- 1,000
- Donegal, IRL
- GTP_DaveB
It was the Japanese car-maker whose generously equipped, modestly priced and most reliable vehicles began the assault on slapdash British cars in the Seventies and sounded the death-knell for the UK-owned motor industry.
But just as it made its mark in revolutionising the UK car market, the name of Datsun then drifted from view as the firm from the land of the Rising Sun transformed itself into Nissan - and built a state of the art car factory in Sunderland.
But now after a gap of more than a quarter of a century the Datsun name is bouncing back as a budget brand for parent company Nissan which set out plans for a new small, reliable, affordable and green car bearing the Datsun badge.
Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn made the announcement yesterday while in Indonesia -one of three markets alongside India and Russia, where the Datsun will go on sale from 2014.
But if the idea catches on there is the possibility that budget-priced Datsuns could again be running on UK and other European roads.
Mr Ghosn said the first of the new generation Datsuns initially built in Indonesia - would go back to the firms origins: Its a green car, affordable car, small displacement, high local content. Its going to be a generous car.
At their peak in the 1970s Datsun cars sold in Britain came keenly priced, packed with up-to-the-minute technology that would be a costly extra on British and European built cars.
Standard features included a heated rear screen, two-speed wipers, a dual band radio and reclining seats which were initially vinyl before being replaced in late 1976-77 by half vinyl-half cloth.
Adverts from 1976, when Datsun had an incredible 6per cent share of the UK car market, show a Cherry 100A model costing £765 and a rakish 240Z sport coupe at £2,389.
After a wind-down period when cars were badged Datsun by Nissan, the last cars to bear the Datsun name were the Stanza and Bluebird in 1985.
Most importantly, as the UK car industry reeled under the onslaught of British Leylands militant car workers, walk outs and strikes instigated by the likes of Derek Red Robbo Robinson, and declining levels of quality and workmanship,
Frustrated British buyers were ripe for the hassle free Japanese cars. The Datsun Cherry was the car used by many driving schools and launched many L-plated earner drivers.
The sporty 240Z coupe gained a reputation as the poor mans E-Type and sold phenomenally well. For the family there was the sedate Datsun Laurel.
Datsun made its debut in Japan in 1931 when it was created by the DAT Motorcar Company. Two years later it was taken over by Nissan. But the Datsun title survived and was the name by which Nissan initially sold its cars in the UK.
The Datsun name died completely in 1986 coinciding with the opening of the new UK factory in Sunderland building the Nissan Bluebird.
Jay Nagley, managing director at the consultancy Redspy Automotive said:It is ironic, as Nissan spent 10 years in the 1980s trying to get rid of Datsun.
Nissan wants to create a low cost brand without giving Nissan cars a low cost image.
Its becoming quite common for car makers to develop low cost brands. Renault has been successful with Dacia, Volkswagen with Skoda.
Earlier this month Nissan announced at the Geneva Motor Show that it is to create more than 2,000 new British jobs to build a brand new family car at its UK car factory in Sunderland.
The Japanese car giant is to invest £125million with the taxpayer pumping in nearly £10million more in regional support to manufacture a new car called Invitation which was unveiled at the Show by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Found here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...generation-Datsun-cars-set-hit-road-2014.html
But just as it made its mark in revolutionising the UK car market, the name of Datsun then drifted from view as the firm from the land of the Rising Sun transformed itself into Nissan - and built a state of the art car factory in Sunderland.
But now after a gap of more than a quarter of a century the Datsun name is bouncing back as a budget brand for parent company Nissan which set out plans for a new small, reliable, affordable and green car bearing the Datsun badge.
Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn made the announcement yesterday while in Indonesia -one of three markets alongside India and Russia, where the Datsun will go on sale from 2014.
But if the idea catches on there is the possibility that budget-priced Datsuns could again be running on UK and other European roads.
Mr Ghosn said the first of the new generation Datsuns initially built in Indonesia - would go back to the firms origins: Its a green car, affordable car, small displacement, high local content. Its going to be a generous car.
At their peak in the 1970s Datsun cars sold in Britain came keenly priced, packed with up-to-the-minute technology that would be a costly extra on British and European built cars.
Standard features included a heated rear screen, two-speed wipers, a dual band radio and reclining seats which were initially vinyl before being replaced in late 1976-77 by half vinyl-half cloth.
Adverts from 1976, when Datsun had an incredible 6per cent share of the UK car market, show a Cherry 100A model costing £765 and a rakish 240Z sport coupe at £2,389.
After a wind-down period when cars were badged Datsun by Nissan, the last cars to bear the Datsun name were the Stanza and Bluebird in 1985.
Most importantly, as the UK car industry reeled under the onslaught of British Leylands militant car workers, walk outs and strikes instigated by the likes of Derek Red Robbo Robinson, and declining levels of quality and workmanship,
Frustrated British buyers were ripe for the hassle free Japanese cars. The Datsun Cherry was the car used by many driving schools and launched many L-plated earner drivers.
The sporty 240Z coupe gained a reputation as the poor mans E-Type and sold phenomenally well. For the family there was the sedate Datsun Laurel.
Datsun made its debut in Japan in 1931 when it was created by the DAT Motorcar Company. Two years later it was taken over by Nissan. But the Datsun title survived and was the name by which Nissan initially sold its cars in the UK.
The Datsun name died completely in 1986 coinciding with the opening of the new UK factory in Sunderland building the Nissan Bluebird.
Jay Nagley, managing director at the consultancy Redspy Automotive said:It is ironic, as Nissan spent 10 years in the 1980s trying to get rid of Datsun.
Nissan wants to create a low cost brand without giving Nissan cars a low cost image.
Its becoming quite common for car makers to develop low cost brands. Renault has been successful with Dacia, Volkswagen with Skoda.
Earlier this month Nissan announced at the Geneva Motor Show that it is to create more than 2,000 new British jobs to build a brand new family car at its UK car factory in Sunderland.
The Japanese car giant is to invest £125million with the taxpayer pumping in nearly £10million more in regional support to manufacture a new car called Invitation which was unveiled at the Show by Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Found here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...generation-Datsun-cars-set-hit-road-2014.html
