Nissan has announced that it has commenced export of its global compact car Micra

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on a trial basis in preparation for the regular exports of the Micra to Europe from the second half of this year.

The Japanese carmaker has already indicated that it would make its Indian operations as a production base for entry-level cars for the export market. Nissan will be the second global automaker after Hyundai to make India a small car hub.

The first trial consignment carrying six units of Micra cars, produced at the Oragadam plant near Chennai, established jointly by the Renault-Nissan combine, left for Barcelona, Spain, through Ennore Port, with which Nissan has signed an agreement for car exports. The shipment is expected to reach Barcelona after 22 days.

“The domestic production of the Micra will begin in May and we will start production for export in July this year. India is going to be one of our major production hubs and locally produced cars will be exported to over 100 countries in Europe, West Asia and Africa,” Kiminobu Tokuyama, managing director, Nissan Motor India, said in a statement.

The Oragadam car plant is expected to produce about 80,000 units in the first full year of production while it hopes to reach the capacity of 200,000 units by 2012. Over 50 per cent of production will be earmarked for export. “Exports are expected to reach 110,000 units in 2011 growing up to 180,000 units in the future,” said Tokuyama.

Korean carmaker Hyundai has been the leading exporter of passenger cars in the country over the past six years. Hyundai Motor India presently exports cars manufactured at its Irrungattukottai plant near Chennai to over 110 countries across Europe, Africa, West Asia, Latin America and Asia. With a production capacity of six lakh units per annum, Hyundai exported 270,007 cars in calendar year 2009