From Nissan Sport Magazine:

You read that right; there are rumors around the 'net that Nissan is considering bringing back the Datsun name. The murmurs pertain to a possible line of new, inexpensive models that are slated to cost no more than $5,000. This price point means that the Datsun brand likely won't find its way to American soil. Mutterings of Datsun's resurrection haven't been specific in exactly where the moniker will show up; it seems the plan is still awaiting the green light from higher-ups. Nissan Sport will be interested to see what develops.

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Ross Williams
1978 280Z Black Pearl Edition 38k Original Miles

yeah we were discussing this a little while back. pretty interesting. too bad not in America.

http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?t=6220

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

How history repeats itself!

In the late 1950s, Nissan feared failure in the USA with it's little "DATSUN 110" car. Yes, that's right, the model, NOT the brand, was DATSUN originally!

Nissan's reasoning back then was if the car flopped in the US, the Nissan corporate name would not be tarnished. Thus, Nissans exported became Datsuns.

If they are thinking about hanging the DATSUN badge on sub-$5000 cars, then that fear must still be there and justifiably so. What kind of car can you get in 2011 for $5k?

If successful, what image will that cut for OUR Datsuns from the 70s?

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John Taddonio
1970 240Z
1977 530Z
1984 300ZXT
zcarnut@hotmail.com
FB: Zccr zcarclubofrochester

I don't think the new Datsun brand will effect the original Datsun brand.

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

If they do re-use the Datsun name, I wonder what body script they might use? I can picture a lot of old Z owners putting new Datsun script on their cars! I think that might be pretty cool!

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1970 240Z

i would consider doing that Frank.

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Mike Tubiak
1978 Datsun 280Z - HLS30-438694

Datsoon ring a bell?

Some people... like me... don't buy that "fear of failure - loss of face" fairy tail.

From 1945 to 1958 was only 13 short years after WW-II. The President of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., which during the war was Nissan Heavy Industries - - was imprisoned and held for trial accused of War Crimes for his part in the in the operation of Nissan's facilities in China - where the Japanese used slave labor to build trucks for the Imperial Army. Yoshisuke Aikawa was released without trial - but banned from holding any executive position in any major corporation.

The name "NISSAN" was already badly damaged and the associated loss of face was there with all the shame. If you check old copies of the larger newspapers of the time - 1945-1947 you will see that the War Crimes trials in Japan got lots of press here in the US. The Japanese slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians - and the ones outright slaughtered, were the ones that got the best treatment.

The NISSAN name was already mud around the world - using the DATSUN brand was a way around that.

The first cars that Nissan produced were Datson/Datsun - actually redesigns of the Lila-Go which was a four wheel version of the Gorham Three Wheel Cars produced by the Practical Motor Works before it was merged into Nissan.

The first car to bear the name NISSAN was not seen until 1937 - when Nissan purchased the production rights, production line, and engine of the Graham Paige Crusader produced in the USA - moving everything to Japan to set up production there. A new name plate was put on the Crusader ie NISSAN, Model 70.

Nissan was used on the larger cars, trucks and buses - where Datsun was used on the smaller cars and trucks.

Mr. K - always wanted to keep the DATSUN name alive - it bore no shame.

FWIW,
Carl B.

Right ~ I remember the original name, DATSON (Son of DOT) equated to "losing money" in Japanese. So they changed it to DATSUN.

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1970 240Z

Carl,

WRITE THAT BOOK!!!! I'll help back ya, it's a sure-fire winner. And future generations will benefit from this information on Nissan, Datsun and the Z.

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John Taddonio
1970 240Z
1977 530Z
1984 300ZXT
zcarnut@hotmail.com
FB: Zccr zcarclubofrochester

John, you are so right. With Carl spearheading the project, and with
other guys like you, Frank, Kats Endo, Mike Brame from
Seattle, Chris W and Jimbo F from Carl's 'hood, and a couple of relative
unknowns named Sharp, Brock, Katayama, and Taylor providing inputs.......
Maybe there could even be ways I might be helpful, which
I would love to do if the real luminaries would allow me to participate...........

All Z Best,......................Kathy & Rick

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All Z Best,.......Kathy & Rick

1969 Z.CAR (#00013 10/69) 8/30/76
1969 ITSA.Z (#00171 11/69) 8/24/73
1970 OLD.Z (#06289 6/70) original owner
1971 510 2dr since 12/31/75
1969 1600 rdstr (our 160-Z)
1971 (#19851 1/71) sold
1975 75.Z (#01343 1/75)

Yes please, Carl, write it!!!

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T. Link
Germany
1971 240z (HLS30-16506)