Datsuns Return; Future Face-Off With Toyota's Scion

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YSSMAN

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Here is an interesting story:

Leftlanenews.com
While there are no immediate plans for a revival of the nameplate, a top Nissan executive admitted the Datsun brand could be used again in the future. According to a report in Australia’s Herald Sun Nissan could eventually revive the Datsun name for a separate youth brand, somewhat like Toyota’s Scion. Also like Scion, such a brand would be built for the U.S. market first and foremost. However, Nissan global communications vice-president Simon Sproule cautioned that the automaker currently has its hands full. “Frankly at the moment we are still developing the Nissan brand […] We have only just started repairing the Infiniti brand.” He also said every brand carries “good and bad baggage.” For example, some consumers might look fondly on Datsun and wonder, “why did those idiots change it to Nissan?” While others might “think Datsun is completely irrelevant.” The Herald Sun speculates that if Datsun is used again, one of the most appropriate models would be the Nissan Cube from Japan.

Quite frankly, I love the idea! To bring over a few, rather cheap models under the Datsun name seems like a clever scheme to bring back a few folks, and maybe create some new customers as well. There are plenty of people who still think Nissan should not have changed it's name back in the late '80s, but progress is progress, as others would say.

But on the opposite hand, I do agree with the conclution Simon Sproule had... Nissan has it's hands full right now, and to get badge happy probably wouldn't be the best idea for the brand right now.

...But hey, maybe if they are looking to bring over a few new cars, why don't they start shipping a few Renault Clio and Meganes?
 
Yes, and plus it has a lot of history and I LOVE Datsun.
Renault Clios would be really nice, I love those little things.
It would be really cool if they brang back Datsuns, I might buy a cheap one for my first car.
PS I love the Nissan Cube, so cute and so much more stylish than the xB.
 
if they made new 240sx's or "baby Z's" and sold them as Datsuns, that would be awesome. I think they should sell all the econo cars as nissans, and datsun should be used for youth-oriented sports cars, while infiniti has the luxury/sports lineup.
 
You mean 240z's as Datsuns, and 240sxs as Nissans?
Thats what I would think.
Anyway, yes, they could have a Scion-like youth branch of Datsun, but better, involving the Nissan March, Cube, and a new 240z (or, be as it may, a 240sx)
 
no man, a new car like an american silvia or a less powerful, cheaper Z....cheap rwd and stuff... sold as a datsun in the states. People would eat them up, man.
 
Yes, like the 240z.
Ok, they could make a 240sx as the American Silvia, and... what you said.
But the 240z is also rear drive right?
PS are we the only ones here?:dunce:
 
I think Nissan sold few pickups, as recent as early 90's, under the Datsun name. I'd think it's a cool naming for counter-Scion brand as well. My only beef is that, English speaking people don't know how to say the name. It's Dat-sun. Try saying the "Dat" part like "that", then you are close. :p Almost as bad as how Japanese pronounce the Camaro, a Ka ma lo. :lol:
 
Little do you guys know, when they first approached Simon Sproule about adding a third brandname to the u.s. lineup, they said,

"Mr. Sproule, we need you to set up a third brandname for Nissan in the u.s., to counter Toyota's Scion division, and we need it by the end of the year."

to which Simon replied,

"Dat soon?!"

:lol:






...okay, I'll leave now. :nervous:
 
Wolfe2x7.......... America's answer to Touring Mars & daan. :lol:
 
Chinese dont have any good way to pronounce 'ro'. I am Taiwanese, believe me I know.
But Americans saying 'thatsun'?! WTF?!

Ill leave now too
 
...Hell, maybe if they bring back the Datsun name, Nissan can finially bring back the Maxima to it's "4DSC" roots... WHERE IT SHOULD BE!!!!
 
I would think Datsun's nameplate should stay dead and stay down there! :grumpy: I think that people would look at that "Datsun" name and be like: "That is some old stuff."

To me Datsun sound simply "old" to my taste. :crazy:
 
I like the idea of bringing back Datsun, but then when I think of Datsun, I think of the Z's. And because of this, people are going to know them as Nissan cubes and such. Disgrace kinda IMO.
 
When I think of Datsun:

- 240Z
- 510
- 720 Pickup
- 200B

...Good cars and trucks...
 
Wolfe2x7
Little do you guys know, when they first approached Simon Sproule about adding a third brandname to the u.s. lineup, they said,

"Mr. Sproule, we need you to set up a third brandname for Nissan in the u.s., to counter Toyota's Scion division, and we need it by the end of the year."

to which Simon replied,

"Dat soon?!"

:lol:






...okay, I'll leave now. :nervous:


LOL. +rep. 👍
 
Strange, I thought it was the "l" sound that Japanese lacked, not "r".

I'm all for Datsun coming back. There were some good models sold under that name. 👍
 
YSSMAN
When I think of Datsun:

- 240Z
- 510
- 720 Pickup
- 200B

...Good cars and trucks...

