Datsun Looking To Latin America, Africa For Expansion

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

Datsun’s first product, the GO subcompact, has yet to go on sale in its first market, but Datsun is already looking elsewhere to expand its offerings beyond the initial four markets of India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Datsun is focusing on Central America as well as other African markets as targets for expansion following Datsun’s rollout. The WSJ quotes Datsun head Vincent Cobee as stating that the two regions are “…vastly underserved by the auto industry.”

Africa has been a target of European automakers like PSA and Dacia in recent years. Dacia, which is part of the Renault-Nissan group, has been aggressively expanding in North African countries like Morocco and Algeria with its own low-cost cars, though the new Datsun product is arguably an even more basic proposition.

Beyond the GO, Datsun is developing as many as 5 other models to flesh out its product lineup. While conventional wisdom dictates that customers would be moved up the ladder from a Datsun to a Nissan, the aim is to keep customers moving up to different products within the Datsun brand.

TTAC Staff
TTAC Staff

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  • Roberto Esponja Roberto Esponja on Aug 29, 2013

    What a horrid little car. I get that it's cheap, but couldn't they at least make it look pleasing to the eye?

    • Tosh Tosh on Aug 30, 2013

      Photos just don't do it justice. And upgrading to 13 inch wheels helps fill up those wheel wells.

  • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Aug 29, 2013

    I had always figured that, given the development level of South Africa, and how many people there have quite a bit of money - it'd be too advanced car-wise for 3rd worldy type brands like this.

  • Romismak Romismak on Aug 29, 2013

    I think Datsun will be great, pushing sales in emerging markets. It could be even better than Dacia what is big succes for brother´s Renault, i mean they will have price like cheap cars from Chinese but with Nissan technology, engines, everything will be just ,,another,, league, but with logo Datsun it will cost lower than entry level Nissan´s. Also Nissan´s geographical markets are great for cheap entry-level cars, i mean South America, Africa, Asean, India- huge potential for future. I think Renault should make Dacia more global brand outside of Europe-Maghreb region. Renault should be mainstream brand with ,,upmarket,, potential in South America for example and Dacia´s could be entrly-level vehicles there, now they have 1 single Renault brand there with producst from both brands... Also in few years i believe Nissan will be just to big, i mean when REenault boght share in Nissan and saved them it was like even- both were making i think about 2.5million vehicles annualy, now this year numbers will be like 2.5-55m Renault and Nissan over 5million - that means twice as big and with markets they are existing and future i say Nissan willbe much bigger in US, China, ASEAN,Africa, while Renault can basically grow only in India- in South America competiton is already with every automaker producing there, India there is the same chance like for Nissan, but Nissan is in markets where Renault is not present. so really it could be interresting in future Renault selling like 3million cars and Nissan 7m maybe how the alliance balance power will go

  • Old Man Pants Old Man Pants on Aug 29, 2013

    There's just no polite name you can use for that color. Try it.... your brain simply won't let you escape words describing bodily waste/secretions. High Gloss Bile is the closest I can come.

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