Chrysler/Nissan Announce Joint Vehicles
Major Changes in Store for Canton, Mississippi Plant

by Keith Burton and Bruce W. Smith  - Truck Test Digest  4/17/08

Nissan will soon quit making its own pickup truck, the Titan, at its Canton, Mississippi plant north of Jackson, and the company will also move production of the Infiniti QX56 and next generation Quest minivan from the Canton plant, according to company officials contacted by Truck Test Digest.

Chrysler will manufacture a full-size pickup for Nissan. Based on a Nissan unique design, this truck will be manufactured at Chrysler’s Saltillo (Mexico) Assembly Plant. In order to accommodate this product, Chrysler will shift volume from Mexico to its U.S.-based assembly plants that produce pickup trucks. Sales of the pickup in North America will start in 2011.

"This agreement with Chrysler will offer us and our customers the potential for a broader range of product offerings," said Steve Parrett, Nissan's media spokesman. "While the details are still being finalized, choices available to Nissan for the next generation Titan include a full range of cab styles, multiple engines and other important truck segment features."

Meanwhile, Nissan agreed to supply Chrysler with a new car based on the Nissan Versa sedan for limited distribution in South America on an Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM) basis in 2009.

 As of now, the Armada and Altima are continuing to be assembled in Canton. Last week Nissan announced that Canton will become the manufacturing hub for Nissan’s new Light Commercial Vehicles.

Dodge is introducing a significantly improved Ram 1500 for the 2009 model year. That truck will form the foundation for the Nissan-designed version.

The Nissan Canton plant opened in 2003 with production of the company's Titan pickup, their first full-size pickup truck for the U.S. market. The plant also manufactures Altima sedans, the Infinity QX56, Nissan Armadas, and the Nissan Quest minivan.