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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Lifestyle
Graham Hiscott

Nissan ends production of Datsun brand vehicles - but will sell remaining stock

Car giant Nissan is ditching the Datsun name again.

Datsun helped Japanese car firms become a major player globally after the Second World War.

But after selling 20 million cars around the world, Nissan decided in 1981 to phase out the name.

However, three decades later it was revived, with a new Datsun model going on sale in India in 2012.

But now Nissan has decided to pull the plug on production once again.

In 2020, it stopped production of Datsun cars in Russia and Indonesia.

A Nissan spokesperson said the firm would continue to sell its stock of Datsun cars, adding: “We can reassure all existing and future Datsun owners that customer satisfaction remains our priority.”

Paul Newman pushes his car into the pits as he prepares to practice for the Trans-Am 100 race in 1984 (Bettmann Archive)

It came as Nissan said it wanted to focus on “core models and segments that bring the most benefit customers.”

Datsun’s history dates back to 1911 when Japanese engineer Masujiro Hashimoto set-up a company in Tokyo.

Three years later, the company launched its first car under the name DAT - standing for Durable, Attractive, Trustworthy.

The first Datsun-branded cars followed in 1931.

A new Datsun model went on sale in India in 2012 (The India Today Group via Getty Images)

After World War 2, Datsun became known for making small and reliable cars but in the late 1960s it launched sporty models such as the 240Z to appeal to the US market.

The Datsun Cherry and Sunny models were also big sellers.

The Datsun named was phased out in the UK in 1984, with the launch of the Nissan Micra.

Among the famous Datsun drivers was Hollywood actor Paul Newman who raced a 280ZX in 1979, winning a number of events in the US. It went on sale in 2020 with a price tag of $7million (£5.5million).

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