NISSAN: Inventory, ads, incentives propel 13% gain

NASHVILLE -- Nissan Division sales rose 13 percent to a June sales record of 129,495 units, thanks to an effort to improve the way Nissan dealers stock inventories.The automaker’s six-month effort is making sure retailers have ample numbers of models that are being advertised and incentivized, says Judy Wheeler, Nissan’s vice president for U.S. sales.Combined with an 11 percent gain at Infiniti Division, the Nissan brand’s numbers propelled the automaker’s U.S. sales to a 13 percent increase to 140,553, the automaker said today.At Nissan brand, sales of the Rogue crossover jumped 26 percent to an all-time record for any month of 29,246. Altima sales posted a June record of 30,475, up 4 percent.Versa sales climbed 44 percent to 14,683, also a June record.“We had the right level of each model that we needed and it showed what we can do when we have the right car at the right time,” Wheeler says. “This is something we’ve really been working on since January.”Ads still rolling outNissan also launched a new direction in its national advertising in early June. The spots are focused on its vehicle safety technologies and heavily promote the Altima, Sentra, Versa, Maxima, Murano and Rogue.Wheeler said the new advertising campaign has not reached full volume yet, but will continue rolling out through the summer.Nissan’s numbers also were helped by launching the brand’s July 4 sales campaign in the last week of June, running through July 5. The strategic decision to lengthen the holiday sale this year included the advertising message that all sale offers would be in effect until July 5.Wheeler says Nissan stepped up incentive spending in the second half of June in response to more aggressive spending by some of its competitors.“The competition has gotten aggressive and we’re not keeping up,” she says. “We’re not going to be the discount brand, but some of our competitors are really offering a lot right now.”Infiniti led by QXSeparately, the premium Infiniti brand posted an 11 percent gain in June, selling 11,058 cars and trucks. While the Q50 sedan dropped 32 percent to 2,349, the QX60 crossover filled in the gap.The QX60 sold 4,380 units in June, up 46 percent.Sales of Infiniti’s smaller QX50 crossover, which was freshened last year and given a roomier back seat, quadrupled to 1,689.

NISSAN: Inventory, ads, incentives propel 13% gain

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