Nissan's new Fuga luxury sedan hits Japanese market
NSANY | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Nissan Motor Co.'s all-new Fuga luxury sedan went on sale in Japan on Thursday, offering consumers improved fuel efficiency and other features designed to help shore up Japan's sluggish demand for luxury cars amid the global economic downturn.
Although the automaker targets monthly sales of 800 units per month, it aims for domestic sales of around 11,000 units for the current business year, Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga said in a news conference at the company's headquarters in Yokohama.
The latest Fuga, which comes after the first version hit the market in October 2004, will be exported to countries such as the United States under the name "Infiniti M" next year, Nissan officials said.
Shiga said the new car will also be released elsewhere, including Russia, China, and Europe, and he put the annual global target sales for the new car at around about 40,000 units.
The sedan carries a price tag ranging from 3,990,000 yen to 5,502,000 yen in Japan.
The automaker also said its 2.5-liter engine Fuga car will be subject to government's tax breaks for eco-friendly cars.
In the wake of media reports that the government is considering extending its tax breaks program beyond March, Shiga welcomed the continuation of the program, which has helped boost car sales for the past months.
Shiga said the uncertainty over whether the program will continue is "making it difficult (for us car makers) to have our sales outlook" for fiscal 2010 starting April.
Powered by a 3.7- or 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine, the new Fuga features environment-friendly technology including "Eco Pedal," which assists the driver to be more fuel-efficient by having the accelerator push back when it detects excess pressure.
In line with its efforts to promote environment-friendly technology in its cars, Nissan has also said it plans to launch a hybrid version of the new Fuga next fall.
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