PROFITS at Nissan rose sharply in the January to March quarter as the carmaker made inroads into fast-growing markets.

The company reported a net profit of £585m, up from £232m a year earlier.

Nissan said its global sales reached 4.8 million vehicles in the financial year 2011, a record for the company.

The Sunderland-built Qashqai and Juke models have played a major role in the firm's success.

Nissan recovered quickly from natural disasters in Japan and Thailand last year that disrupted supply chains.

For the full year ending in March 2012, the company reported net income of £2.6bn, a 7 per cent rise on the previous year.

Nissan, Japan's second-biggest carmaker, outperformed rivals Toyota and Honda, both of which reported falling profits.

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's chief executive, said: "It is an even more encouraging performance given the headwinds created by natural disasters, an over-valued yen and uncertain global economic conditions."

Nissan predicted an even better performance for the upcoming financial year.

The forecast for global sales is 5.35 million vehicles, an increase of more than 10 per cent, while net profits are expected to be £3.1bn.