Nissan Europe January sales up 72 pct

PARIS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Nissan Europe on Monday reported a 71.9 percent year-on-year increase in vehicle sales to 50,542 units for the 10th consecutive monthly rise.

The European operations of Japan's Nissan Motor (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research), in which French Renault (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) has a 44.4 percent stake, said much of the rise was due to new models such as the Qashqai compact cross-over and the Tiida compact saloon.

Russia was Nissan's biggest European market, followed by the UK and Italy.

(Reporting by Marcel Michelson, editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)