Datsun Chief Outlines Brand’s Comeback Strategy

VIENNA – Nissan reveals sketches previewing the first new-generation Datsun car, which will be unveiled July 15 at a world-premiere event in New Delhi.

Sales of two new-era Datsun models launch next year in India, Indonesia and Russia, followed later in the year by South Africa. Details of the second vehicle have not been released.

“Datsun is about bringing affordable cars to a whole new segment of our consumers,” Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer tells WardsAuto. “It is not a global strategy – it is very much a region-by-region strategy, so you will see different vehicles, for example in India, compared to vehicles in Indonesia, China and Russia.”

Vincent Cobee, Nissan vice president and head of Datsun operations, says the new-generation marque is being “specifically developed for the emerging and ambitious new middle class in high-growth markets…The Datsun cars will be locally developed with the support of Nissan engineers and stylists and will be locally produced.”

Cobee says the revived brand targets “people who become more successful than the parents were. They are seeking confirmation of success; they are seeking the pride of individual transportation. And that’s what Datsun wants to stand for.”

Because an optimistic middle class is developing not only in Indonesia, India, Russia and South Africa, the auto maker is expected to expand its markets, starting in the vicinity of those four countries.

“Obviously, the neighboring countries – and we can call it Ukraine and Kazakhstan for Russia, and we can call it (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) for Indonesia – those are naturally next for Datsun,” Cobee says. “There are similar regulations, similar customer trends.”

Although Palmer includes China in Datsun’s region-by-region strategy, there are no plans to use the Datsun name there, as Nissan and its Chinese partner already have introduced their Venucia brand. “In China, we use the Venucia brand, but the principle is the same,” Palmer says.

Datsun modelswill be manufactured in different countries and likely will have different underpinnings but will share design cues. For example, someone coming from Indonesia to Russia would recognize a Russian-made Datsun as a Datsun, not only because of the badge.

In Russia, Datsun cars will be based on the platform of the low-cost Lada Granta model and manufactured by Renault-Nissan Alliance partner AvtoVAZ in Togliatti. The partnership also operates a plant in India, which will build Datsuns for export to South Africa,  and Nissan has a factory in Indonesia.

Palmer says Datsun, in contrast to Renault’s Dacia low-cost brand, is not expected to be sold in the main part of Europe. Dacias offered in Russia are badged as Renaults.

Nissan hopes to reach yearly sales of more than 100,000 Datsuns in Russia soon after the brand’s 2014 launch.

“Looking at the fact that Nissan, with a future line of three brands (Nissan, Datsun and  Infiniti), is an extremely successful group in Russia, we have set very ambitious goals for ourselves, which will be (annual sales of) about 400,000 vehicles or 10% market share,” Cobee says. “Datsun's aim is to represent 30% of that.”