The Nissan Note, launched yesterday in Thailand, ends the first phase eco car project for Nissan Motor Thailand (NMT). With the Note, Nissan has honoured its commitment to Thailand’s Board of Investment (BoI), which required first phase eco car companies to produce three models. The high-roofed hatchback joins the March (2010) and Almera (2012) in NMT’s eco car lineup.
Introduced in 2007, the first phase eco car scheme attracted five car manufacturers: Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Toyota. In 2013, the second phase saw Mazda, Ford, General Motors, SAIC Motor-CP (MG) and Volkswagen join the original five. Mazda was the first to kick off second phase production with the Mazda 2 in 2014, while GM withdrew in 2015.
The first phase eco car terms required companies to produce a minimum of 100,000 units annually from the fifth to the eighth year after kicking off production, but only Mitsubishi and Nissan have fulfilled that. Nissan reached the 500k eco car production milestone in July 2016, half of which were exported to over nine countries, including Japan.
With the first phase behind it, Nissan will now plan for the second phase of eco car production in the Land of Smiles. This round, tighter regulations require participants to roll out 100,000 cars from the fourth to eighth year. All carmakers have until 2019 to roll out their first model.
“Nissan achieved output of 100,000 cars in 2015 and we’ve now made three models as promised. The next step is to study and plan production for the second phase of development for new generations of the March and Note, including other small cars,” NMT marketing VP Sureethip La-Ongthong Chomthongdee told the Bangkok Post.
That’s a confirmation of the new March and the next-gen Note as Thai eco cars. The fifth-gen March (also known as Micra) was revealed at the Paris show late last year. A big departure from the cutesy model that it will replace, the new March has undergone what the carmaker calls a “complete redefinition”. Very distinctive and dynamic, the new March looks impressive and has plenty of tech and specs for Europe.
As for the Note, today’s car has just undergone a facelift but has existed in this form since 2012. A new generation of the roomy B-segment Honda Jazz rival should already be cooking in Japan. However, this exciting development will most likely not involve Malaysia – despite hints from Edaran Tan Chong Motor in 2013 that the outgoing March and current Note would be introduced here, neither hatchback made it.
GALLERY: 2017 Nissan March
GALLERY: Thai-spec Nissan Note
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
ETCM is quite the ball-less. No bring in good Nissan cars, such as qashqai, note, juke, new micra, teana 2017. The marketing director or doing such a lousy job, intro nismo to uncle car (teana). Nissan Japan better take back Nissan malaysia. Just look at honda, doing so much better, with they many new models…. haih…
I agree with you. Dont expect ETCM to launch anything of any interest soon
I bought this car in 1988 for RM13,000 cash. CBU at that time. I did some research also, noticed the yen price then and the yen price now for this car just slightly more. Hardly 30% more.
Pity Malaysians. This car come here, sure will be RM100k.
Qashqai not an Asean product and Note just produce in Thailand, thats why these 2 model missing from their line-up.
And TCM only bring sell-able car into Malaysia so they totally ignore Micra and Juke. (example : Toyota Yaris/Suzuki Alto and Suzuki Jimny/Perodua Nautica)
Consider their CKD factory now assembly 10 model of vehicle (Navara, NV200, Livina, Serena, Almera, Sylphy, Teana, X-trail, 3 Subaru). Don’t think they left any capacity for another new line-up.
This is not gonna be cheap
Ringgit? U do realise this car is for tomyam not here, do u?
a lot of new models from nissan as such qashqai,juke,altima,maxima,murano etc but none ever reach Bolehland officially..Nissan should sack ETCM as their distributor here in Malaysia.. why you want malaysian to buy those uncle’s car while actually a lot of good nissan design car out there..shame on you ETCM!!!!
Pity malaysian i would say got a ppl like you and ETCM then..btw its really pity to ETCM because they have potential to eat the market share from T & H if they bring those cars.
Please don’t relate the Proton in my comment as i’m not a proton owner and at the same it is kind of idiot to relate any post in PT blog with Proton.
wow the nissan micra is better looking than the recent nissan note
put in a 1.2 turbo please
The next gen almera would be certainly derived from Note. Hope the design language and sharp angle remains. Its gonna be a revolutionary change from ugly duckling into humble swan. The current almera has that edge in terms of suspension comfort characteristics & class-leading legroom & headroom for rear passengers, despite its mechanical reliability problems (CKD issues).
Its already time for Theophilus to do a rendering what a next gen Almera would look like based on this Micra.
pity u..seems no one interested to feed your troll..hahaha