Japon
Datsun
Datsun is a Japanese automotive brand whose roots go back to 1911, the year Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works was founded in Tokyo. In 1914, the company produced its first car, the "DAT," an acronym formed from the initials of its three principal investors: Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama and Meitaro Takeuchi. In the late 1920s, a smaller model was named "Datson" (the son of the DAT). When Nissan took control of the business in 1934, the spelling became "Datsun": in Japanese, "son" evokes loss, while "sun" refers to the sun on the national flag. The parent company was renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. that same year. For decades, Datsun served essentially as an export brand: from 1958 to 1986, most Nissan vehicles sold outside Japan, notably in North America, carried the Datsun name. It was under this banner that the brand made its mark in the United States and Canada during the 1960s and 1970s, with standout models such as the 510 sedan and the 240Z sport coupe, which transformed the image of a previously little-known manufacturer when it came to sportiness. Beginning in 1981, Nissan started a global brand transition and progressively abandoned the Datsun name, which was permanently retired in March 1986 in favor of the Nissan name. The brand remained dormant for nearly three decades. In June 2013, Nissan revived Datsun as a low-cost entry-level brand aimed at emerging markets, primarily India, Indonesia and Russia, with models such as the GO. Faced with sharply declining sales, fierce competition and a shift in internal strategy at Nissan, the brand was discontinued once again in April 2022. Datsun therefore no longer has any active production today; it remains a historic name owned by Nissan, celebrated above all for its 1960s-1970s classics.
Historique / disparuePerformanceÉlectrique / hybrideCamion / utilitaireJaponaises
History
History of Datsun
Datsun is a Japanese automotive brand whose roots go back to 1911, the year Kwaishinsha Motorcar Works was founded in Tokyo. In 1914, the company produced its first car, the "DAT," an acronym formed from the initials of its three principal investors: Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama and Meitaro Takeuchi. In the late 1920s, a smaller model was named "Datson" (the son of the DAT). When Nissan took control of the business in 1934, the spelling became "Datsun": in Japanese, "son" evokes loss, while "sun" refers to the sun on the national flag. The parent company was renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. that same year. For decades, Datsun served essentially as an export brand: from 1958 to 1986, most Nissan vehicles sold outside Japan, notably in North America, carried the Datsun name. It was under this banner that the brand made its mark in the United States and Canada during the 1960s and 1970s, with standout models such as the 510 sedan and the 240Z sport coupe, which transformed the image of a previously little-known manufacturer when it came to sportiness. Beginning in 1981, Nissan started a global brand transition and progressively abandoned the Datsun name, which was permanently retired in March 1986 in favor of the Nissan name. The brand remained dormant for nearly three decades. In June 2013, Nissan revived Datsun as a low-cost entry-level brand aimed at emerging markets, primarily India, Indonesia and Russia, with models such as the GO. Faced with sharply declining sales, fierce competition and a shift in internal strategy at Nissan, the brand was discontinued once again in April 2022. Datsun therefore no longer has any active production today; it remains a historic name owned by Nissan, celebrated above all for its 1960s-1970s classics.
Public founding or origin of Datsun.
240Z: launch or first listed period.
510: launch or first listed period.
Go: launch or first listed period.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
Datsun's technical heritage largely overlaps with that of Nissan. During its golden age in the 1960s and 1970s, the export models relied on overhead-camshaft engines (four-cylinder L-series units in the 510, a 2.4 L L24 six-cylinder in the 240Z), a rear-wheel-drive layout and, remarkably for the era, four-wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts, inspired by European sedans. These choices delivered modern road manners at a contained price. Conversely, during the 2013 revival, Datsuns were built on economical platforms derived from older Nissans (the GO shares the Micra's underpinnings) with small three-cylinder gasoline engines and manual transmissions, without hybridization or electrification. The brand never developed its own driver-assistance technology or electrified powertrain.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
A historic Japanese brand belonging to Nissan, famous for its classic sports cars (240Z, 510) then revived as an entry-level offering for emerging markets, and now inactive.
Reputation
At its peak, Datsun enjoyed a solid reputation for affordability, reliability and driving enjoyment, with the 240Z and the 510 now being sought-after classics with strong collector value. The brand revived in 2013 met a very different fate: the Indian-market Datsun GO received a zero-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests, its structure being judged unstable, which seriously tarnished the brand's safety image. Perceived as a low-end offering built on aging foundations, it failed to win buyers over, and sales collapsed before the 2022 shutdown. Datsun's current reputation therefore rests above all on its sporting heritage.
Strengths
Recognized sporting heritage (240Z, 510) with strong collector value, engineering historically ahead of its price point (independent suspension, six-cylinder engines), and a well-established image of affordability. On the modern side, mechanical simplicity, low maintenance costs and the frugality of the small gasoline engines, well suited to first-time car buyers in emerging markets.
Points to watch
The brand has been out of production since 2022 and has no current lineup. The recent models were built on aging platforms, without hybridization or electrification, and the Datsun GO was heavily criticized for its safety (zero stars at Global NCAP, no airbags). Network and parts are limited outside emerging markets; there is no new-vehicle presence in North America.
Models
Datsun models
Current or active models by market
Notable past models
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
Historically, Datsun was not a separate industrial entity: its vehicles were produced in Nissan plants, primarily in Japan, then exported under the Datsun name, notably to North America. Nissan later established assembly sites in the United States (Smyrna, Tennessee, starting in 1983) and in Mexico, but under the Nissan brand. During the 2013 revival, modern Datsuns were assembled in emerging markets: India (Chennai plant), Indonesia and Russia, on existing Nissan platforms. No modern Datsun was produced or sold in North America, the North American market having known only the classic Datsuns imported from Japan.
Tires and wheels
For the North American classic Datsuns (240Z, 510), the iconic bolt pattern is 4x114.3 mm (4x4.5 in.), long a signature of the brand, with original 14-inch wheels (14x4.5J to 14x5J) fitted with narrow sizes of the 165/175 R14 type. Owners often install 14- to 15-inch alloy wheels and wider tires. In Quebec, these collector cars rarely run in winter, but any vehicle on the road from December to March must be equipped with compliant winter tires. In the absence of exact figures by model year, verify the actual bolt pattern, offset and diameter before buying any tires or wheels.