Curitiba, Brazil – Nissan has officially announced the start of production for its first passenger cars in Brazil. The company will build the Nissan Livina and Grand Livina at its Renault-Nissan Alliance Plant in São José dos Pinhais.

The company is known in Brazil as a domestic manufacturer of 4×4 vehicles, including the Frontier, Xterra and New Frontier. Nissan president Carlos Ghosn made the announcement during a visit to Brazil, together with Thomas Besson, president of Nissan Brazil. Sales of the new cars will begin in 2009.

The Livina and Grand Livina are currently marketed in growing markets such as China, Indonesia and South Africa. In order to respond to local market needs, the Livinia models will be offered for the first time with a dual-fuel engine, allowing the customer to use gasoline, ethanol or any combination of both.

Nissan Brazil currently competes in segments that represent 17 per cent of the total domestic market. With the introduction of its passenger cars, it will compete in segments totalling 30 per cent of the Brazilian automotive market.