Nissan, Infiniti surge despite slow floor traffic
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Dealers reported lighter than expected retail floor traffic for the month at Nissan, and slower traffic at Infiniti dealerships early in June. |
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NASHVILLE -- Higher factory output of the Nissan Versa and Infiniti JX crossover helped push combined Nissan North America sales ahead by 28 percent in June compared with June 2011.
Versa sales more than doubled for the month to 8,746 as Nissan's factory in Mexico boosted shipments to U.S. retailers. The car has been held back in the United States by strong demand from other markets and limited transmission supplies, said Al Castignetti, Nissan's vice president for sales.
Nissan Division sales totaled 81,801 for the month, up 25 percent from June 2011, and Infiniti sales rose 66 percent to 10,436.
Dealers reported lighter than expected retail floor traffic for the month at Nissan, and slower traffic at Infiniti dealerships early in June.
"Traffic was nowhere near normal," Castignetti says "We did a great job closing sales, but we didn't see the level of traffic we were expecting."
He believes recent economic news may be holding back U.S. shoppers. Nissan is also engaged in an aggressive sell off of the 2012 Altima as it launches the redesigned 2013 Altima. Sales of the Altima rose 12 percent last month to 21,812.
Infiniti retailers saw slow traffic improve in the second week of the month as a new wave of advertising kicked in, says Ben Poore, Infiniti Business Unit vice president.
"We're benefiting this year from our regional dealer advertising associations, which we didn't have last year," Poore says. "The regional ads focused on the G while we focused nationally on the JX."
Nissan is still ramping up output of new JX crossover in Smyrna, Tenn., and retailers sold 2,428 units in June.
"We could have sold a few more if we had them," Poore says.
Both brands benefited in June from greater availability of products. A year ago, Nissan faced inventory shortages when its Japanese factories curtailed output following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Infiniti was hit particularly hard last year since all of its products were imported at that time.
June sales of the G sedan rose 48 percent to 3,923 from a year earlier, and Infiniti G coupe sales rose 18 percent to 1,353
You can reach Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com.