Dude, if Datsun made a comeback to the US and it had a RWD coupe or sedan I WILL FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE EXISTS AND BUY IT. LISTEN TO ME NISSAN, I WILL BUY A DATSUN! Nissan needs to reenergize it's lineup with more sporty and affordable toys like Toyota did with Scion.

If this happends Nissan*cough*Datsun*cough* needs to remake the 510 Bluebird and bring back the RWD Maxima! I hope Nissan isn't blowing hot air up our ass and is actually considering this. It would be a great move for Nissan.
 
Elegy
Strange, I thought it was the "l" sound that Japanese lacked, not "r".

I'm all for Datsun coming back. There were some good models sold under that name. 👍

That's true -- the Japanese "r" consonant matches more closely with the English "r" than the English "l." However, the pronunciation for the Japanese "r" is somewhere between "r" and "l" (almost like a soft "d"). Because of this, the Japanese stereotypically mix them up when pronouncing English words.
 
Wolfe2x7
Because of this, the Japanese stereotypically mix them up when pronouncing English words.

Yeah, I've seen the results myself several times. Some are more amusing than others. :lol:

Though, I've listened to a lot of Japanese, and many times I can clearly hear the "r" sound in words that I know have an "r" in their romaji.
 
I've heard this many times before, but it is closer to "L". As I mentioned before, Camaro is a good example, but foreign words with "R" sound are converted into "L" sound. This "L" sound might not be a exact match, but it is the closest sound in English. Rocket, robot, roulette, rental, you name it, we pronounce them locketo, lobotto, louletto, lental.

P.S. This has nothing to do with the "L" "R" pronounciation, but hardest English words for me(other than Camaro) to actually speak in English were vanilla and chocolate. It was so hard ordering icecleams for first couple of years in the States. :lol:
 
YSSMAN
When I think of Datsun:

- 240Z
- 510
- 720 Pickup
- 200B

...Good cars and trucks...

When I think of Datsun:

120Y (120 Why?!)
180B
200B (A Datsun 180B with 20 more mistakes)

They are thinking about bringing the Datsun name back down here too. But I doubt they will, because down in Australia, the name Datsun has the same connotation of say Lada in Europe. Every Datsun I've been in has been a steaming pile of poo. With exception of the 1600.
 
Casio
When I think of Datsun:

120Y (120 Why?!)
180B
200B (A Datsun 180B with 20 more mistakes)

They are thinking about bringing the Datsun name back down here too. But I doubt they will, because down in Australia, the name Datsun has the same connotation of say Lada in Europe. Every Datsun I've been in has been a steaming pile of poo. With exception of the 1600.

Datsun's are sought after now, I have many friends that snap up any Datsun (mainly pre 1980) they find in great condition, and a few friends that have mint Datsun's get offers to sell all the time. Many 200b, Stanza's, 120y, 180b, 260c that are 4 door and in bad condition are ignored but find a mint one and there are wanted. 1000's, 1200's, 1600's, 240k, 180b coupes, 200b coupes, stanza coupes, 240-280z's, are sought after even in rough condition (not to mention all the others I forgot).

As for steaming pile of poo, well most had/have rust problems but mechanically they are great and many have independent suspension and handle great especially with modern tyres. They were always dismissed compared to Holdens and Fords in the day because they were cheaper and smaller, more suited for a woman that wanted to take it to the shops, drop off kids to school and didn't care to have a V8 or 3+litre 6 cylinder guzzling fuel.
 
Datsun, huh? I..I dunno. An old brand name for something fresh and new?

well, the more I think about it, the better it sounds. How about a new Silvia? sell it as a "Datsun 240S." as long as we're RWD, wer're good to go!
 
Jim Prower
well, the more I think about it, the better it sounds. How about a new Silvia? sell it as a "Datsun 240S." as long as we're RWD, wer're good to go!
They would hvae to have something to base it on though, and I think the FM platform may be too large.
 
Cheap, light, some FWD, some RWD, compete against Scion, actually make them youth oriented instead of the xB and xA with their Elementitis (meaning they appeal to baby boomers looking for good mileage and room with a warranty) I'd be happy as hell.

What are those short named Nissans? Versa, Cube...Urge?
 
if datsun does return, they should really consider the nissan sport compact concept, urge concept and foria concept, which is so much like the original csp11 silvia. perhaps a "gazelle" revival, but def not on the fm platform, maybe a derivative thats cheaper to build. nissan already has the 350z so no need for "240z" replacement either
 
The FM is a REALLY hefty pig.

I don't think it could be made cheaper and lighter, one or the other definitely, needs a new ground up platform to make it cheap and light.
 
... I was talking about the 350Z.
Anyway... yeah 'Dat soon?' could be Nissan's Scion rival, with the Urge, Cube, and Versa. And Sport Concept (the hatchback)?
But leave the Sentra to Nissan.
 
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