissan invented the first crossover in 2003, with the Murano,” said Ghosn. “Since then, we’ve established our global crossover leadership with vehicles like JUKE, Qashqai and X-Trail – which have been great successes. The Kicks will bring Nissan´s unique Crossover expertise to more regions.”

The Kicks crossover is an evolution from the Extrem concept car originally shown off in San Paulo in 2012. Since the show, Nissan has continuously experimented with working Brazilian and Latin American styles and cultures into the vehicle design and development.

“Nissan to Produce New Crossover Based on Kicks Concept.” Nissan Online Newsroom. N.p., 4 Jan. 2016. Web. 07 Jan. 2016.