Nissan eliminating Northern England Infiniti plant

Friday, March 8, 2019, Vol. 43, No. 10

LONDON (AP) — Infiniti Motor Co., the luxury division of Japanese automaker Nissan, says it's withdrawing from Western Europe — offering another blow to carmakers in the U.K. bracing for Britain's departure from the European Union.

The company said Tuesday that as part of its restructuring plan, it will cease making two models, the Q30 and QX30, by mid-2019 at the manufacturing plant in Sunderland, in northern England.

Nissan canceled plans in February to build a new diesel-powered X-Trail sports utility vehicle in Sunderland. That reversed a decision announced two years ago after Prime Minister Theresa May's government offered some 60 million pounds in incentives.

Carmakers are being forced to weigh uncertainty about possible tariffs and border checks at a time when the industry faces a wholesale overhaul amid changing consumer habits.