April 1980 - Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp.
U.S.A. formed
August 1980 - Marvin T. Runyon named president and CEO
February 1981 - NMM groundbreaking in Smyrna
June 1983 - Job One, a white pickup truck, rolls off the line
May 1984 - Announced production of Sentra sedan, the first U.S.-built Nissan car
March 1985 - Sentra Job One rolls off the line
March 1987 - Produced 500,000th vehicle
December 1987 - Jerry L. Benefield named new president and CEO
April 1989 - Announced production of Altima sedan, requiring a $490 million expansion and creating more than 2,000 jobs
July 1989 - Produced one-millionth vehicle
June 1992 - Altima Job One rolls off the line
March 1993 - Produced two-millionth vehicle
June 1994 - Smyrna named the most productive car and truck plant in North America in The Harbour Report, a prestigious survey of the auto industry (dual honor repeated in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003)
September 1997 - Frontier Job One rolls off the line
December 1997 - Produced four-millionth vehicle
June 1998 - Produced the last 200SX
March 1999 - Last Sentra assembled, production moved to Nissan Aguascalientes, Mexico, plant
April 1999 - Xterra SUV Job One rolls off the line
January 2000 - Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation U.S.A. is consolidated into Nissan North America Inc.; Dan Gaudette is named senior vice president of U.S. Manufacturing, reporting to Emil Hassan, senior vice president of North American Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality & Logistics
January 2000 - 2000 Xterra named “North American Truck of the Year” at the North American International Auto Show
October 2000 - 2000 Xterra named Motor Trend’s 2000 Sports/Utility Vehicle of the Year
November 2000 - Produced five-millionth vehicle
January 2002 - 2002 Altima is named “North American Car of the Year” at the North American International Auto Show
January 2003 - Maxima Job One rolls off the line as production shifts from Japan to Smyrna
April 2004 - Dan Gaudette named senior vice president of North American Manufacturing; Greg Daniels named senior vice president of U.S. Manufacturing
June 2004 - Smyrna named the most productive North American car plant by The Harbour Report; plant’s Altima production sets a new record for productivity
August 2004 - Nissan Pathfinder Job One
June 2005 - Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen announces that Smyrna will begin building the Altima hybrid in the summer of 2006 for the 2007 model year
August 2005 Produced seven-millionth vehicle, an Aztec Red Frontier Crew Cab pickup truck
October 2005 - Xterra named Motor Trend’s 2006 Sport/Utility Vehicle of the Year
October 2006 - Grand opening for new North American Field Quality Center
April 2007 - Bill Krueger named senior vice president of North American Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management
April 2007 - Altima Coupe Job One rolls off the line
October 2007 - Produced eight-millionth vehicle
May 2008 - Next generation 2009 Maxima Job One rolls off the line