IN stark contrast to last January, Nissan’s Sunderland plant began the decade on a positive note yesterday, with the naming of its latest model and a dramatic rise in sales.

The Nissan Juke, which has been referred to as the Qazana during development, will be manufactured alongside the Qashqai, Qashqai+2 and Note at the plant.

The model, which will have its official unveiling next month, will go on sale across Europe in October.

It came as Nissan yesterday credited three North-Eastbuilt models for helping drive a 17 per cent increase on its new car sales last year, compared to 2008, in the face of one of the toughest years ever faced by the motor industry.

It said the Micra, Note and Qashqai all exceeded expectations to contribute to a sales total of 77,924.

Nissan’s UK managing director, Paul Willcox, said: “We are delighted to end 2009 on such a high and excited about what this means for 2010.

“Last year was unlike any other with the toughest economic conditions to face the motor industry in living memory, but we have still managed to increase our year-on-year sales.

“What’s more, with lots to look forward to in the coming 12 months we have every intention of continuing this success in 2010.”

Simon Thomas, Nissan’s Europe senior vicepresident for sales and marketing, said: “We’re confident that Juke will bring a new generation of customers to Nissan, in the same way that Qashqai did, and we have another success on our hands.”

The Juke is a cross between a 4x4 and a small hatchback and replaces the Micra on the Sunderland production line.

As previously announced, Micra production will be moved to a new plant in India.

Production of the Juke will safeguard more than 1,000 jobs. It comes as the Sunderland plant awaits a decision, due at any time, on whether it will be chosen to build the new Leaf electric car for the European market.

Although it had previously been revealed the Juke would be built in Sunderland, yesterday’s upbeat announcement over the naming of the car and the increased sales of other models, is in stark contrast to a year ago today when Nissan announced 1,200 job cuts, almost a quarter of its workforce, at the Wearside plant.

Last year’s job cuts followed a “dramatic decline” in new car sales, due to the economic downturn. They were followed in March by a pay freeze for workers and the announcement in May that Nissan had made annual losses of £1.58bn.

As the Government’s scrappage scheme, introduced in May, started to take effect sales improved and the company was able to re-hire 350 staff on temporary contracts.

In July, the company announced its European centre for electric car battery production, would sit alongside the Sunderland factory.

As well as creating 350 jobs and safeguarding hundreds more in the supply chain, it also saw Sunderland become a leading contender to build the Leaf.

A week later, the company announced that the Sunderland plant would make a twolitre petrol engine, codenamed MR, from this year, safeguarding up to 130 jobs and potentially creating 200 more by 2013.