Nissan and Chery International UK have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the study of contract manufacturing for Nissan to manufacture Chery passenger vehicles at its Sunderland Plant in the UK starting in 2027.Under the terms of the non-binding MoU the Sunderland facility would remain fully owned by Nissan, with the team at the plant employed by Nissan. “This is an important step forward for our operations,” said Massimiliano Messina, chairperson of Nissan AMIEO. “We are looking forward to working with Chery International UK in the coming months to finalise a position that is optimal for both companies.”The MoU is non-binding, and discussions will continue between the two companies, with no further details to be made public at this stage. Nissan's Car Plant at Rosslyn, Pretoria. (Robert Tshabalala) Chery and Nissan SA UpdateWith Chery and Nissan in South Africa having concluded the sale of the Japanese brand’s vehicle assembly plant in Pretoria to Chery SA, including the boarding of the former’s employees on similar contracts, the latest update is that the new Chinese owners will officially receive the keys to the acquired facilities on July 3, with planned celebrations taking place to mark the occasion.Though the company hasn’t communicated an official statement, reliable sources close to the action have hinted that Chery aims to kick-start local production of the Tiggo 4 Pro/Cross range. The 1,871 unit sales in April 2026 of the Tiggo 4 Pro/Cross became a historic moment for the local automotive industry, the entry-level crossover becoming the first Chinese passenger car to outsell stalwarts including the VW Polo Vivo and Suzuki Swift.Nic Campbell, Becks Chen and Shaun Steynberg from Jetour South Africa at the announcement of the 2026 COTY winner. (JETOUR SA) The Jetour AngleChery subsidiary Jetour also added spice to the cooking pot when global president of the brand, Ke Chuanden, recently used the Beijing Auto Show 2026 to announce plans to use the newly acquired Pretoria assembly plant to build 50,000 Jetour T Series crossovers annually. The popular urban brand sold a total of 2,020 units of the T1 and T2 range in May, the T2 model also making history late in May when it was named winner of the 2026 South African Car of the Year title by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ), another first for a Chinese brand.