Nissan has announced it will sell its revived Datsun brand, now a low-cost alternative in South Africa, starting with a new passenger vehicle for launch by the end of 2014.
Nissan decided in 2010 to re-introduce Datsun – a brand axed in 1981 – as part of the company’s ambitious ‘Nissan Power 88’ mid-term plan to achieve 8% global market share and 8% operating profit by fiscal 2016.
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“The return of Datsun is integral to our expansion in fast-growing markets where there is a mushrooming upwardly-mobile segment,” said Vincent Cobee, corporate vice president at Nissan Motor and head of the Datsun brand.
“Datsun’s key values – accessible, reliable and modern – are designed to accommodate the needs and aspirations of this target group, just as it did for similarly optimistic customers in Japan, America and a large part of the world during most of the 20th century.”
Datsun is to be re-established with a strong independent brand identity, alongside Nissan and Infiniti.
“Following Infiniti’s launch last year, we are delighted that South Africa is also a destination of choice for Datsun vehicles,” said Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan South Africa (NSA). “Datsun enjoyed a proud heritage in the country after the Bluebird made its debut at the Pretoria Show in 1958, the 120Y and SSS models were household names, before going on to become the number one brand between 1976 and 1978.”
“Our aim is to deliver new and exciting products that meet local customer needs assured by global Japanese OEM expertise and technology,” said Cobee.
The brand is also to be introduced in India, Indonesia and Russia in 2014.
The Datsun passenger vehicle that Nissan plans to sell will be priced at JPY1m (US$10,700) or less in South Africa, Nissan spokeswoman Noriko Yoneyama told Reuters.
Nissan had not decided where it would produce the vehicle, she said.
