Nissan Power 88 strategy means new product and more dealerships in Canada

The automaker added 12 dealerships last year and four more so far this year.

With the exception of Downtown Nissan in Vancouver and Woodbine Nissan in Toronto’s west end, the remaining 14 are in smaller centres such as Moose Jaw, Sask., and Stouffville, Ont., and Chambly, Que.

“Our coverage is mature in major metros, but not so in non-metros,” Michael Colleran, Nissan Canada’s V-P sales and network operations, told Canadian AutoWorld. “We need to grow there for customer convenience.”

The new stores bring the dealership total to 179. But Colleran said the automaker is not stopping there. The goal is to add eight to 12 dealers this year.

“We need a strong dealership network to take care of our customers,” he said.

And it says the automaker has the product to fill those new showrooms with five new models, including a redesigned Altima, in 2013.

The automaker has also added 19 new NV stores, bringing the number of stores where the commercial van is sold to 40.

The automaker said it would also be adding the NV200, a small van, to its commercial van lineup.

It’s confident it has the vehicles to satisfy consumer tastes and needs in those new markets as well as the old ones.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn devised the strategy in 2011 to combat slumping market share and to expand in emerging markets, with the emphasis on building a “stronger global showroom network.”

The automaker intends to add 700 more this year.

“The growth is going to be the greatest in the emerging markets,” Ghosn said in a release.

By the way, Power 88 means the automaker intends to win an eight per cent global market share and be turning a corporate operating profit of eight per cent by 2016.  

Colleran said Nissan Canada’s marketing message will be “extremely aggressive” to match its products.

Canadian AutoWorld wanted to know what a candidate for a Nissan franchise would need.

“They will need a strong track record of CSIs, a talented staff … and the money available to invest to compete with Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, respectively,” he replied.

“We plan to win an eight per cent (market) share and we need really great dealers to get to that number.”

Dealerships Added to Nissan Network

2011
Trevors Nissan: Miramichi, N.B.
Hickman Nissan: Clarenville, Nfld.
Nord-Ouest Nissan: Amos, Que.
Coupal & Brassard: Chambly, Que.
Park Avenue Nissan: St-Constant, Que.
Bolton Nissan: Bolton, Ont.
Collingwood Nissan: Collingwood, Ont.
Myers Orleans Nissan: Orleans, Ont.
Stouffville Nissan: Stouffville, Ont.
Chatham Nissan: Chatham, Ont.
Western Nissan: Moose Jaw, Sask.
Downtown Nissan: Vancouver, B.C.

2012
Pembroke Nissan: Pembroke, Ont.
Nissan of Muskoka: Bracebridge, Ont.
Woodbine Nissan: Etobicoke, Ont.
Knight Nissan: Swift Current, Sask.