Nissan Hits a Milestone: 25 Years in Tennessee

Quick, someone run to Publix and get a cake?

It's for Nissan, which is celebrating 25 years of producing vehicles in the United States this month. Two and a half decades ago, Nissan began building pickup trucks (remember the Hardbody?) in rural Smyrna, Tennessee, and hasn't looked back since.

In the intervening years, Nissan's built some 8.2 million vehicles at the Tennessee plant, one of the largest transplant factories in the United States, and in past years, one of the most efficient auto plants in the annual Harbour Report. After an initial investment of about $750 million, Nissan has invested a total of about $2.5 billion in the factory and employs more than 5,500 people at the sprawling facility.

Today's roster of Smyrna-built vehicles includes the Altima lineup, the Frontier range of trucks, the Maxima sedan, and the Xterra and Pathfinder sport-utes. Other vehicles that have been built in the plant in the past include the Sentra compact. Nissan logoEnlarge PhotoQuick, someone run to Publix and get a cake? It's for Nissan, which is celebrating 25 years of producing vehicles in the United States this month. Two and a half decades ago, Nissan began building pickup trucks (remember the Hardbody?) in rural Smyrna, Tennessee, and hasn't looked back since. In the intervening years, Nissan's built some 8.2 million vehicles at the Tennessee plant, one of the largest transplant factories in the United States, and in past years, one of the most efficient auto plants in the annual Harbour Report. After an initial investment of about $750 million, Nissan has invested a total of about $2.5 billion in the factory and employs more than 5,500 people at the sprawling facility. Today's roster of Smyrna-built vehicles includes the Altima lineup, the Frontier range of trucks, the Maxima sedan, and the Xterra and Pathfinder sport-utes. Other vehicles that have been built in the plant in the past include the Sentra compact.