Datsun Rebranded: The Pinnacle of Automotive engineering.

 You've definitely heard about Datsun—the company that made the 240Z. However, did you know that they rebranded (and, as a result, are dead again)? If not, I don't blame you.

Let’s talk about Datsun, the car that redefines what it means to drive with style—if by "style" you mean "wearing your car's quirks like a badge of honour." It’s not just a car company; it’s an adventure. Sure, other cars may promise speed, comfort, and fancy gadgets, but Datsun reminds us that sometimes, it’s all about taking the scenic route (because the main road doesn’t quite work out). So, buckle up (or don’t, depending on your Datsun’s mood) and let’s dive into what makes their cars "special".

Please note - I'm only going to talk about the rebranded Datsun in the Indian Market. I will be making fun of them.

Picture this, if you will. The year is 2012. The name Datsun was long dead - it hadn't been used since the 80s. For most people, it was forgotten, and for the people who remembered the nameplate did so because of legendary models like the Fairlady. However, out of the blue, then Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn (before he hid in a box) announced that the Datsun brand would be resurrected to produce affordable transport for developing nations - a far cry from what they used to do.

Now, I would love to tell all of you readers how the public reacted to such news, but the simple (and slightly embarrassing) truth is that I simply could not find anything on how it was perceived. So, I'm just going to hit you with complete, raw, facts and figures. Datsun was aimed at "the risers" - in other words, young buyers. It was supposed to be, as previously mentioned, launched in developing countries like India and Indonesia. The cars were supposed to be affordable, fuel-efficient and comfortable.

In 2013, Datsun finally commenced operations in India. The initial model introduced was the Datsun GO, an economical supermini that can be described as simplistic, to put it mildly. It featured a neutral and unremarkable design, a relatively spacious boot, and an accessible price point of merely 3.12 lakhs for the base variant. However, there are some very obvious misses. First of all - forget a touchscreen. Heck, forget a gosh darn radio for the top variant. Instead, your phone was the radio, navigation, everything! Also, there wasn't even a glovebox lid.

This description sets the tone for the entire rebranded Datsun as a whole. Cheap, underwhelming and a far cry from its glory days.  My favourite review of all time is team-BHP's review of the GO. It shines light on every single detail of the car, and it never fails to give me a chuckle.

About 10 months later, Datsun launched the GO+ here, and as the name suggested, it was an extended version of the GO. And it was more of the same. Cheap, boring and underwhelming. And then, they launched their magnum opus - the Datsun redi-GO. This car finally had some stand-out design and sold rather well for Datsun. While their GO and GO+ models were doing about 500 units per month, this was doing 2K. It even came with a radio (huzzah!).

However, India is a fierce market, and anyone hoping to compete with the absolute behemoth that is  Maruti Suzuki must have an absolutely killer lineup. Datsun did not have that in the slightest, and although 2,000 units monthly may sound like a lot, when your competitors are doing 20 THOUSAND  units at the same time, it's pretty insignificant.

So inevitably, Datsun stopped production. They halted production first in Russia and Indonesia, but they claimed boldly and proudly that they would not stop selling cars here. 

Soon after that, they shut down Indian sales. Typical Nissan.

So dear reader, there you have it. The story of the fabled Datsun brand - Once a legend, now a laughing stock.  It's really sad how Nissan managed to mess up such a badge, and the Datsun story should be a warning for all the other manufacturers on how NOT to revive a nameplate. 

Thanks for reading, and drive safe!