“We encourage dealers to provide high quality, value for money services that improve retention for routine maintenance and repair work.”

Lujan believes its products like You+ Nissan Care, which offers free roadside assistance and a courtesy car, are reflective of customers’ current requirements and once the car has reached its third birthday, products like its recently-launched fixed priced servicing from £109 will ensure motorists will stay in the franchise network.

In fact, its accompanying press material talks about prices to make independent garages ‘squirm’ and offers customers an ‘escape’ route from under the arches.

The fight is on, then, to keep the customer in the franchised network, but Nissan’s aggressive marketing stance is aimed squarely at keeping drivers away from the independents rather than seeing off any threat from other manufacturers with longer warranties on new vehicles.

He said: “Extended warranties are a marketing tool which has been used by some manufacturers to reassure customers concerned about product quality.

"An extended warranty adds costs and has to be balanced with other marketing decisions such as price and equipment levels. Our recent market share performance in both the retail and fleet sectors would indicate that buyers think our offering is attractive.

"Consequently, Nissan has no current plans to extend the new vehicle warranty period.”

Lujan is also convinced that, while some fleets are choosing to keep their cars beyond three years, the three-year warranty, as opposed to a longer one, alone is not enough to keep company car drivers out of Nissan models, he said: “We don’t believe that we have lost sales due to a competitor offering a longer warranty.”

He added: “We will continue to monitor the market and offer vehicles, services and ownership packages that appeal to purchasers. The new vehicle warranty period is only one of many factors that contribute to consideration and purchase.”