Nissan’s Sunderland Plant looks set to build Renault Kadjar and Captur

It’s reported that Nissan and Renault are in talks to shift production of the Renault Kadjar and Captur from Spain to Sunderland, in a boost for UK car production.

The world of car production in the UK is in a sea of chaos at the moment, attempting baby steps to restart production as the Covid-19 crisis lessens, but with no real idea of whether the future promises a golden age of consumerism or a world where we all take to bikes and Shanks Pony.

Add to that the already unprecedented chaos in the car industry caused by the headlong drive to get us in to EVs, and the thought that, certainly in the West, we may have reached ‘Peak Car’, and every car maker on the planet is looking for ways to cut costs and rationalise production.

So it’s no wonder that, according to the FT, Nissan and Renault are in talks to shift production of the Renault Kadjar and Captur from Spain to Sunderland.

Despite Brexit, Nissan has continued to invest in their Sunderland Plant, but in 2019 it only managed to churn out 350,000 cars, which is 30 per cent short of capacity. Shifting production of the Renault Captur and Kadjar – which sit on the same Platform as the Nissan Qashqai and Juke, both built in Sunderland – would be rational and cost-effective. Always assuming our Brexit deal, when and if it comes, is favourable for the car industry.

It seems both Nissan and Renault have declined to comment on the story, but an announcement seems likely before the end of the month.