Nissan Motor Company is on retro mode. The automobile company announced plans to revive its Datsun brand, which it had discontinued three decades ago.

The Datsun brand will be launched across India, Indonesia and Russia in the first half of 2014, said Mr. Ashwani Gupta, Program Director of the Datsun Business Unit. The core offer price for the Datsun models in India will be less than Rs. 4 lakh per car. Two models under the Nissan brand in India will be introduced in 2014 and the enhanced line up will be launched within three years, in each of the three markets.

Chennai plant

The models will be locally developed and produced at the company's Chennai plant. The capacity of the plant had earlier this year been increased from two lakh to four lakh units.

Nissan on Tuesday had already announced its plans to return to the Datsun brand in Indonesia at a conference in Jakarta.

First-time buyer

With the Datsun brand, the company plans to target first-time buyers, a segment it has not yet ventured into in India. “It's going to be a global brand with very specific products adapted to market needs, addressing consumers who today are buying used cars or driving motorcycles because they can't afford a new car,” said Mr. Carlos Ghosn at the conference held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Volumes

“Datsun volumes across the three markets of India, Indonesia and Russia would constitute about half of Nissan volumes,” said Mr. Gupta.

The company did not give any details regarding the volume targets or the investments required for the resurrection of the Datsun brand.

The company also unveiled a new logo under the Datsun brand.

> sneha.p@thehindu.co.in

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