I don’t know about you, but for me the plant is the best place on the planet, right after a desert island. Gigantic workshops in which there is no echo - it is drowned out by the machines. Carts scurry back and forth, conveyor belts crawl slowly, welding chirps and sparkles with fountains of multi-colored sparks. The trolleys, people, and cranes move harmoniously, as if dancing in a single rhythm. Passing through this complex mechanism, driven by people and machines, the parts turn into a whole, acquire meaning and function. And also - added value.
The visit to the Nissan assembly plant in Russia is timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the production of Nissan cars in Russia and the start of production of the new generation Murano crossover, but more on that a little later.
A couple of letters about the plant. The enterprise is located in the Kamenka industrial zone in St. Petersburg, on a huge plot of 165 hectares, of which less than half is used. The plant has been officially operating since June 2009. Two years ago, the plant almost doubled in size - a workshop for stamping body parts and the production of plastic bumpers was launched. The design capacity of the plant is 100,000 cars per year with three shifts.
Of course, this figure is possible at maximum load, which is impossible to dream of in the current market conditions. The result for 2015 is 33,000 cars. In connection with this, the company had to lay off 380 employees (out of 2000) in the spring and switch to working in one shift.
But the remaining workers at the plant are not sitting idle - they have enough work. We are talking about the full assembly cycle of the Qashqai, X-Trail, Murano and Pathfinder models. Most of the components come from Japan, but some from China and Russia. In Russia, metal body panels are stamped, bumpers and glass are cast, seats, exhaust systems, brake and fuel lines are made. The body sides, “torpedo” and bumpers are made directly at the factory for Murano. The plastic parts production workshop is located next to the production building. The line is almost completely automated - all the work is done by automatic machines, and only 10 people work in the workshop in one shift.
This machine cuts holes in the bumper
Checking the part after stamping
Stamping of body parts allows you to save a lot of money on logistics.
Components arrive from production to a warehouse, from where they are driven around the workshops on... carts pulled by dark-skinned young men.
Foreign labor is employed here within the framework of labor legislation - the workers do not complain about the conditions...
Engines are delivered to the factory assembled.
Likewise, gearboxes come assembled.
Why are trolleys used so widely at the plant? There is no need for a full-fledged conveyor and total robotization throughout the entire production cycle: given the volume of production, many operations are more economically profitable to do manually or in a semi-automatic mode. This also allows you to assemble cars of different models in any order. However, some of the carts are carried not by people, but by robots following the markings on the floor.
To my question, what is the current degree of automation of production, the general director of the plant, Dmitry Mikhailov, gives figures of 30-40%, depending on the calculation method. Moreover, initially the enterprise had only four robots, which allowed employees to gain an enormous amount of skills and knowledge on the design of cars and their assembly... But let’s return to the production cycle.
Gas tank assembly.
The stamped body panels are installed on the slipway, after which the worker points the automatic welding machine at a special mark, and it performs the welding itself.
Welding tongs have hangers, because the heaviest of them weigh about 100 kg. First, the sidewalls are welded, then the floor sections, then the engine compartment. The most critical points are welded by robots.
Stamped parts and floor base of the body on the slipway
Installing the panel on the conductor.
Welding shop
Afterwards, the rear part and engine compartment are installed on the slipway, followed by the side panels and roof.
The assembled body is transported on a trolley to the body geometry control station. After all the gaps have been set, careful welding begins at all points. For reference, there are about 3200 welding points in a car...
Despite this seemingly simple technology, the level of quality is monitored very strictly. Destructive and non-destructive testing methods are used. Starting from ultrasonic scanning, to a hammer and chisel, which are used to check the quality of welds. If a defect is detected on one or another part, the operator pulls a special cord, stopping the entire line (in fact, the system is called Stop Line). The company has a zero tolerance level for defects.
Upon completion of welding, external panels are hung on the body: fenders, doors, hood.
Clearances are carefully controlled to meet engineering standards using special templates.
All possible defects (for example, welding spatter) are eliminated by grinding.
The finished body goes to the 3D measurement section, where its geometry is finally checked with an accuracy of 0.01 mm.
After that, on an automatic line, the body, as if on an escalator, is sent to the paint shop.
