Nissan ending production of Datsun brand vehicles

Japanese automaker Nissan is ending production of Datsun brand vehicles, less than a decade after reviving the famed budget car to woo cost-conscious customers in emerging markets, the company said on Monday.

“Nissan is focusing on core models and segments that bring the most benefit to customers, dealer partners and the business,” it said in a statement.

“Production of Datsun redi-GO will cease at the Chennai Plant,” it said, adding that sales of already built models would continue.

The facility in India was the last one operating for the brand, after production ended in Indonesia and Russia.

The company said aftersales service and parts would remain available.

Nissan first killed off the Datsun brand in 1981, but it was revived in 2013 by then-CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Ghosn would go on to be arrested in Japan on allegations of financial misconduct, before jumping bail and fleeing to Lebanon where he remains an international fugitive.

Datsun’s second death reportedly follows disappointing sales, and comes as Nissan tries to pull itself out of a years-long slump.

The Datsun first went on sale in 1931 and was was sold in 190 countries.

Its revived version had a much smaller footprint, with over 7,000 units sold last year, according to Nissan.