Carlos Ghosn (third from right) with Nissan and Tan Chong Motor's top management next to the Sylphy, a new sedan to be introduced in Malaysia soon

Whatever rumours there have ever been about Tan Chong losing the Nissan franchise were put to rest recently with positive remarks from Carlos Ghosn, the President & CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd, during his visit to Malaysia. Speaking to guests and media during his visit to the new Tan Chong assembly plant in Serendah, outside Rawang, Selangor, he summarised the dynamic partnership between Nissan and Tan Chong Motor as one which has had clear business goals, a well-timed and concrete product introduction strategy, and a well-established service operations network.

Mr Ghosn affirmed that strong products will be key for Nissan to achieve sustainable and profitable growth in Malaysia. Sustained sales success has been attributed mainly to new products that were introduced into Malaysia last year. These, he said, will serve as the foundation on which further growth will be built.

It's no secret that Nissan's pre-occupation with the American, Japanese and European markets in the immediate years following the establishment of the Renault-Nissan Alliance had resulted in minimal product development for smaller regions like Asean. Distributors like Tan Chong Motor had to maintain sales volumes with aging models, a challenging task when rivals regularly launched new models.

The popular X-Trail is one of the models which helped Tan Chong Motor sustain sales but newer ones like the Grand Livina and Latio will accelerate sales from now on

Since 2003, Nissan has been able to give attention to this region, having completed its efforts in the major markets and from that year, new products were developed for local assembly in Asean. These products are now progressively being introduced and the first was the Latio and Latio Sport, followed by the Grand Livina. During the second quarter of this year,  the new Sylphy sedan (which will most likely have a 2-litre engine) will appear in Nissan showrooms.

"We will earn our place in Malaysia by bringing products closely attuned to the needs and desires of our consumers. These products, offering customers a diverse and distinctive selection from the world of Nissan, will be backed by superior service through all phases of the ownership experience.," Mr Ghosn promised.