The DURR painting line includes 11 baths with different solutions. Degreasing, phosphating, cataphoretic primer. Then - manual application of sealant to the joints and seams of the panels. It is noteworthy that sealing is the most difficult operation in the entire car assembly - it takes the most time and effort to train workers in this process.
And now it's time for the paint booth. Painting is carried out in special chambers, again, without direct human participation. After this - drying and varnishing, again drying at a temperature of 150 degrees, again quality control. Minor defects are eliminated immediately; in case of more serious problems, the body is sent to a special workshop.
Finished bodies after painting
You can look at this forever
After the final inspection of the paint quality, the doors are removed from the body to facilitate the interior assembly process. This process is carried out on an assembly line, but almost entirely manually (a single robot applies glue to the windshield and rear window), and there is also a very strict quality control department.
At the chassis section, the suspension, engine and transmission assemblies are installed. Actually, from these pictures it’s very clear why subframes are needed...
Three people install the power unit in a few minutes
Tighten the subframe mounting bolts - and the car moves on
More precisely, it doesn’t go - it practically flies
Door hanging and final assembly
Then - filling with process fluids. And now the car is almost ready!
In all further areas it moves under its own power.
A wheel alignment awaits him, and then a roller stand, where the operation of the transmission and all systems is checked. After that - the sprinkler chamber.
Next - a trip to the factory track. Various types of coatings are simulated in the noise segment. An expert sitting next to the driver evaluates the sounds from the car components, diagnosing possible problems. Not every car is tested in this way - the check is random.
The full production cycle of a car is two and a half eight-hour shifts.
For an untrained person, there is an abundance of manual operations, audiovisual control looks a little... surprisingly, many people do not imagine assembling cars at all. But the quality control system here is quite strict; both equipment and everything else are controlled. If a defect is identified, not only its effect is eliminated, but also its cause. As proof, in 2012 and 2014 the Russian plant received the “Best Plant for Product Quality” awards among all Nissan assembly plants in the world.
Finished cars.
What else should I add? Of course, the Japanese enterprise practices “kaizen” - the desire for constant improvement and optimization of all processes. Therefore, each employee has the opportunity to offer their know-how or life hack and be heard. The introduction of automation, by the way, largely followed Russian recipes...
At the beginning of the article, I mentioned that the reason for my visit to the plant was the new Nissan Murano.
This is a completely new car, and not a restyling of the previous model, which is clearly hinted at by the aggressive appearance in the new corporate style of the Japanese brand.
At the same time, as before, it is difficult to determine the gender of a car - obviously, it should appeal to people of different genders and ages.
An abundance of lines and edges - the design turned out to be really bright.
The sharp edges of the LED optics extending onto the hood look very much like a concept car, but this is a production car.
This impression is reinforced by the rear pillars, which have a glazing line on one side and “shards” of headlights on the other.
LED optics.
In the mirrors there are cameras of the all-round viewing system.
The interface, that is, the interior, has become simpler and more modern, but the signature roundness has not gone away. The continuity of generations is obvious. The specifications have not yet been made public, but it is obvious that compared to the American versions, the ground clearance will be increased and a heated steering wheel will be added. But the automatic power window mode is only on the driver's door.
On the technical side, the car has become a little more compact and lighter (by 65 kg, curb weight 1814 kg), but the combination of engine and variator has remained the same - as, in fact, the Nissan D platform. The main power unit in the line is a V6 petrol engine with the VQ35DE index of 3.5 liters, producing 249 hp. and 325 Nm. According to Nissan employees, it is possible that a hybrid version will appear - a combination of a 2.5-liter compressor engine and an electric motor, with a total power of 249 hp. In any case, the new car will consume less fuel due to a more streamlined body (Cx=0.31).
Should we expect fundamentally new driving properties from the car? Most likely, Murano will retain its signature softness and comfort, and the design of the transmission will not change, but it will be possible to talk about this more confidently only at the end of July, when the first test drives will be organized and retail prices will be announced.
