Datsun cars in Russia

The content of the article:

• The history of the Datsun brand
• Datsun in Russia
• Main features of On-Do and Mi-Do models
• Company plans for the near future

Budget-class cars are traditionally very popular among Russians due to the relatively low level of income of the population.

However, it is wrong to think that budget cars are bad - they often use time-tested technical solutions and have an excellent price / quality ratio, which automatically turns them into reliable "hard workers" capable of performing their daily tasks without unnecessary pathos.

One of the representatives of such cars in Russia is the Japanese brand Datsun, the model range of which in our country is represented by two cars - the On-Do sedan and the Mi-Do compact hatchback. This manufacturer, even if it does not enjoy overwhelming success, has a stable demand among our fellow citizens.

The history of the Datsun brand

In the photo: Datsun 240Z

The history of the brand dates back to 1911 - it was then that M. Hashimoto founded a small company called "Kaisinsha".

After 3 years, the first car was produced, which received the name Dat-Go - it is formed from the first letters of the names of the main investors. In 1918, the company received a new name - Kwaishinsha Motor Car and began to manufacture small trucks aimed at meeting the military needs of the country.

In 1920, due to a decrease in demand for military transport, the company's management thought about merging with other car brands. In 1926, the two brands were merged, as a result of which the company received a new name - DAT Jidosha Seizo Co.

The first significant project of the newly-made brand was the creation of a compact car with an engine volume of less than 500 cubic meters. see It was planned to be produced under the name "Datson" ("son of DAT"), but since the word "son" was consonant with the Japanese word for "damage", the car was named Datsun.

In 1934, the manufacturer's name was changed to Nissan Motor Co. After 3 years, Japan began military action against China, after which the Datsun plant was redesigned for the production of trucks.

It is noteworthy that until 1958, the company's passenger models were produced exclusively under the Datsun brand, while trucks under the Nissan logo were mainly produced.

In 1958, the company began supplying Datsun cars to the US market, and a year later the dealer network of the Japanese brand covered all the states of America, offering them not only 113, but also 310 models, better known as "Bluebird".

Since 1962, machines under the Datsun brand have been exported to the European market. In subsequent years, the company produced such models as the Datsun 1000, B10, Bluebird 510 and the legendary 240Z, which went down in history as one of the most affordable sports cars. It was thanks to the 240Z that the brand managed to become the main prize-winner of the East African Rally twice.

In 1981, the brand's management decided to rename the Datsun brand to Nissan, which took about 5 years and over 500 thousand dollars. Curiously, even after the renaming process was completed, the Datsun brand was more recognizable than the Nissan brand.

In 2012, the auto concern Nissan made a strong-willed decision to "resurrect" the once popular brand Datsun, which was assigned the role of a manufacturer of inexpensive cars for developing countries, including Russia.

Datsun in Russia

The history of Datsun in Russia began in 2012, after an agreement was signed between the Renault-Nissan automobile alliance and the domestic AvtoVAZ on the development and assembly of Datsun cars at the facilities of the Togliatti Automobile Plant.

The debut of the first model of the company took place in the spring of 2014 - it was the budget sedan On-Do, built on the basis of the front-wheel drive Lada Granta.

The second model was presented in February 2015 - it was the Mi-Do hatchback, specially designed for the Russian market based on the domestic Lada Kalina.

Main features of On-Do and Mi-Do models

Datsun On-Do

Sales of the On-Do sedan in Russia started in the summer of 2014. Its main competitors are AvtoVAZ cars and second-hand "foreign cars".

The machine has the following dimensions:

Special attention should be paid to the ground clearance height, which is an impressive 185 mm, which even some crossovers presented in Russia can envy.

The car interior has a frankly budgetary appearance. Nevertheless, the assembly and quality of materials are noticeably superior to those in Lada Granta. Inside the car, 5 adult riders can sit, but the rear center rider will be slightly uncomfortable with the high transmission tunnel.

Trunk volume is 530 liters, which is one of the best in the class.

Under the hood of the car is a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, available in two levels of boost - 82 and 87 hp. A pair of it is either a 5-level manual transmission, or a 4-band "automatic".

Despite its budget, the top-end equipment of the car is capable of boasting the presence of:

• 15-inch light-alloy "rollers";
• fog light;
• electric windows for all doors;
• central lock;
• climate control;
• electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors;
• multimedia systems with 7 "monitor and navigation;
• rear parking sensors;
• light / rain sensors;
• frontal airbags;
• ESC, ABS and BAS systems.

The main feature of Datsun On-Do, whoever says anything, is the price starting at 374 thousand rubles.

Datsun Mi-Do

If we talk about the Mi-Do model, then its sales began in 2015. Externally, the car completely repeats the decisions of Lada Kalina, the only exception is the frontal part, made in the corporate key of the "revived" brand.

The dimensions of the Mi-Do are:

The hatchback rises above the roadway by 174 mm, which is a very good indicator for a car of this class.

The interior design of the car completely repeats that in the On-Do model, which means that potential buyers can count on budget finishing materials and good build quality. Inside the car can accommodate 5 passengers, although the back row does not shine with an abundance of free space, so four of us are better off on long trips.

Trunk volume is only 260 liters, which can be slightly increased due to the folding second row of seats. However, you cannot count on a flat loading area.

The hatchback is driven by an engine similar to the Datsun On-Do model, also available in 82 and 87 hp forcing.

The budget equipment is frankly poor, but the top-end version offers:

• 15-inch light-alloy rollers;
• fog lights;
• central locking;
• power windows for all doors;
• cruise control with speed limiter;
• navigation;
• light sensor / rain sensor;
• ESC, ABS and BAS systems;
• climate control;
• heated windshield;

The minimum price for the Datsun Mi-Do is 445 thousand rubles.

Company plans for the near future

Rumor has it that closer to 2020, two new Datsun models may be presented in Russia, one of which will be a crossover. Unfortunately, there is no exact information about the models yet, but it is assumed that the new crossover will be based on the bestseller of the Russian market in the person of Renault Duster.

In the Indian market, the company sells the seven-seater Datsun Go + station wagon with might and main, and the Datsun Cross compact crossover, which was introduced in January 2018, in the Indonesian market.

The station wagon is based on the Nissan Micra chassis and boasts a 1.2-liter, 68-horsepower petrol engine. The Datsun Cross model is equipped with a similar engine, however, two degrees of boost are offered for it - for 68 and 78 hp.

Conclusion

Today the Datsun brand is one of the main players in the class of budget cars on the Russian market.As of the end of 2018, the brand occupied the 17th line in the ranking of the best-selling cars in the Russian Federation, while there is no doubt that the company is heading in the right direction and, while maintaining the current concept, it is quite possible that it will be able to enter the TOP 10 most popular brands in Russia.

Datsun