TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nissan Motor Co. is considering the revival of its old Datsun brand name, as it aims to launch low-priced automobiles to attract growing vehicle demand in emerging economies such as Russia and Asia, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
Datsun, a brand created under Nissan's predecessor, will become the automaker's third leading brand after the Nissan brand and Infiniti luxury brand, after being discontinued decades earlier.
Datsun had been used in a wide range of vehicles mainly in overseas markets and was well-known in the North American market before it was merged into the Nissan brand starting from the 1980s.
Competition in the emerging markets has been intensifying, with automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. already selling low-priced cars and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. planning to launch a fuel-efficient small vehicle later this year.