Chinese cars to be built in Britain for first time by one major plant: 'It makes sense'

Chinese cars to be built in Britain for first time by one major plant: 'It makes sense'Chinese cars are set to be built in Britain for the first time after Nissan struck a deal to use its Sunderland plant with rival Chery. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Michael D. Carroll 02:29, Thu, Jun 4, 2026 Updated: 02:30, Thu, Jun 4, 2026 Nissan said it is looking to make better use of spare capacity at its Sunderland factory (Image: Getty)Chinese cars are set to be built in Britain for the first time after Nissan struck a deal to use spare production capacity at its Sunderland plant in Tyne and Wear with rival Chinese manufacturer Chery.The agreement, announced by Nissan on Wednesday, will see the Japanese carmaker manufacture vehicles for Chery — the parent company of Jaecoo and Omoda — from next year, subject to ongoing negotiations. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTThe deal remains non-binding, with final details still to be confirmed, including which models will be produced.What does the Nissan and Chery deal involve?Nissan said it is looking to make better use of spare capacity at its Sunderland factory, which can build more than 500,000 vehicles a year but has recently been operating well below that level due to weaker demand.Under the proposed arrangement, production of Chery-branded vehicles would begin in the UK for the first time, marking a significant shift in the British automotive manufacturing landscape. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTUntil now, Chinese firms such as SAIC Motor and Geely have only produced vehicles in the UK under historic British marques including MG, Lotus and The London Taxi Company. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTThe move reflects the rapid growth of Chinese car brands in the UK market, where companies such as Jaecoo, Omoda and BYD have gained market share by undercutting established Western competitors on price. '...