Nissan News: Nissan Comfirms The Return Of Datsun

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

March 20, 2012

Earlier this month, The Nikkei reported that Nissan would bring back the Datsun brand. The brand would be made up of entry-level and low-cost vehicles for the emerging markets. At the time, Nissan declined to comment on The Nikkei's report.

Now, Nissan is confirming the return of Datsun. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told the media yesterday that Datsun would be returning as Nissan's third brand. Datsun vehicles will offer buyers inexpensive, fuel-efficient vehicles with loads of content.

Nissan also confirmed that Datsun will be for emerging markets, with India, Indonesia, and Russia being the first to get Datsun vehicles in 2014.

Press Release in on Page 2

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Nissan CEO expects strong growth in Indonesian auto market

- Carlos Ghosn details Indonesian investment and the launch of Datsun -

• Production capacity to grow to 250,000 by 2014
  
• 33 billion Japanese yen investment
  
• Nissan strongly supports Indonesia's green car program
  
• Return of the Datsun brand
  

JAKARTA (20 March 2012) -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced measures to strengthen its production base and sales presence in Indonesia. Total capacity will increase to 250,000 annually by 2014, with the workforce expanding to 3,300, and sales outlets are planned to increase to 150 by 2015.

On March 19, CEO Carlos Ghosn met Indonesia president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and reiterated Nissan's commitment to the nation's motorization.

"Nissan is bringing new jobs and new vehicles to Indonesia," said Ghosn. "We are going to expand our production capability and offer a new and exciting product line here."

The new plan announced today will make Nissan's Cikampek site, located 80 kilometers outside of Jakarta, one of the largest production facilities in the ASEAN region for Nissan.

In 2011, 890,000 vehicles were sold in Indonesia, for the first time making the nation ASEAN's largest car market. Nissan is in line to achieve its sales objectives of 60,000 units for fiscal year 2011. Indonesia total industry volume is estimated to increase nearly double by 2017 compared to 2010, largely driven by the introduction of the Green Car program now being drafted by the Indonesian government. Nissan strongly supports the program and looks forward to its speedy ratification.

While talking to the media, Ghosn announced the return of the Datsun brand, Nissan's third global brand, alongside Nissan and Infiniti. Datsun will provide sustainable motoring experience to optimistic up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets. Datsun represents 80 years of accumulated Japanese carmaking expertise and is a important part of Nissa

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[David]

Bad move, this is Carlos grasping at straws in trying to figure out how to grow his empire with no real clue on how to do this with the existing brand.

DING-DONG, WAKE UP CALL CARLOS, The glut of auto's on the market and over capacity should be telling you that bringing anothr name plate to market is NOT the right way to go.

[ZL-1]

Low cost? What about Dacia? :/

[Robert Hall]

Low cost? What about Dacia? :/

Sounds like this is going to be comparable to Dacia for non-Dacia markets. Probably will have variations on the same models.

[David]

Yea, but why not either expand Dacia to these markets or expand the bottom end of Nissan rather than recreate an old name plate when the industry clearly does not need one.

[riviera74]

Yea, but why not either expand Dacia to these markets or expand the bottom end of Nissan rather than recreate an old name plate when the industry clearly does not need one.

But dfelt, that would actually make sense. There was a reason that Nissan Ditched Datsun back in '86.

[daves87rs]

Unless it is different, it will be a failure.

[Drew Dowdell]

What was the reason Nissan ditched Datsun though? I don't know of any brand image problems they had.

[balthazar]

^ My recollection is that 'datsun' was somehow deemed to be less 'ethnic' than 'nissan', so it was changed for the U.S.. At some point they felt they could drop the charade.

What strikes me here is that 'datsun' isn't a separate brand, just a different name for the same entity, so the only logical way to "bring back the brand" is to drop 'nissan' for 'datsun'. Again.

[SAmadei]

Balthy, as usual, hit it right on the head.

[Robert Hall]

What strikes me here is that 'Datsun' isn't a separate brand, just a different name for the same entity, so the only logical way to "bring back the brand" is to drop 'Nissan' for 'datsun'. Again.

No...they can have Nissan and Datsun coexist as brands. It's not like they have to stick with how it was done in 1983 when they switched. It's just marketing...

Edited March 21, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[David]

Yet the marketing of Datsun and the money being spent still does not make any real sense for the over all cost compared to using what they already have.

Unless the Nissan or Dacia name in these 3rd world backwater places have bad name recognition.