In any case, given the shrinking Russian market, the appearance of a partially localized Murano will definitely revive the competition. It is obvious that a crossover produced in Russia is cheaper than an imported one (reducing costs for localized spare parts, logistics, taxes). Combine this with Nissan's aggressive pricing strategy, and you're looking at a new contender for leadership in this market segment.
It is gratifying that such a new car will be produced in Russia, but in what volume? The answer is simple. The plant operates according to the Japanese “douki seisan” principle, which means synchronizing production with market demands. We will find out very soon what will happen to the car market by the fall.
What do we know about RussianNissanMurano
— The new product is assembled in Russia in a full cycle, with welding and painting of the body. Some of the body stamping is done at the plant itself.
— The car has undergone complete adaptation to Russian conditions, becoming the first Nissan model to receive the ERA-GLONASS emergency call system.
— The crossover will be available with two gasoline power units to choose from: a 3.5-liter V6 (249 hp) and a hybrid 2.5-liter compressor four with a 15-kilowatt electric motor (total hybrid power 254 hp .). Exactly the same engines are installed on the Nissan Pathfinder assembled in St. Petersburg.
— Sales of the new Murano will start at the end of summer (this model has been on sale in the USA for two years already). Prices are not yet known, but most likely the new product will be noticeably more expensive than its predecessor.
— In addition to Russia, Murano assembled in St. Petersburg will be sold in Belarus and Kazakhstan.
What do we know about the St. Petersburg plantNissan:
— This is the youngest Nissan plant in Europe: the decision to build it was made in 2006, and the first car was assembled here in 2009.
— In 2015, the plant was expanded and its own stamping production appeared.
— Over 8 years, more than 230 thousand Nissan cars were produced in St. Petersburg.
— The enterprise is capable of producing up to 100 thousand cars per year, but in fact the plant is only loaded at a third of its capacity.
— Currently, 4 Nissan models are assembled in St. Petersburg and these are exclusively crossovers: Murano, Qashqai, X-Trail and Pathfinder.
On July 21, a special test drive of the tenth generation Mitsubishi Lancer took place at the Petersburg sports and concert complex in St. Petersburg. Participants in the test drive were representatives of online clubs representing owners of the Lancer model - Mitsubishi Lancer Club Saint-Petersburg (www.lancer-club.spb.ru) and Mitsubishi Lancer Club (www.lancer-club.ru).
Seven new-generation Lancer cars were presented for evaluation in various versions: with a 2-liter engine, manual transmission or CVT, as well as with a 1.5-liter engine and manual transmission. The main part of the test fleet was provided by St. Petersburg dealers of Mitsubishi Motors, who actively supported the initiative of online clubs. Two cars, accompanied by instructors from the Driving Art School of Driving Art, arrived from Moscow to take part in the test drive.
The large number of cars made it possible to provide each participant at the event with sufficient time to study the performance and consumer characteristics of the new Lancer with minimal waiting time. Lancer fans could exchange opinions about the new product over a light buffet with soft drinks, and dynamic musical accompaniment combined with sunny weather ensured an excellent mood for all test drive participants.
BlueFish, the first distributor of used cars in Russia, took an active part in the test drive and is currently implementing the “Exchange Lancer for a new one!” program, which offers owners of the previous generation Lancer to quickly and conveniently become owners of the new generation model. During the conversation with the test drive participants, BlueFish specialists talked about the benefits of the Lancer exchange program and answered questions.
During the test drive of the new generation Mitsubishi Lancer, more than 60 people were able to evaluate it. ROLF Import LLC plans to further develop cooperation with online associations of Lancer owners, strengthening ties with fans of the most popular and mass-produced Mitsubishi Motors model in Russia.
The assembly of Nissan Murano 2018 for Russia is carried out at a domestic enterprise in St. Petersburg. And, although the quality of this car practically does not depend on the country of origin, many domestic cars would prefer vehicles that are produced abroad. However, most often the question of where Nissan Murano is assembled for Russia arises when searching for a car on the secondary market - Japanese versions can still be found here.
Where is Nissan Murano assembled?
From the very beginning of its release, named after the island located off the coast of Venice, it was intended only for the North American market. It was produced only in Japan - but after a few years, European motorists also became interested in the car, so the manufacturer opened another plant in the United States. Japanese conveyors continued assembly for Europe and Russian consumers. However, Nissan Murano for Russia stopped being produced here along with the change from the second generation to the third in 2015-2016.
