Nissan to open global design studio in Beijing

NISSAN has announced plans to open a global design studio in Beijing from early next year, investing $US1.7 million ($A1.9m) into what will be the first automotive design centre established by a Japanese car-maker in China.

The new studio will employ 20 new designers and work in conjunction with Nissan’s two design centres in Japan (Atsugi and Harajuku), one in the US (San Diego, California) and one in the UK (London).

“Nissan’s new studio will enhance our design capabilities, as well as our product competitiveness in China and Asia where the automotive industry continues to see robust growth,” said Nissan chief creative officer and senior vice-president of design and brand Shiro Nakamura.

“Locating the studio where our customers live and work allows us to best respond to their needs and design vehicles that exceed their expectations.”

The studio will be located in the Chao Yang district of Beijing.

While Shanghai is often considered China’s automotive capital, Nissan describes Beijing “a trendsetting city with an expanding design community that includes a number of up-and-coming automotive designers” – which made it the “natural choice” for a design studio.