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Nissan brings back the Datsun

Quote:

(CNN) -- Nissan Motor Company announced the return of the Datsun brand after 30 years, with plans to introduce a low-cost car in several emerging markets in 2014.
In a nod to the growing importance of developing markets, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn made the announcement Tuesday in Indonesia, one of three markets the new car line will debut.
"The Datsun brand has a global mission, but when you go on a global mission you start with priorities and today we said our priority are three: They are Indonesia, they are India and they are Russia," Ghosn said.
"That doesn't mean that we are going to be limiting it to there. This is the first step of development, which are these three markets, but absolutely not excluding other high growth markets or other emerging markets from the range of Datsun," he added.
The Datsun brand first emerged in Japan in 1923 but was phased out in the 1980s as the company focused on mid-market buyers and its upscale Infiniti brand, launched in 1989. The new line will capitalize on the Datsun tradition of low-cost, sporty cars marketed in burgeoning economies where many young drivers are first-time buyers.

he company also plans to include a "green" line of Datsun cars.
Ghosn drew an analogy to Japan's economy when it launched the Datsun brand and today's Indonesian economy, which has grown steadily at about 6% per year. The country is the fourth most populous nation in the world with 250 million people.
"Datsun was introduced to Japan to bring reliable, afford and contemporary technology to consumers who had too few choices," Ghosn said at the Indonesia press conference. "Today, this is the very situation in Indonesia. There is a growing segment of up and coming customers who have few choices. They can buy motorcycles, they can buy used vehicles or they can buy a new vehicle but one based on older technology. We will offer them an exciting new choice."
The company also announced plans to invest $400 million in Indonesia production, adding 3,300 jobs and producing 250,000 vehicles by 2014. Nissan sales outlets will increase to 150 in Indonesia by 2015, the company said.
"Datsun is part of our company heritage and will now contribute to its future," Ghosn said.

Nissan resurrects the Datsun brand - CNN.com

Thoughts?

Tl;dr: Datsun is coming back but not to the US right away

My local news announced this yesterday. They also made an unusual mention that the Datsun brand will be looking to make a competitor for the Scion FR-S. Which I found to be a wild statement from the 6 o'clock local news. So maybe that Silvia project that was supposedly canned in 08-09ish really just went Top Secret for the new Datsun lineup??? I'm gettin' one for sure if this happens!?

I thought Nissan was starting to focus on Infiniti for the American market. I don't see Datsun helping their image of upscale, powerful luxury sedans and sports cars.

That's good that Mr. Ghosn has his focus in emerging markets in Asia. I could see Datsun doing well here in Thailand, as well. It's quite difficult to find a new car for less than 15-20 thousand dollars.

Your the370z reported this a few wks ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan (Post 1612180)

Your the370z reported this a few wks ago.

:iagree:

Plus is not coming to the U.S.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan (Post 1612180)

Your the370z reported this a few wks ago.

Really? Didn't see it but I didn't search either since the date/time for the CNN article was from last night. Can't trust news sources. :shakes head:

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Originally Posted by PapoZalsa (Post 1612188)

:iagree:

Plus is not coming to the U.S.

That's in the original post. :ugh2:

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Originally Posted by Vbp6US (Post 1612595)

Really? Didn't see it but I didn't search either since the date/time for the CNN article was from last night. Can't trust news sources. :shakes head:

That's in the original post. :ugh2:

Yeap and in one of the car magazines I read recently. The market is for China, Russia, India and developing countires

Datsun 390Z. 3.9liter TT 390HP AWD.

There was something in the paper about this today..,The .Nissan Company is going for a really low market and will use the Datsun name to avoid giving Nissan autos a cheap image..

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeShow (Post 1612977)

Datsun 390Z. 3.9liter TT 390HP AWD.

its going to be hard to compare the Indian Datsun to the American Nissan in terms of power because the Indian or Thai versions measure their engines by "Elephant power" not horsepower.. So is a 230 EP Turbo better than a 340 HP? Anybody know the conversion formula?:roflpuke2:

Datsun for you

search the Datsun

Datsuns are cool

;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeShow (Post 1612977)

Datsun 390Z. 3.9liter TT 390HP AWD.

They won't bore out the VQ anymore so no 3.9 litre. Heritage is "All Factor" in the Z production line so AWD won't exist. That's what skylines and the GTR is for. Most likely we will go back to the original roots of a 2.4 litre 2.8 or 3.0 litre inline or v6. I would guess even though turbos aren't roots oriented. It would be considered for power/fuel econ. That would be my educated guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsix (Post 1612150)

Here in the states Datsun could compete against the Scion/Kia segment. Datsun could make sport oriented affordable compacts. The sentra would go further upmarket. The Versa name can be cancelled and the redesign can be a equal sized sportier fwd affordable sedan to compete against the Accent, Fiesta, kia rio, the next up model would compete against forte, and civic... a car like the cube would also move over to Datsun. The halo car can be a 4 cylinder RWD Datsun RWD Silvia and give us the option for in-house turbo engine swaps at full engine prices. It can definately work. The RWD silvia would cap off where the Z price begins with 100 less hp but 300-400 less pounds and a functional no-frills interior like the FRS.

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Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370 (Post 1613766)

This is a very logical and all around sound guess. You hit the high points really with AWD + GTR relationship, and their need to go more green and return to their roots with the 2.x - 3.0 litre turbo. Seems probable even in NA form.