Remember the Datsun? You'd have to be well over 31 years old if you do, as that's when it was last available to buy. Nissan has decided to revive the brand after three decades - but only for the emerging markets of Russia, Indonesia and India.
The come back may be seen as something of a surprise by some, especially those who can remember how long it took Nissan to get rid of the Datsun brand during the 1980s. But the residual notions of reliability and value for money appear to be enough to inspire a revival.
Re-modelled specifically for the emerging economies mentioned above, Nissan will not be targeting Europe or North America with the vehicle. This is because Nissan sees Datsun as a low-cost marque, and does not want to 'pollute' its headline Nissan models with the low-cost image that surrounds the Datsun.
They appear to be a little embarrassed by the brand, but not so much as to miss an opportunity to sell more cars. It's not as if the Datsun is a breakdown cover insurance call waiting to happen - it just doesn't fit in with the quality image of the mother brand.
Other brands, such as Volkswagen with its Skoda marque and Renault with its Dacia brand, have successfully targeted a slightly less cash-rich segment of society without damaging their flagship branding. In time, perhaps Nissan will find the same as regards Datsun.
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