The Datsun name disappeared in 1981 and vehicles such as the iconic 240Z and SSS are just fond memories to some of us. But last year Nissan announced that it will bring this brand back. Excited? Don’t be. Things will not be like they once were…
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced last year that the company will resurrect the Datsun nameplate, but it that it will adorn entry-level cars in markets such as Indonesia, India and Russia. The move to offer cheaper models under the Datsun brand instead of Nissan is said to be the result of Nissan believing that “offering cheaper, much-simpler models under its namesake brand would not be consistent with the image it wants to project worldwide.”
Executive vice president of Nissan, Colin Dodge, has now revealed that the new Datsun offerings will be built off the Lada Kalina platform. Shared elements such as braking, fuel systems and steering mechanicals will be used but the upper body and interior will be completely different.
The first two models are expected to go on sale in 2014 with a third arriving in 2015. There are currently no plans to bring these vehicles to South Africa.