Nissan Motor Company Ltd usually shortened to Nissan (play /ˈniːsɑːn/ or UK /ˈnɪsæn/; Japanese: [nisːaɴ]), is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was formerly a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn (CEO).t formerly marketed vehicles under the “Datsun” brand name and is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. As of 2011, the company’s global headquarters is located in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. In 1999, Nissan entered a two way alliance with Renault S.A. of France, which owns 43.4% of Nissan while Nissan holds 15% of Renault shares, as of 2008. The current market share of Nissan, along with Honda and Toyota, in American auto sales represent the largest of the automotive firms based in Asia that have been increasingly encroaching on the historically dominant US-based “Big Three” consisting of GM, Ford and Chrysler. In its home market, Nissan is the third largest car manufacturer, with Honda being second by a small margin of 2,000 units and Toyota in a very dominant first. Along with its normal range of models, Nissan also produces a range of luxury models branded as Infiniti.