UK in advanced talks with Nissan over Sunderland plant support

The British government is in advanced talks with Japanese carmaker Nissan about providing it financial support in return for a long-term commitment and investment in its Sunderland plant, five sources with knowledge of the discussions said.



Any funding for the struggling automaker will be connected to its commitment to produce new models or variants and protect jobs at the country's biggest car plant, two of the sources said. It could come in the form of grants, tax breaks or subsidies, they said, declining to disclose amounts.



Nissan, the top car producer in Britain, is undertaking a major global restructuring that includes selling or closing other factories, cutting 15% of its workforce and shrinking its product lineup.



That has left lingering doubts over the outlook for its only remaining European assembly plant, which employs about 6,000 workers in England's industrial northeast.



Adding to the uncertainty, Nissan this month said it had signed a pact with Chery to study manufacturing the Chinese carmaker's vehicles using one of the two lines at Sunderland.