Nissan China sold 1.24 million Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in China in 2011, a 21.9% increase from the previous year. Although Nissan is a relative new comer in China, it managed to accelerate its expansion with partner Dongfeng Motor.

Dongfeng Nissan was the one responsible for the majority of the sales, 808,440 units, but also Zhengzhou Nissan with 115,518 cars, a 22.4% and 15.4% increase. The Chinese sales target for this year is 1.5 million units. Infiniti has already about 60 authorized dealer stores in the country.

“Our previous goal was to sell 1 million vehicles in 2012, but we achieved that already. Our new target for that year is now 1.5 million vehicles,” declared Kimiyasu Nakamura, president of Nissan China.

Via: InAuto.

The Dongfeng-Nissan Venucia D50 sedan will be listed on the Chinese car market in April, price will range from 70.000 yuan to 100.000 yuan. Venucia is a sub-brand from the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture, the D50 is their first car and debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November.

The Venucia D50 is based on the old Nissan Tiida. Power comes from a Nissan-sourced 1.6 with 109hp and 153nm, mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. The Venucia will be distributed through the Dongfeng-Nissan dealer network.

Via: Autohome.

According to a report from Changjiang Evening News newspaper, quoted by Automotive News Europe, Dongfeng, which already has a partnership with Nissan, will set up a joint venture with Renault in the central China city of Wuhan.

The agreement was signed after Nissan and Dongfeng held talks in December, but further details about Renault’s production plans in China have not been offered. Renault and Nissan have formed their strategic alliance in 1999.

Nissan’s existing joint venture with Dongfeng builds Nissan-brand vehicles in China. The new joint venture will mark Renault’s first production facility in China, as currently the French automaker must rely on imports to sell cars in China. So far, Renault sales have been insignificant in the world’s largest car market, with only 15,958 vehicles sold in the first 10 months of 2011, up 49 percent compared to the similar period in 2010, according to auto research firm LMC Automotive.

The first Renault model to be assembled in China could be the Koleos SUV, according to Chinese media. Dongfeng, which is a state-owned Chinese company based in Wuhan, also has joint ventures with Honda Motor Company, Kia Motors Company and PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Via: InAutoNews.

Earlier on we heard the China-made Nissan Sylphy would re replaced in 2012 with an all new model. The current Sylphy however will continue as a budget-alternative under the name ‘Sylphy Classic’ and that is the car you see on these pictures.

The Sylphy is made in China by the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. Classic’s Engine will be the same 1.6 with 117 hp and 153nm as used in the current Sylphy. Price will start around 120.000 yuan, price of the current Sylphy starts around 135.000 yuan.

The Dongfeng-Fengshen A60 that recently debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show is based on the current Sylphy as well.

Via: Autohome.

Infiniti has long been looking for production in China. Chinese media now reports that Infiniti will start making cars in China in the great coastal city of Dalian in Liaoning province, production will start in 2014. The yet to be built factory will sit under the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. First up are the Infiniti M-series and EX-series. Via: MOP.

Dongfeng is working on a new SUV that will be based on the Nissan Qashqai from the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. It will be sold under the Fengshen-brand just like the Dongfeng Fengshen A60 that debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show last month. The A60 is based on the Nissan Tiida from, again, the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. Dongfeng indeed seems unable or unwilling to develop its own cars. Question is, if they get ‘m so cheap from Nissan, where will all this money go?

The China-made Nissan Qashqai. As you can see ‘based on’ is a little bit too friendly. It is basically a rebadge with a slightly different front and back. Engines will be exactly the same as in the Qashqai as well. Great engineering, Dongfeng…

Pics are coming from the Chinese patent office that is as leak as a Guangdong-made raincoat.

Check dash, compare with Nissan:

Via: Sohu.com.

Here we have an interesting look into making deals in China. Dongfeng and Volvo (the truck maker) plan a joint venture to make Volvo trucks for the Chinese market. But Dongfeng already has a joint venture with Nissan which makes medium-to-heavy duty trucks that are sold under the Dongfeng-name.

Problem.

Volvo doesn’t like the Dongfeng-Nissan trucks and Nissan doesn’t like the Dongfeng-Volvo plans. According to an article from ChinaDaily Dongfeng and Nissan made a deal: Nissan will back out of the truck-joint venture and in turn Dongfeng agrees to make Infiniti’s for the Chinese market under the Dongfeng-Nissan car-joint venture.

Everybody happy. Dongfeng and Volvo van start making trucks and Nissan can finally start making Infiniti’s, when production will start however ain’t sure yet.

The new Dongfeng-Nissan Venucia D50 debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show last month and here we have it all out in the open at some dealer-event. Venucia is a sub-brand from the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. The D50 is based on the old Nissan Tiida.

Note the duck-tape on the wheel, probably still a Nissan-logo underneath… The Venucia D50 will be listed in the first half of 2012. Price will range from 70.000 to 90.000 yuan. Power comes from Nissan’s 1.6 with 80kw mated to a 5-speed auto or 5-speed manual.

Things must be confusing for car. “I am a Nissan!” No. “I am a Dongfeng!” No. “I am a Dongfeng-Nissan!” No again. “What an I !?” “A… Venucia.” Car crying.

Via: Autohome.

The new Dongfeng-Nissan Venucia D50 debuted today at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Venucia is a sub-brand from the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. They will make (kinda) cheap and clean cars but begin with the cheap. The D50 is the first Venucia and is based on the old Nissan-Tiida.

The Venucia D50 will be listed in the first half of 2012. Price will range from 70.000 to 90.000 yuan. Power comes from Nissan’s 1.6 with 80kw mated to a 5-speed auto or 5-speed manual. Well, me think this won’t be a big success. It is too expensive to be an attractive alternative above real new cars. The sub-brand thing is forced upon foreign automakers by the Chinese government so they don’t really put their heart in anyway.

Logo resembles a bunch of stars, biggest star a dark one, bad omen indeed.

Via: Autohome.

Venucia is a sub-brand from the Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture. They will make cheap and clean cars but begin with the cheap. The first Venucia baby is based on the old Nissan-Tiida and will look almost like one. Venucia changed the front and back a bit but it sure wasn’t much work. The new car will debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show early next week.

Things looked a bit better before. This is the Venucia concept that debuted in Shanghai, is was based on an ass-less concept (no kidding there!) that debuted almost a year ago at the 2010-edition of the Guangzhou Auto Show. Anyway, the Venucia will not look like that concept car.

Engine for the Venucia will come directly from the old Tiida too: a 1.6 with 80kw mated to a 5-speed auto or 5-speed manual. Price of the cheapest Tiida was 106.800 yuan, price for the Venucia will start slightly lower.

Via: 163.com.