The second enterprise is located in the US state of Mississippi. The car began to be produced on its assembly lines in 2013. Now the latest generation of the vehicle is being assembled here for the North American market - primarily for the USA.
The third plant is located in the industrial zone of St. Petersburg. The decision to build it was made back in 2006, when the manufacturer signed an agreement with the Ministry of Economy of the Russian Federation. In 2009, the enterprise officially opened, and in 2011 it began producing Nissan Murano for Russian car dealerships and carrying out assembly for Ukraine and European countries.
Build quality
Unlike most other assembly plants, the plant in St. Petersburg does not carry out ordinary assembly, but almost full-fledged production. Most of the body parts are produced at the Russian plant, and the interior trim is of the same origin. In Japan, only gearboxes, power units and electronic components of the car are produced.
Multi-stage control for all parts that are used to assemble a machine for the Russian market makes the level of defects minimal and the quality high. If components that do not meet the standards are found, they are replaced with new ones, so there are no special differences in the Japanese and Russian versions. And almost the only disadvantages of domestic assembly can be called simpler configurations (although this reduces the price) and the subjective opinion of buyers.
Experts note that owners of cars manufactured in the United States should better monitor the quality of their fuel. The reason for this is the settings of the engine control unit, which differ from the standard ones - because of them, unsuitable fuel destroys the catalyst, which leads to damage to the cylinder walls and, as a result, increased oil consumption. The American versions have no other special differences and, moreover, no shortcomings.
The official tenth anniversary of the Nissan plant near St. Petersburg is a beautiful screen, as is a huge poster in which the new Murano is cobbled together from photographs of plant employees. The enterprise has been operating not since 2006, when the Japanese just began implementing the plant project, but since 2009. But the very fact of the launch of Murano production is important as an indicator that the Japanese believe in the coming recovery of the market and are shifting their points of interest to the crossover segment. Otherwise, there would be no point in releasing a model that has always stood apart and often attracted only originals.
Among the Nissan crossovers, the new Murano clearly stands out for its unusual appearance, as has always been the case for this model. Although in fact it is new only for our market. The third generation car was presented last April at the New York Auto Show closer to the most important audience for the Japanese, and almost immediately entered the US market. This spring, the car appeared almost unchanged in China. And in Russia all this time a second Murano was being sold, which no longer corresponded well to the current model range. The new one, on the contrary, sets stylistic trends for all subsequent cars of the brand, demonstrating an appearance with a V-shaped radiator grille, many geometric lines, stampings and complex surfaces.
Nissan first showed this style in the Resonance concept, which was drawn by the company's American stylists in the Californian studio Nissan Design America. The wonderful interior with “pools” of displays in the production car began to look closer to reality, but the smooth surfaces of the interior, deep sofa chairs and the cozy atmosphere of the concept reached the series almost unchanged. The Murano still looks and feels like a more expensive car with styling that would be more in keeping with Infiniti. It is no coincidence that it was the Murano, and not the larger Pathfinder, that Philippe Saillard, vice president of Nissan East, called the flagship of the crossover line in Russia.
The dimensions have remained almost unchanged compared to its predecessor, as has the set of engines. Our crossover will be offered with the well-known 3.5 liter V6 engine, the power of which was reduced from 264 to 249 horsepower for the sake of taxes. The only transmission option is Xtronic CVT and all-wheel drive. The dynamics will remain at the same level, but thanks to the lower weight (the new Murano is 50 kg lighter) and the modernization of the CVT, fuel consumption is promised to be 20% lower.
The hybrid modification, which is in especially good demand in China, will also be on our market, and also in a localized form. The plant is already familiar with this design - Murano is equipped with the same installation as the hybrid Pathfinder, which has been produced in St. Petersburg for quite some time. The combination of a compressor 2.5-liter gasoline engine and a 15 kW electric motor develops the same 254 horsepower.
