China Is Becoming Loss-Making Nissan’s Last Line of Defense
- Nissan is well positioned in China thanks to its early push
- Challenge is to make the nation a key engine for future growth
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As Nissan Motor Co. struggles to recover from a boardroom scandal surrounding Carlos Ghosn and a sales slump that threatens its alliance with Renault SA, China is emerging as its best bet for a turnaround.
Thanks to an early mover advantage and strategic partnership with Dongfeng Motor Group Co. in 2003, Nissan is one of the strongest Japanese passenger carmakers in China. It ranked fourth -- excluding multipurpose vehicles -- in June with a 6.7% share after Volkswagen AG’s two joint ventures and General Motors Co.’s tie-up with SAIC Motor Corp.