Nissan Adds Infiniti Production at U.K. Plant

Nissan Motor Co. says it will invest 250 million (€308 million) to prepare its factory in Sunderland, England, to begin producing a new Infiniti compact car in 2015.

The new model will be based on the Etherea hybrid sedan concept the company unveiled at the 2011 Geneva auto show. Nissan has said the new model will help Infiniti attain its sales goal of 500,000 vehicles per year worldwide by 2016.

The company's London design center and technical facility in Cranfield, England, will contribute to development of the new Infiniti model.

The Sunderland factory will have annual capacity to make 60,000 Infiniti cars for Europe and global markets, according to Nissan. The company plans to add nearly 300 jobs at the U.K. plant, whose overall capacity will surpass 500,000 vehicles this year.

Nissan disclosed on Tuesday that it has canceled plans to produce a C segment hatchback in Sunderland.

The company originally planned to hire Magna International Inc.'s Magna Steyr unit to assemble the new Infiniti in Graz, Austria, starting in 2014. Nissan reversed that decision in October, saying it would make the car at one of its own factories in the region.