If you’ve somehow missed the headlines over the past year and a half, here’s the gist: Nissan’s sales have been plummeting. The automaker has faced a relentless wave of bad press—from leadership shakeups and declining numbers to rumors of mergers or takeovers.
Just this week, Vinay Shahani, head of Nissan’s U.S. sales division, didn’t sugarcoat the situation. He described the company’s April sales performance to dealers as a “total catastrophe”—and made it clear that turning things around is now his top priority.
But here’s the thing about legacy automakers: they don’t go down without a fight. Nissan has resources that upstarts can only dream of—an expansive dealer network, robust U.S.-based production and engineering operations, and a long history marked by iconic models like the Z and GT-R.
Now, it appears Nissan’s leadership is shifting gears, determined to reclaim lost ground in the all-important American market—the world’s second largest for car sales.
And they’re putting their money where their mouth is. Beginning in June, Nissan is scrapping its convoluted dealer incentive system in favor of a straightforward approach: just sell cars. From now on, dealer bonuses will be tied directly to the number of new vehicles sold, according to Automotive News. The strategy aims to push inventory, reward performance, and hopefully, attract customers looking for a good deal.
This new bonus model, while aggressive, is simple: meet 90% of your sales goal and earn an extra $350 per vehicle. Hit 100%, and that bumps up to $600. Surpass your target by 10%, and the bonus doubles. Shahani has promised dealers that these targets will be realistic and achievable.
For car buyers, this could translate into serious savings. Dealers, desperate to hit their numbers, might be willing to take a loss on individual sales to lock in those bonuses. It’s the kind of environment where that age-old advice about buying on the last day of the month might finally pay off.
To be clear, Nissan isn’t expecting miracles. Its current U.S. market share hovers around 5.4%, and that includes Mitsubishi. Compared to rivals like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, and the Big Two from Detroit, Nissan is clearly trailing. Still, Shahani’s short-term goal is modest but ambitious: a half-point gain in market share by year’s end. That translates to around 80,000 additional vehicles sold—roughly 9% of the company’s total U.S. volume in 2024.
Unlike traditional incentive programs, the cash from this initiative comes with no restrictions. Dealers can use the money however they like—even if that means pocketing it entirely. One dealer told Automotive News that, if the program holds, it could boost some stores’ income by over a million dollars annually.
Make no mistake—this is a high-stakes move, and it carries the scent of urgency. Nissan’s ongoing challenges are only made worse by global economic uncertainty. And while the company is cutting costs elsewhere, the hope is that this aggressive sales push will help keep the brand viable until conditions stabilize.
