Nissan achieved record sales in the Middle East of 196,885 vehicles in the 2013 financial year, a 23.1% increase versus financial year 2012. This same record results registered March as the highest sales month in the company's history reaching 28,900 units in the region. In addition, overall market share grew from 8.9 percent to 10.3 percent over the 12-month period. Nissan is confident of building on this success in the current financial year with a further jump in regional market share to 12 percent. Retail sales are projected to increase by 20.9% percent to around 237, 988 units. Announcing the 2013 annual results, Nissan Middle East's managing director, Samir Cherfan, said the its soaring success was a result of Nissan Power 88 — an extensive global midterm plan that includes a commitment to significantly boost the product line-up and a drive to increase Nissan's brand power and awareness. “The momentum will be more than maintained — it will escalate over the next 12 months and beyond,” said Cherfan. “Our ever-expanding line-up will continue to mirror the creative best of Nissan. “Success cannot be achieved without outstanding dealership partners and our network is truly exceptional. The Middle East is a pivotal market for Nissan and we are totally committed to it.” Unsurprisingly, the ever-popular Nissan Patrol also notched record numbers over the period with 25,168 units leaving the region's showroom floors, a 53 percent hike on the 2012 financial year. The Patrol, dubbed the ‘King of the desert' and ‘Hero of all terrains in Life', last year broke a Guinness World Record at Sharjah International Airport. Following a competition inviting members of the public to submit creative challenges for the Patrol, the Nissan superstar pulled a 170.9-ton cargo plane for more than 50 metres, breaking the previous record for ‘Heaviest aircraft pulled by any production vehicle' by 15 tons. “The Patrol is a powerhouse, it has achieved legendary status but it is just part of a tremendous line-up including top sellers such as Sunny, Sentra, Altima, Pathfinder, Urvan, Nissan 370z, Nissan Pick-up and more,” continued Cherfan. “There is a great focus on fresh thinking that is being applied to every vehicle that appears in the showrooms and so many ‘sector-first' state-of-the art technologies. Nissan is all about pushing the boundaries of design and innovation and this underscores and supports our latest sales successes. “Nissan's results for the last financial year have been exceptional. Our product line-up has never been as broad or as versatile and that clearly resonates with the motoring public in the Middle East.” In the 2013 financial year, Nissan also announced a very ambitious plan for the KSA market. This included the ambition to triple sales volume and market share, with an aim of reaching sales volumes of 100,000 units with a 12 per cent market share by the 2016 financial year. Nissan is committed to offering exceptional service in Saudi Arabia and has developed a strategy based on a direct local presence, strong product line-up, enhancing the brand and retail experience and top-level quality Customer Service. In the Financial Year 2013, Turkey was added as a new territory to Nissan Middle East and allowed Nissan to reach overall 217, 685 units total sales in the new territory definition. — SG
