Nissan to bring back the Datsun brand

Automaker Nissan is preparing to bring back the Datsun brand, which was retired in the 1980s, reports in Japan said. The Datsun gave Nissan a niche market. The brand was known for its small sports cars and fuel-efficient sedans. It was introduced in the 1930s and made it to the U.S. market in 1958, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. Nissan, Japan's No. 2 automaker by volume after Toyota, produces a high-end brand called Infiniti but has no low-cost or entry-level brand for first-time car buyers. A revived Datsun could fit emerging markets such as India, Indonesia and Russia. The current plan includes bringing back Datsun as a brand by 2014 and selling some models for about $6,100, the newspaper said. © 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.