Nissan's Ghosn sees no 2009 U.S. auto recovery

By Kevin Krolicki

NASHVILLE, Tenn (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) does not expect U.S. auto sales to bounce back in 2009 after a sharp decline this year, Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Tuesday.

Ghosn said Nissan expected industrywide U.S. sales to be near 14.3 million units in 2008, down from 16.15 million in 2007. Next year's tally would be about the same at 14.3 million, he said, adding that the risk was for a lower figure.

"Please be prepared to see a changing forecast," Ghosn told reporters "I think we are going to have a challenging couple of years."

Ghosn pursued an unsuccessful partnership bid with GM (GM.N) in 2006 and has said in the past that Renault-Nissan would welcome a North American partner to round out its alliance, spurring speculation of potential tie-ups with Ford Motor Co (F.N) or Chrysler LLC.

But Ghosn cautioned on Tuesday that the industry's downturn and volatile commodity prices had made equity-based deals harder to complete.

"Today, obviously, the market conditions are very uncertain, so the likelihood of moves now is relatively small because we need to understand what we're buying," he said.

In any case, Ghosn said Nissan-Renault would never be involved in an outright acquisition of another automaker.

"When people talk about consolidation they talk about Company A buying Company B," he said. "But we know this doesn't work in our industry. Company A buying Company B is guaranteed to destroy value."

Nissan has gained market share in a declining U.S. market. The Japanese automaker's sales were down 2.4 percent in the first half compared with a 10.1 percent drop for the market overall.

In response to the dramatic consumer shift toward cars and away from heavier trucks and SUVs, Nissan has already adjusted production at its Canton, Mississippi plant.

The automaker has added a third shift of workers on the Canton plant's car assembly line in order to make more Altima sedans and cut a shift at the same plant's truck line which makes SUVs such as the Pathfinder and Armada.

"The market has changed dramatically," Ghosn said. He added: "For the past few weeks, it looked like the only car you could sell in the United States was a four-cylinder."

NEEDED: MORE CARS, FEWER TRUCKS

Ghosn, who was speaking at a ceremony to mark the opening of Nissan's new $100 million headquarters building in Nashville, said more adjustments to boost car production and cut truck output could be needed.

"If this market stays as it is -- as is likely -- you are going to see more of our capacity shifted."