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Nissan Trims U.K. Workforce as Diesel Sales Slump

Nissan Motor Co. plans to cut hundreds of jobs at its Sunderland, England, plant as demand for diesel-powered vehicles falls.
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Nissan Motor Co. plans to cut hundreds of jobs at its Sunderland, England, plant as demand for diesel-powered vehicles falls, the Financial Times reports.

The facility, which currently employs about 7,000 people, produces the Nissan Leaf, Qashqai and X-Trail vehicles, plus the Infiniti Q30 and QX30 luxury models. Diesel variants account for about one-fourth of the plant’s output, according to the newspaper. Nissan says it may rehire workers in the future as the plant launches next-generation models with new engines.

Sales of diesel vehicles in the U.K. plunged 37% year-over-year in March and are off by one-third through the first quarter, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Nissan also exports diesel cars from Sunderland to other European markets, many of which have experienced similar declines for the technology.

Nissan’s decision follows an announcement last week by Jaguar Land Rover Ltd. to cut as many as 1,000 jobs at the company’s plant in Solihull, England. JLR attributes the reduction to a combination of declining diesel sales and fallout from Britain’s impending exit from the European Union.

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