Nissan announces it will build its next-generation ’13 Sentra compact model at its Canton, MS, plant, beginning in the fourth quarter of this year.
Nissan’s Aguascalientes, Mexico, facility, previously the source of the car for North America, will continue to assemble the compact.
“Together, the two plants will be able to supply a greater volume of the all-new 2013 Sentra than ever before, better satisfying consumer appetite for fuel-efficient and stylish small cars,” Nissan says in a statement.
The addition of the Sentra at Canton, as well as the planned move of Frontier and Xterra light trucks from Nissan’s Smyrna, TN, facility, will result in 1,000 new jobs at the Mississippi operation. Nissan spokesman Steve Parrett says that figure includes direct but not indirect jobs, such as those at suppliers.
Nissan won’t divulge how many Sentras are slated for Canton, nor the number of units for the U.S. that will be sourced from Mississippi.
Canton opened in 2003 as a light-truck-focused plant, supplying the Titan fullsize pickup, Quest minivan and Infiniti QX SUV. It continues to build the Titan and Nissan Armada fullsize SUV.
As the Titan sales pace has slowed, Nissan added production of its midsize Altima sedan to the Mississippi facility, as well as Nissan’s new commercial van, the NV.
The Sentra will be built on Canton’s Altima line, Parrett says.