The Murano equipment list includes a set of equipment traditional for older models of the brand, including an all-round visibility system, adaptive cruise control and an emergency braking system. The standard kit will presumably include dual-zone climate control, a keyless entry system, heated seats and steering wheel, leather upholstery and electric front seats. But the panoramic roof, which is about 40% larger in the third Murano, will be offered for an additional fee.
The scope of work to localize Murano was limited to standard procedures for preparing for our roads and climate. The crossover did not require deep modernization, as in the case of the Qashqai, but the Murano will be the first model in the Nissan line to be equipped with the ERA-GLONASS system.
The new Murano will appear at Russian dealers before the end of summer. Prices will be announced in about a month, but company representatives have already hinted in informal conversations that the base price tag should be just above 2 million rubles. The second generation Murano is sold at a price starting from 2.1 million rubles, does not offer a choice of power units (a single 3.5 liter V6 engine is available) and has a similar set of equipment even in mid-range trim levels.
Not only Murano
Construction of the Nissan plant near St. Petersburg began in 2006, and three years later, in the summer of 2009, the first Nissan Teana sedans rolled off the assembly line. The localized business sedan was supposed to compete with the eternal bestseller Toyota Camry. In November of the same year, the plant launched assembly of the previous generation Nissan X-Trail crossover. And the localized second-generation Murano entered the production line in 2011.
At the end of 2014, the company launched a project to expand capacity from 50 to 100 thousand cars per year, and Pathfinder, Qashqai, as well as the new Teana and X-Trail came onto the production line. But in the crisis year of 2015, the model range had to be adjusted - the representative office refused to produce the not very popular Teana, but put the new Qashqai on the assembly line, having carried out a significant modernization of the model.
The initial investment in construction amounted to $200 million, and another €167 million was spent on modernizing the plant. Since the beginning of its operation, the plant has produced more than 230 thousand cars. As Dmitry Mikhailov, vice president and general director of the plant, said during the production launch ceremony, at the moment, 95% of all brand cars sold in Russia are produced at local factories. At the same time, manufactured cars are not only sold on the Russian market, but also exported to Belarus, Kazakhstan and other countries of the Customs Union.
Ivan Ananyev
The mid-size Nissan Murano crossover, intended primarily for the American market, began production in Japan in 2002. The car was created on the front-wheel drive FF-L platform shared with the third generation sedan; the car received a spectacular exterior and interior design.
For American buyers, the Murano was offered with a V6 3.5 gasoline engine (243–249 hp) and a CVT, and the drive could be front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. In 2005, the model received a slightly updated design and an expanded list of options.
In 2004, Nissan Murano debuted on the European market, and in 2005, the crossover began to be officially delivered to Russia (before that, the car was successfully sold by “gray” dealers). Our car was offered with a V6 3.5 engine producing 234 hp. s., CVT and only in all-wheel drive version. Prices started at 1.5 million rubles for a car with six airbags, leather interior, climate control, xenon headlights and a sunroof.
The Nissan Murano has been sold on the Japanese market since 2004, and here the car also had a new basic version with a 2.5-liter engine producing 163 hp. s., four-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
In Europe and America, sales of first-generation cars ended in 2007, in Japan - in 2008.
2nd generation (Z51), 2007–2016
The second generation Nissan Murano debuted at the end of 2007. The car was designed on the Nissan D platform, shared with the sedan and several other models. The car received an original appearance, improved interior finishing, expanded equipment, and the model range was expanded.
The main power unit was an upgraded V6 3.5 engine from the previous generation model in combination with a CVT. The Japanese market also offered the Nissan Murano with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine (170 hp) and a CVT, and in Europe - with a 2.5 dCi turbodiesel (190 hp) and a six-speed automatic transmission.
In Russia, the crossover has been sold since the beginning of 2009 only with a V6 3.5 gasoline engine (249 hp) and all-wheel drive; front-wheel drive options were not supplied to us. The starting price of the crossover was 1.7 million rubles. In January 2011, the production of cars for our market began at the Nissan plant in St. Petersburg.
In 2010, the model was slightly restyled: the car's bumpers and lighting equipment were slightly changed, and new options appeared.
In Japan, the second generation model was discontinued in 2014, and cars for the Russian market were made in St. Petersburg until 2016.
Nissan Murano engine table
